Well, let's look at two examples:
- Attorney case tracking database.
- Property management database.
Attorney case tracking database
Most attorneys do not work on one case at a time. Some may handle MANY cases at one time. Traffic ticket defense, for example typically works best as a high-volume practice. So, if a firm is assigning multiple attorneys to multiple cases in multiple locations, how do they keep track of the progress for each case while maintaining the schedules for each attorney? They could use a paper-based filing system and schedule their attorneys by hand in a scheduling book. Or, they could have a single repository for all information about the cases, schedules, attorneys, etc. This central repository can reference specially saved text files to generate letters, forms, and other items that may be needed throughout the life of a case.
Now, if the firm ever wants to go back to look at specific trends, track cases handled by a specific attorney, track marketing, or any number of other items the data is there in an easy to manipulate format.
Property management database
Now let's picture a high-rise condo building. There may be a mix of owner occupants and renters within this property. Some renters may be renting from the developer of the condo, some may be renting from other companies, and some may be renting from individual owners. Typically, in this scenario, a company is hired by the condo association to manage the building.
Management generally means making sure that common-area problems are fixed, problems within the units that are covered by monthly maintenance are taken care of, and packages and other items for residents are properly distributed. There may be one or two people handling all of this in a smaller complex or there may be a large staff working on this in a larger complex. How do they keep track of everything?
Again, a paper-based filing system would work. It is not the best approach if you are concerned about efficiency, however. A centralized database application can provide contact information for owners of each unit, residents of each unit, and companies affiliated with units in the building. This same centralized database can provide maintenance issue tracking, package distribution tracking, payment history for renters, and any number of other items pertinent to day-to-day operations.
How can this help me?
Does your company currently use a paper-based system for some portion of its operations? Does your company use several spreadsheets for some portion of its operations? Does your day-to-day operations entail using several disconnected tools to process information that is somehow inter-related?
If you answered yes to any of the previous questions, you could probably streamline your office operations by implementing a centralized database application.
About the products we use
ITC uses several open source products to create database applications for our clients. We use PostgreSQL as a database backend for centralized data storage. The user interfaces are written in wxPython to ensure that native or near-native operating system widgets and controls are used for product interaction. Finally, the glue that ties all of this together is the Python programming language.
The above products provide a secondary benefit. The combination listed above works on Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. This ensures that clients are not locked in to a single vendor for their desktop environment.
Learn more
To learn more about ITC and to find out how a database application can benefit your company, visit our website at www.itccinc.com or contact us at (305) 238-6587 and ask to speak to the lead developer.
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