Web Based Inventory Control Software
While many users may balk at leaving their familiar world of desktop software, the benefits of secure storage, sharing files and accessibility make managing your data with hosted web apps a smart move for a lot of people.
What it is web based software?
Web based software can be installed on your web server or network server and runs in your web browser just like a typical web site.
Web applications (such as Visual Inventory) can be accessed from any computer with a web browser and nothing is installed on your local computer!
In software engineering, a web application is an application delivered to users from a web server over a network such as the World Wide Web or an intranet. Web applications are popular due to the ubiquity of the web browser as a client, sometimes called a thin client. The ability to update and maintain web applications without distributing and installing software on potentially thousands of clients is another reason they are popular. Applications like webmail, Amazon.com and eBay are well known examples of web applications but they have uses in many other areas of business and science.
Though many variations are possible, a web application is commonly structured as a three-tiered application. In its most common form, a web browser is the first tier, an engine created using some dynamic web content technology (e.g., CGI, PHP, Java Servlets or Active Server Pages) is the middle tier, and a database is the third tier. The web browser sends requests to the middle tier, which services them by making queries and updates against the database and generating a user interface.
In recent times, there has been an increased tendency to include web interfaces for applications that usually have been thought of as traditional, single user applications. With the expansion of home networks, more applications realize there is an increased utility for thin-client interfaces and even replace traditional GUIs where possible, using an embedded HTTP server.
An emerging strategy for application software companies is to provide web access to software that has heretofore been distributed as local applications. These programs allow the user to pay a monthly or yearly fee for use of a software application without having to install it on a local hard drive. A company which follows this strategy is known as an application service provider (ASP), and ASPs are currently receiving much attention in the software industry.
Why Use Web Based Software?
Web Based Software is the future medium for nearly all small and medium-sized business software applications. Web Based Software will continue to become more pervasive in the coming years and the reasons are simple:
Familiar Interface
The Internet browser is arguably the most commonly used software on the planet today; Internet Explorer and Netscape are ubiquitous. This high-level of use results in an inherent familiarity which empowers users who are not technologically inclined by making use of standard functionality such as Web links (blue underlined text indicated hyper/web links).
Platform Independence
Access your inventory from your desktop, laptop, PDA, Cell phone (if browser equipped). All you need is a browser.
Centralization of Information
Corporate enterprises have long been reaping the benefits of centralized data. By using databases to store things like consumer information, salespeople can update a client's address and the update will instantaneously be available to all users throughout the organization. This is a logical way to do business, but too many small and medium-sized businesses suffer from de-centralized information. For example, client addresses are often listed in multiple places (spreadsheets, address books) and only accessible from one or a handful terminals. Web Based Software can help organizations of all sizes overcome issues related to the de-centralized information by making user relevant information (from addresses to invoices) available from anywhere with an Internet connection.
User Management
Managing information security within organizations and outside organizations is of paramount importance. Web Based Software affords organizations the freedom to set a multi-leveled user workspace environment and accordingly restrict the access to information each user is granted.
Security
Safeguarding your information is critical for businesses who wish to ensure the longevity of their organization. Visual Inventory is password protected and data is encrypted and stored in the most secure database system available today. If you have any additional questions about the security of your information, please contact us.
Support
Web Based Software can be updated remotely so your organization need not incur costly charges for on-site visits, or endure lengthy delays waiting for a technical representative to visit your facilities. Organizations which are geographically isolated can greatly benefit from this feature.
Upgrades
Like technical support for Web Based Software, upgrades are performed automatically and remotely which means no member of your organization needs to spend valuable time toiling with software upgrades. Also, many software providers - including Visual Online Data - charge no additional fees for software upgrades.
Information Backup
When using Web Based Software, backups are performed automatically at regulated intervals which spare members of your organization the responsibility of performing time-consuming, yet critical, backup procedures.
Visual Online Data specializes in the design and development of high performance, mission critical web based software and web site design.
We have been involved in the development of web based software since 1988 and are pioneers in the design and implementation of online inventory control applications.
Refer to Development Services for additional information.