Apps4Construction develops and licenses fully-integrated accounting software modules in a mobile computing environment, for both general contractors and subcontractors. Since only a few of the major construction software applications function in a mobile environment, Apps4Construction's mobile applications provide a competitive edge over many of the popular accounting applications being used in the construction industry today.
The challenge was to design a file structure and code to deliver data over the internet as fast as an application running on a closed internal network. TigerLogic's D3 database and connectivity tools allowed Apps4Construction to rapidly design and develop software for a mobile environment. "I started programming in the Pick environment back in 1983 and it's always been the venue of choice for me. I had further leverage when along came the gem for me - mvDesigner," stated Michael Ridgway, CEO of Apps4Construction. "My completed applications are written in mvDesigner all on remote forms. The application modules include Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Administration, General Ledger, Job Cost, Purchasing, Contract Billing, Change Order Requests and Production. Even though many construction companies outsource their payroll, a new Payroll module will still be added soon."
Ridgway designed his system to keep the D3 files as small as possible and utilized index files where needed. The result became a system that delivers the data instantly. All reports can be run as of any point in time. Ridgway's Production Module will appeal to subcontractors as it projects out their labor costs where they have the most exposure.
"In the Job Cost module, the Work In Progress schedule is a by-product of the system. Having been a former Controller of a construction company, I can tell you that this is a big deal because I used to spend much time gathering data to enter into Excel. I also built in a neat way of converting the data grids into Excel as that is what the customer is also looking for. These are just a few examples of the many built in features," continued Ridgway.
Ridgway concluded, "Tigerlogic has the tools and products for a software developer to thrive in today's mobile computing environment. Pick products have been reliable for many years and the service and support of those products has been outstanding. The combination of mvDesigner and FlashCONNECT allows me to take the power of the D3 database to the internet - what more could I ask for?"
The D3 DBMS embodies the best and most desired features for developers and users. It is simple in its structure but allows for complex definitions of data structures and program logic. The built-in development environment allows applications to be rapidly prototyped, developed, and modified on the spot. Custom applications and on-site enhancements are common in the D3 community. Everything required for development is already in D3, making D3 much more than a typical database environment. Site administration requires a fraction of the staff of other environments of the same size - a large proportion of sites running D3 do not have an IT staff.
D3 is developed and supported over the many environments indicated on these pages. All code and data easily migrates between environments without modification, so both developers and users can work on their platforms of choice.
Other products from TigerLogic include connectivity tools like FlashCONNECT for web, the D3 Class Libraries, the Open Systems File Interface for Oracle and other environments, and XML technologies to exchange data with other XML-compliant programs or environments.