James Miller - Database to Web

Moving your company's database to the Internet as read-only web pages is a proven method of improving productivity.

Suppose you have a series of reports, that you like to look at every day. These might be sales, orders, costs and other financial or production information.

Many managers still get these as printed reports every day.

Why?

We tend to believe that many are frightened that by accessing the company's databases directly, they may make inadvertant changes. Those in charge of the accounts fear this too and resist general access to the computer system. And especially by managers!

But whereas ten years ago, few managers had any idea of how to use a computer, even the least computer knowledgeable can at least use a browser to surf the Internet.

If he or she can't then why did you employ them?

We have recently used some of our tools to create a web page-based version of a company's database.

Benefits were substantial and in some ways surprising :-

  1. Managers now get their full information, as and when they require it.

  2. As the pages are placed on a secure web site, that can be accessed remotely through a user name and password, managers can access their data at any time and from any place.

  3. Productivity has increased as senior managers no longer ask questions of their juniors, which they could now answer quickly through the web site.

  4. As the management information is available on a structured need-to-know basis, everybody is able to ascertain how their department was performing. Remedial actions are taken quicker.

Overall a productivity increase of around ten percent was proved.

E-Mail if you want to know more.