| EXCEL: THE BEST TOOL FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM | | | | catalogs. One company that sends almost |
| SIZED BUSINESSES! | | | | 100.000 catalogs each month approached us |
| | | | asking for a simplified label-printing |
| Excel is used all over the world for a wide | | | | solution. At the time, they used a |
| range of applications, from simple | | | | combination of Excel and Word and plenty of |
| calculations, to complicated industrial | | | | manual work to first remove duplicate |
| spreadsheets. Of course, its most common | | | | addresses and then print the labels. |
| use is in accounting or financial | | | | |
| departments, but how many of us really know | | | | We suggested a solution implemented in Excel |
| that Excel can help almost all departments in | | | | 2007 version which only requires pasting |
| a modern company? | | | | the addresses in a specific worksheet of |
| | | | Excel. We used our enhanced duplicate |
| CASE 1: Automated website updating?One of our | | | | removing algorithm to "clean" the data and |
| customers had the following problem: he had | | | | then created an advanced VBA macro that |
| one of his employees assigned to update the | | | | prints the addresses using the customer's |
| company's website everyday with new values. | | | | specified label dimensions. The user also |
| The website offers information services to | | | | has the ability to choose whether they want |
| visitors and potential customers. So, each | | | | the printing done in one batch or in small |
| day, the employee had to gather information | | | | packages in case they want better control |
| from other sites, process this information | | | | of the printing procedure. |
| and update the website using an updating | | | | |
| system their outsource web creator had | | | | There is no end on this list of tasks inside |
| done. This system used SQL Server database to | | | | a company that Excel can improve: Almost |
| update the site, but the creator did not | | | | all departments of an organization can take |
| supply an option for batch updating. This | | | | advantage of this powerful tool. Some |
| procedure required the allocation of almost | | | | simple examples: Logistics and Inventory can |
| half of everyday's time for this employee. | | | | print and manage barcodes or control stock |
| | | | using advanced Excel macros. Marketing can |
| We suggested a simple solution: | | | | manage customer lists and apply simple CRM |
| | | | tasks. Information Department can produce or |
| 1. Excel connects to external websites | | | | import ASCII files easily or improve EDI |
| that contain the necessary information | | | | transactions. Personnel can program shifts |
| | | | or use Excel as a Payroll application. |
| 2. It processes the data and formats | | | | Management can have dynamic reporting or |
| using specified guidelines | | | | decision analysis tools… |
| | | | |
| 3. It batch updates the database | | | | WHY CUSTOM EXCEL APPLICATIONS? WHY SHOULD I |
| | | | PREFER YOUR APPLICATIONS?Because you can have |
| 4. Excel automatically closes. | | | | innovative applications with really |
| | | | affordable prices. Excel is usually |
| All that is needed by the employee is to open | | | | pre-installed in almost any PC, and in case |
| the application and wait around 3 minutes | | | | you will need to buy it, it costs less than |
| until it finishes processing and sending the | | | | $200. |
| data. Then, he performs a simple check on | | | | |
| the website to ensure that everything is | | | | By choosing to use a custom application, you |
| updated correctly. We installed this | | | | pay only for things you really need. On the |
| solution almost one year ago and since then | | | | other hand, with stand-alone applications you |
| it failed two times. In both cases, there | | | | pay for a bunch of extra options that do |
| were network problems and the application | | | | not fit your needs and you are not interested |
| could not connect to external web sites. | | | | in. |
| | | | |
| You do not need Excel to calculate that this | | | | Just like cost, the time needed to create a |
| company reduced the required time for this | | | | custom application in Excel is much less |
| procedure by more than 90%! And they assigned | | | | than any stand-alone one. In custom Excel |
| much more creative and efficient tasks to | | | | applications, you do not need to design and |
| this employee, so everyone was happy! Some | | | | implement an interface, this is supplied by |
| weeks ago, we received a call from our | | | | Excel itself and users are familiar with |
| customer, explaining that they have fully | | | | it. |
| automated the procedure: with the help of | | | | |
| an electrician, they created a method to | | | | Our applications are free of licensing costs |
| start the pc automatically. Once started, | | | | and restrictions. You can use our |
| the pc is set to login, start our application | | | | applications in any workstation with no extra |
| and shut down with no human interference at | | | | cost. And we use a balanced philosophy: |
| all. Nice stuff! | | | | Simplicity and user-friendliness weights for |
| | | | us as much as the powerful VBA code we use |
| CASE 2: Label printing for mass mailings.Many | | | | to make the application work just like you |
| companies in our days use plenty of | | | | require! |
| techniques to communicate with their | | | | |
| customers. Many of them use the mail to send | | | | Please visit our site to learn more or |
| letters, marketing material or product | | | | download some of our demos. |