Why settle for just ID cards when you can get so much more?
You might buy Badges & More Enterprise to produce ID cards, but you will soon be using it to solve countless other database needs. Its easy to use Administration screen makes connecting to Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, Access, and ODBC databases a snap. And the Data Entry screen makes maintaining your data a breeze. In fact, you can literally go from creating an Access table to producing ID cards in just minutes!
The Badges & More Enterprise Solution
Badges & More Enterprise is the result of listening to what our customers said they wanted in an ID card-producing program. Here is what they asked for:
Flexible Database Options: This was the number one request. Customers wanted the ability to use existing data, whether it was in Access, Oracle, MSSQL, or an ODBC database.
Flexible Screens: Customers wanted to see only the fields they needed, and displayed in the order they wanted.
Flexible Photo Input: Customers wanted to capture photos from TWAIN cameras and scanners, and through file import.
Flexible Record Selection: Customers wanted to control the fields they used to select records, and also the order in which records were displayed.
Flexible Table Validation: Customers wanted drop-down lists for selecting field values for any field where it was appropriate.
Flexible Security: Customers wanted to restrict access to some data, but make other data available to all.
Flexible Deployment: Some customers needed the central office to do the design work but send the finished product to branch offices.
Flexible Printing: Some customers wanted PVC cards, others wanted "business card" or label badges, and others wanted both.
Flexible Printing Location: Some customers had branch offices that could not justify the cost of their own PVC printer, so they wanted an Internet badging option.
Flexible Printing Options: Customers wanted to print their badging data to other media, such as labels and rotary cards.
Flexible Data Export: Customers wanted to use their badging data in other programs, such as Microsoft Excel.
Flexible Instructions: Customers wanted an easy way to write and access their own notes on how to use the program.
Easy to Use: People wanted a program they could use without reading a manual.
As you surely noticed, the bottom line is that customers wanted a flexible, easy to use program. Generally speaking, when a programmer is talking to a user, he offers "Pick one: flexibility or ease-of-use." Even so, while the "flexibility" was being built in, every effort was made to keep the user interface as simple as possible.
And, along the way to giving customers what they wanted, Badges & More Enterprise evolved into more than a badging program. Its data interface was so flexible, and so easy to use for anyone with even a moderate amount of database experience, that it turned into a general purpose front-end for just about any data entry need. The result is yet another "flexible" feature: flexible non-badging uses. So now, even if you only spend a few hours a week making ID cards, you get a full-weeks worth of value!
Overview of How Badges & More Enterprise Works
The key to building a program with maximum flexibility and ease of use, was to separate the "whole picture" into three parts:
I. Administration Program
The Administration program is the "programming" component of Badges & More Enterprise. This is where you setup database connections, define data entry screens, design badges, define badge types, and manage security.
II. Data Entry Program
The Data Entry program is the user component of Badges & More Enterprise. This is where you do data entry work, capture photos, print badges, link to other programs, and so on.
III. Shared Directories
The glue that binds it all together is the Shared Directory concept. A Shared Directory is a folder that stores the Badges & More Enterprise system database, an audit database, a linked program module, and can include special instruction files. The system database contains definitions (screen definitions, badge designs, badge types, and so on) and security information. Instruction files are Rich Text Files (.rtf) that contain information about using Badges & More Enterprise or providing a user with special instructions for specific screens.
Shared Directories let you create multiple independent sets of definitions and security. This gives you the capability to control what data and badge printing services each specific user can access. This gives you tremendous flexibility in controlling and safeguarding your operation. Examples of how you can use Shared Directories include:
You can create different Shared Directories for different divisions within your company, and prevent users from one division from accessing the data and badges of the other.
You can create one Shared Directory that contains screen definitions but no badges, and another that contains badge designs with read-only screen definitions. This lets your user departments maintain the data, but prevent them from printing badges, while letting another department print the badges, but prevent them from changing the data.
You can create test Shared Directories for training users without corrupting live data.
You can create Shared Directories where a database definition selects a subset of a full table. For example, one database definition could use a view of salaried employees, while another uses a view of hourly employees.
If you control visitor or vendor access, you can provide your lobby host with a visitor/vendor badge printing system, without granting access to employee data.
Each Shared Directory can contain its own set of instruction files. This lets you customize (add, edit, or delete) instruction files to meet the specific needs of a particular user or department.
Features and Benefits
Now that you have a general understanding of how it functions, here are a few of its features and benefits:
ID Badges: ID cards can be printed to PVC printers, complete with magnetic stripe, barcodes, photo, signature, database fields, graphics, and text. Or, badges can be printed on forms, such as business card stock to substantially lower the cost of temporary ID cards.
Screens: Data entry users no longer open files. Instead, they simply choose a screen they want to use. All the technical stuff (the database connections, tables, field selections, etc) are part of the definitions defined in the Administration program and are invisible to the data entry person. All they need to know is to click on the screen button and pick the one they want from the drop-down list.
Screen Store and Recall: Each user can store up to ten screens in each Shared Directory that they can access by simply pressing ALT and a number key (0 9). To recall a screen, they press CTRL and a number key. Generally, a user will work with only a handful of screens. When they store a screen, it remembers the record selection query in use, and any search parameters keyed in when the screen was stored.
Linked Programs: The linked program feature provides a "plug-in" capability that substantially extends the utility of Badges & More Enterprise. This feature lets you send a parameter file, query, and run-time parameters to a program. So weather you want to export a query to Microsoft Excel, or you need to build a biotech file, the linked program feature makes it possible. And, as new technology evolves, you don't need to throw away all your work; you just build a new linked program module.
Grid View: Sometimes it is more convenient to update information in a data grid. The Data Entry program has a built in grid option, and it still utilizes the drop-down data selection.
Query Builder: A simple fill-in-the-blanks query builder is displayed on the left side of the screen. The user just types in the value(s) they want to search for, or by pressing the F12 key, they can get a list of all values that exist for the field in the database. If they need to change the search criteria to something different, the record selection builder lets them create a new list of values to search on through an easy to learn, drop-down field selection methodology. And, each one is saved under a user-friendly name that they can recall at any time by clicking a button.
Security: Badges & More Enterprise security is level based and stored in each Shared Directory. The range is from 1 (read-only status) to 9 (shared directory security administrator). Every screen definition has a security level assigned, and if the user does not have security for the screen, it is not presented as an entry in their screen pick list.
Audit File: Virtually all activity within the Data Entry program is recorded in the audit file, which is a Microsoft Access database table. A record is maintained when data is added, deleted, or changed, and includes before and after values, the database and table affected, who made the change, the date and time, what PC was used, and the data entry screen used to make the change.
Tutorial: Create your own help and instruction files with the built-in Tutorial program. You can use Rich Text Files (rtf), screen captures, and even movies to help you users learn what they need.
Other features include:
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Internet FTP badges to a central site for printing
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Print on forms such as business cards, labels, rotary cards, index cards, and more.
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Use Internet FTP to transmit data packages
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Batch print badges, labels and tags
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Automatic generation and maintenance of a data dictionary.
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The portability of Shared Directories creates an ideal solution for government and companies with branch offices