Designing Stable Management Software ~ Need some insight

[wildlifer]

I know development is tough and time intensive, hell, I just play with my blog, but I do dig deeeep into the code, maybe that makes me crazy.

On the touch screen issue, although I do hate them to the depths of my soul, we have a ruggidized computer at work that has one, made by Trimble and they make me use it (although I often cheat and use paper on site). Yes, I swear at it often. My adaptations: (1) Bluetooth keyboard (2) As many dropdown lists and checkboxes as possible to minimize having to type. Standing in a river with 30 minutes of daylight left after 10 hours of fieldwork leaves you very little patience for “OMFG NOT THAT LETTER!” Hee. But something to think about if you are designing a mobile version, which SHOULD be different than full web version.

[photi]

Here is a rough outline of the basic features. Let me know what you guys think and thanks for all the help!

Main categories for data entry:

• Horses
• Vet
• Dentist
• Food
• Deworming
• Farrier
• Training
• Client data (boarders, riders, other customers)
• Vendor data (vet, dentist, farrier, feed provider, etc.)
• Invoicing

Data entry should be flexible:

• entry by horse (for all categories)
• entry by category (for all horses)
• calendar based entry (may optionally specify horse and category)
• should support other currencies, measurement systems

Reminder system:

• reminders are for yourself and clients (vendors?), should be automatic or scheduled
• control over frequency and timing of reminders
• pop up messages (mobile only)
• Email, SMS/text message

Control over data, communicate well with common tools:

• Your data should not be locked into the system, you can download it to your computer whenever
• Can provide common formats like Excel, Word, Text file
• Expense data can be imported/exported to Quicken, other formats if enough demand
• Calendar data can communicate with Gmail Calendar if the user chooses to do so
• Data should be synced across all available platforms
• If you provide me with well structured data, can possibly automate data uploading

Mobile considerations:

• data entry is difficult on mobile, simplify things and avoid typing whenever possible
• data should be accessible regardless of internet connection, use internet to update database, but run off local database and push changes to the cloud when internet access is available

[wildlifer]

LOL, that ought to keep you busy for a while!

[photi]

[QUOTE=wildlifer;7396411]
LOL, that ought to keep you busy for a while![/QUOTE]

Yeah, there is a lot to do! However, I’ll probably split it into about three phases: Web Version, Mobile Version and Advanced Features (more technically challening ones like Gmail Calendar integration, SMS/Text messaging, etc.). The first focus will be to get the web version working, hopefully get a few users and improve based on feedback. If that proves successful then start working on the mobile version.

[Wonders12]

Under feed: I would like to track feed changes. Ex: on January 30th, Pony increased to 3 flakes of hay per feeding. It would be GREAT if this was automatically tracked in the “feed history” but I could also change the dates as needed. As in, I changed Pony’s feed today, but I don’t actually enter it until Saturday, I can edit the date and say it was actually changed on the 30th.

Uh oh photi… if you come through on all this, I really am going to have to get this! (Oh, and on your note about anything you pay for shouldn’t have ads, ideally I agree 100%. But if it’s between having ads and me being able to afford it or not having ads and not being able to afford it, well, I’d choose the ads.)

If you need a beta tester, let me know! The position I just stepped into has years of paper files kept by multiple people (and sometimes no one). I’ll test it for sure.

[photi]

[QUOTE=Wonders12;7403619]
Under feed: I would like to track feed changes. Ex: on January 30th, Pony increased to 3 flakes of hay per feeding. It would be GREAT if this was automatically tracked in the “feed history” but I could also change the dates as needed. As in, I changed Pony’s feed today, but I don’t actually enter it until Saturday, I can edit the date and say it was actually changed on the 30th.

Uh oh photi… if you come through on all this, I really am going to have to get this! (Oh, and on your note about anything you pay for shouldn’t have ads, ideally I agree 100%. But if it’s between having ads and me being able to afford it or not having ads and not being able to afford it, well, I’d choose the ads.)

If you need a beta tester, let me know! The position I just stepped into has years of paper files kept by multiple people (and sometimes no one). I’ll test it for sure. :)[/QUOTE]

Thanks for all your help Wonder12. Yeah, being able to change the date to when events happened makes sense. I’ll make sure to add information related to feed as well.

I am going to start development in April (I have a couple long business trips in February and March). If anyone is interested in beta testing and progress updates, just send me a private message with your email and I’ll let you when I am getting close to testing.

[BCGirl]

I am reviving this thread from the dead in the hopes this software exists now! Photi, how is the design going?

[Bigbutt]

I’m also interested in this thread… strangely enough on the same day and a BC girl…
The OP program though sounds like many I just finished looking through that although very detailed… even if you had a full time assistant would be time consuming to enter, and a bit too much detail.
Valentina_32926 - I’d be interested in talking with you about the Quickbooks program, as I’m very familiar with that program and have a copy of that already.

Wildlifer - I too would like to tie into google, but I’d be interested in how your doing yours on excel, as I love that program, but not so sure it would be as complete as I need it to be (ie: automatically creating financial records and invoices)

[LarkspurCO]

[QUOTE=photi;7396646]
Yeah, there is a lot to do! However, I’ll probably split it into about three phases: Web Version, Mobile Version and Advanced Features (more technically challening ones like Gmail Calendar integration, SMS/Text messaging, etc.). The first focus will be to get the web version working, hopefully get a few users and improve based on feedback. If that proves successful then start working on the mobile version.[/QUOTE]

Why build separate web and mobile versions when you don’t have to? Look into Bootstrap and responsive design. If you’re going to build software, get up to date on the technology – and I mean that with the best intentions.

Good luck on your project.