Business Database Software
Small and large businesses have a headache-inducing number of choices available when investigating business database software that will lower costs and make their business as efficient as possible.
All of these programs have a database at their heart even if they ostensibly aren’t a database package, and most will be industry or process-specific. Many software programmers and consultants are industry veterans who have turned their talents and attention to providing business-specific software and services to customers so the choice and variables available to customers are increasing by the day.
Here is a summary of the types of business database software available:
Human Resources Database Software
Human Resources business databases can be aimed at the small business, looking to simplify and automate the complete range of human resource operations from hiring new staff, managing benefits, time management and clocking-in; payroll, performance evaluation and reviews and legal compliance. Many larger companies are moving to employee self-service systems which lets HR staff concentrate on other matters while smartphone applications let employees check their insurance details, book holidays, and submit expense claims and other required information.
Medical/Healthcare Database Software
Healthcare databases are among the most business-critical on the market. Most practices could not run without some kind of system as it allows them to synchronize patient care with need and existing electronic medical records. Additional features include medical insurance coding and billing, claims monitoring, practice management, repeat visit scheduling and regulatory compliance.
Pharmaceutical Database Software
The specialist pharmaceutical industry also relies on modern business database software. Drug development companies use them to expedite research and development of new drugs including FDA compliance, bioinformatics, drug databases and clinical trials, as well as the critical project management aspect of any long-term drug development. Allowing collaboration between testers and researchers, some software packages products extend into the pure business side of the industry allowing distributor and partner management and co-operation.
Accounts Database Software
Every company has some kind of accounting and financial system but if you are a specialist financial services organization the business database software you rely on will be particularly business critical. Regular financial transactions and accounting procedures such as accounts received and payable, ledger, billing, stock, inventory, purchase orders, sales orders and payroll are covered by many available packages. Many offer additional wireless integration so smartphone users can use apps to access the system remotely.
Legal Database Software
Attorneys or other legal professionals function primarily from time billed to clients and their specific business database software is designed for this purpose. Practice management software is built around project time tracking, billing, retainers, trust accounting, general accounting and administrative tasks while synchronizing and facilitating the workload and diary of attorneys including their case management, contact management and document management needs.
Transportation and Logistics
Transportation and logistics business database software is critical for any sized supply chain dependent operation. This business database software is primarily concerned with facilitating movement of goods from a point of origin through various stages of the manufacturing cycle, ending with delivery to the customer or the physical point of sale.
Fleet managers use specialist transport software to maximize delivery efficiency, being able to offer accurate ETA’s to customers, maximize fuel efficiency and to monitor vehicle locations at all times. Key software features include scheduling, dispatch, mileage, routing, average speed and fuel tax reporting.
Logistics is the final component of this kind of business database software package. Logistics supports the supply chain at every stage including order processing, inventory management, warehousing, and purchasing and supplier management.
Retail and Consumer Services Database
As online business continue to be profitable and rival physical outlet locations, retail and online sales software become more sophisticated to accommodate both kinds of trading while the most up-to-date packages incorporate social media and mobile access to the mix. Businesses that have physical storefront and virtual online stores share customer databases and optimize these to make sure their cross-promotional efforts achieve maximum effect. Store loyalty cards can be used online or in the store, email marketing and sales campaign help drive business into the retail outlets with printable discount coupons or online codes. Point of sale systems can collect email addresses to use for future promotions and marketing databases keep track of customer details to personalize and “mine” further information to tailor future products specifically to their existing audiences.