mrc's Cup of Joe Blog

Join us in exploring the world of modern development, evolving technologies, and the art of future-proof software

What is a CRUD Application (And How Do You Build One)?

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Let’s talk about the unsung hero of business web applications: The CRUD application. They’re everywhere, whether you realize it or not. Your customer database? It’s a CRUD app. Your company’s inventory system? Also a CRUD app. Even when you’re posting updates on LinkedIn – you guessed it – you’re using CRUD apps.

But what exactly makes these applications “CRUD,” and why should you care? In this article, we’ll cut through the technical jargon and explore:

  • What makes an application “CRUD”
  • Real-world examples
  • Important tips for building them (the right way)
  • How to build CRUD apps quickly

Whether you aim to replace that aging system or build new applications, mastering CRUD apps allows you to understand your development project better and ultimately make more informed decisions about them. 

Sounds good? Let’s dive in.

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How to turn a spreadsheet into a web app in 6 minutes

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EducationI’ve mentioned the dangers of spreadsheet misuse on many occasions, and explained why it’s so important to put that spreadsheet data into your database. However, I realized that I’ve never showed you how to turn your spreadsheets into database-driven web apps.

So, we created a video to do just that. The following video explains why you should convert your spreadsheets into web apps, and even shows you how it’s done. You might be surprised to learn just how simple this process is.

Note: This video is best viewed in 720p(HD) resolution at full screen. Click the “gear” icon below the video to change the resolution.

To learn more, please visit this page: https://www.mrc-productivity.com/solutions/spreadsheets.html

How to create a customer portal in 11 minutes

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developmentA customer portal provides a secure, customer-only area on your site where customers can purchase products, view information, submit support requests, update account information, and more. They help businesses improve customer satisfaction, streamline customer support, and even drive revenue.

But…building a customer/vendor portal is a tricky task. One portal must display different data to different users. If one user logs in and sees data that they shouldn’t see, you’ll have a big problem on your hands. You need a way to not only build all of the applications in your portal, but ensure they have at least 3 types of security set up:

1. User security: The most basic security option, user security limits portal access to only registered users.
2. Application security: Once a user logs in to the portal, application security controls which applications they can access.
3. Multi-tenant security: This type of security controls user access at a row level. That means different users can access the same application but only see the data that they’re authorized to access.

Here’s a question: How long does it take to build a secure customer portal and populate that portal with applications for your customers? A few weeks? Months?

How about 11 minutes?

We just created a video to show you how it’s done. This video walks you through the process of building a few applications, setting up security, and creating a customer portal. We walk you through everything from start to finish so you can see just how easy portals can be (with the right tools).

Want to try it for yourself? Set up an m-Power Test Drive.

Want to read the video transcript instead of watching the video? You can find it here: How to create a customer portal in 11 minutes.

Build an Inventory Management System in 75 minutes with Low-Code (step-by-step video)

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We just released a new video that takes you step-by-step through an inventory management system build process. We created this video to demonstrate just how quickly you can create custom applications (like an inventory management system) with m-Power. In roughly 75 minutes, we go from just the data in our database to a fully functional inventory management system, and explain each step along the way. Watch the video below to see the whole process!

Want to see what m-Power can do for your business? Shoot us a note to set up a demo: Setup an m-Power Demo.

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Case Study: Learn how this non-profits meets development challenges…without developers

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Picture this: You’re running an IT department, and everyone’s asking for custom applications. The catch? You don’t have a single programmer on your team. What do you do?

Well, that’s exactly what Lifeskills, a Kentucky-based non-profit, was dealing with. But instead of pulling their hair out, they found a secret weapon: The m-Power Development Platform.

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Case Study: Learn how this non-profits meets development challenges…without developersRead More »

Case Study: Learn how the AICTP outperforms larger companies

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The American Institute of Certified Tax Planners (AICTP) is a not-for-profit corporation that trains and licenses tax professionals in the expertise of advanced tax reduction.

Shortly after the AICTP was founded, Dominique Molina (President and Founder) noticed a problem: There was no technical solution for this discipline. Everyone used different methods rather than one, standardized approach. This created a problem: When everyone’s doing things in different ways (and getting different results), it’s nearly impossible to effectively teach and lead them.

The solution: The AICTP partnered with mrc’s services team to help them develop a solution for their industry. With Molina providing the tax expertise and mrc’s consultants providing the development, they created a solution that perfectly fits their industry’s needs.

The result: The AICTP offers an industry-leading solution that outperforms solutions from much larger companies. According to Molina, “We’ve been at this for many years. In that time, other competitive solutions have entered the marketplace from some really well-known, well-funded organizations. Their solution is not as effective as ours. That helps us stand out with our clientele because they know that our solution can give them results that other off-the-shelf applications can’t deliver.”

To learn more, you can watch the interview below or read the whole case study here: https://www.mrc-productivity.com/customers/aictp.html.

What are the best low-code tools?

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I’m happy to report that m-Power was just recognized by Schematiq as one of the best low-code tools available today! When you look at m-Power, it’s easy to see why. We’ve poured over 40 years of development software experience into m-Power, and it certainly shows.

That got me thinking: What makes a great low-code tool? After all, there are so many low-code tools these days. What separates the great ones from the rest of the pack?

In this short article, let’s take a quick dive into this topic.

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What are the best low-code tools?Read More »

Video: Create web-based reports over a Snowflake database

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Snowflake is a popular data platform and data warehouse. It provides a cloud-based, relational database that businesses use to store structured and semi-structured data. Snowflake is known for offering data access at near-infinite scale, and is often used to store massive data sets.

The big question: If you use Snowflake, what are you doing with all of your data? Are you using this data to gain a clear view of your business and make informed decisions? Do you have an easy way to quickly create reports and dashboards over your data tables?

After all, what good is your data if you don’t use it?

The good news: Creating reports over your Snowflake data tables is simple! We just released a new video demo that shows how easily you can create reports, BI applications, and dashboards over your data. In just 5 minutes, we take you step-by-step through the whole process of creating a report over a Snowflake database table using m-Power. You can find the video below:

Want to see m-Power working over your data? Set up a custom demo here: m-Power Demo.

How to create a database front-end in 5 minutes

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What is a database front-end? As a basic definition, it’s a web interface that lets users access, modify, delete, or add data to a database table. They’re simple enough for non-technical users to work with, and typically includes role-based security to limit which users can make database changes. A business might use a database front-end to:

  • Let employees maintain customer data
  • Manage and schedule shipments
  • Maintain product data
  • Manage customer order history
  • Reduce dependence on spreadsheets
  • And much, much more…

In short, it lets you manage data in your database with a user-friendly, web interface.

The big question: How quickly can you create front-ends over your database? I believe the answer to that question should be measured in minutes, and we just created a new video to show you how it’s done. The following video walks you through a start-to-finish process used to create a front-end over any relational database…in just 5 minutes. You might be surprised to learn just how simple this process is.

Want to try it for yourself? Set up an m-Power Test Drive.

POWERCast Webinar Replay: Db2 Web Query Alternative – See m-Power in Action

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With IBM pulling the plug on Db2 Web Query, many customers are stuck looking for alternatives. While IBM states there is “no direct replacement for IBM Db2 Web Query for i,” there are options.

In this joint webinar with the COMMON User Group, we’ll take you through a live demo of one such alternative: The m-Power Development Platform. m-Power offers all of the reporting and BI capabilities of Db2 Web Query, and a whole lot more! In this webinar, you will:

  • Get introduced to m-Power’s reporting capabilities.
  • Watch m-Power build reports from start to finish.
  • See how easily you can set up scheduled reporting, security, portals, dashboards, and more.

Watch the webinar replay to learn how m-Power can replace what you’re doing with Web Query, and also deliver new capabilities! You can find the webinar replay here: Webinar Replay: Db2 Web Query Alternative – See m-Power in Action.