mrc's Cup of Joe Blog

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

Productivity

How to create a custom, web-based scheduling calendar in 12 minutes

By / ,

developmentLet’s be honest: There’s no shortage of web-based calendar tools these days. You’ll find dozens of off-the-shelf scheduling calendars that you can set up and deploy in your business.

The problem is, they’re all generic and every business is different. While these off-the-shelf scheduling applications might fit most of your needs, they won’t provide a perfect fit. They might do some things very well but lack key features in other areas.

But, what if you could create a custom scheduling application…faster than it takes to deploy a generic solution? What if you could create a data-driven, web-based calendar that was 100% tailored to your business…in a little over 10 minutes? It’s possible, and we’ve created a video to show you how it’s done.

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

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

By / , , ,

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.

…

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

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

By / ,

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.

…

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

Case Study: Learn how the AICTP outperforms larger companies

By

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.

How to create a database front-end in 5 minutes

By /
development

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.

Video: Create a database CRUD application in 5 minutes

By / ,

analyticsWe just released a new video that shows you how to create a database CRUD application in 5 minutes using a low-code development tool. If you’re not familiar with CRUD, it stands for Create, Read, Update, and Delete, and it’s a fundamental concept in database management.

A CRUD application lets you perform these four basic operations on a database table. I know…this might not sound very exciting. But CRUD applications are the backbone of most modern software applications.

…

Video: Create a database CRUD application in 5 minutesRead More »

Case Study: How to get the most out of low-code

By /

When most companies look at low-code software, they’re trying to fix a specific need. Maybe they get it to create a specific web application or system, speed up development, or help their end users create the applications they need. Of course, it’s great for all of that. But…it can be so much more.

The fact is, most companies aren’t getting the maximum value out of their low-code investment. If you’re only using it to solve one problem or help in just one area of the business, you’re missing out.

…

Case Study: How to get the most out of low-codeRead More »

5 (unique) ways to improve business productivity with technology

By

trendsIn this article, we’ll explore actionable ways that your business can improve productivity. Since this is such a broad topic, I’m focusing only on improving productivity through the use of technology.

In the spirit of productivity, I don’t want to hide these tips behind a long intro. Rather, let’s get straight to the point with a couple of notes before we dive in.
…

5 (unique) ways to improve business productivity with technologyRead More »

Case Study: Low-code doesn’t mean low customization

By /

developmentThere are many myths floating around about low-code software. One of the most common myths: Low-code means low customization. There’s a general belief that low-code tools offer limited customization and functionality. Many believe there’s no way to add features or customize the output to perfectly fit their organization’s needs.

The reality: Every low-code platform is different, especially when it comes to customization. The problem is, when people use a basic low-code tool that limits their options, they assume that all low-code tools are similar. This isn’t the case.

The fact is, many enterprise-class low-code tools won’t have these limitations. You can customize applications however you wish. You can add custom logic or features if needed. You can even edit at the code level on some tools.

Here’s a case study that provides a great example of this. An automotive service company needed a way to create web applications and workflows that could be:

  • customized to their exact business needs
  • integrated with their existing systems
  • used to securely capture, share, and manage data across distributed locations
  • created and delivered quickly

After trying other low-code tools that lacked important features and customization options, they discovered the m-Power Development Platform. Read the whole case study to learn how m-Power addressed their needs and why they say, “m-Power owns the space on customization in terms of how well it integrates into what you’re doing and how easy you make it.”