Database support

We provide help and support to companies in Birmingham and the midlands using Access and FoxPro databases. Naturally we support the software that we ourselves have developed but we can also take over support where the original developers have moved on. This support can be delivered in many different ways. Here are three recent examples:

  • An industrial maintenance company commissioned a bespoke FoxPro database many years ago. The original developers have moved away and they needed to have the database extended to store more detailed information.
  • A market research company recorded and analysed their findings in an Access database and needed to be able to export their results in a new format. The staff member who wrote the database left some years ago and nobody on site knew how to create this new report.
  • A local company held details of their subcontractors on a small Access database. It was written many years ago by a young technician who is now the Quality Director. He is busy with board-level work and cannot really spare the time to work on this database.

We solved the three problems above in three different ways:

  • We made minor alterations, tested them, and left the company with an improved database and with the knowledge that they could always call us back if they needed any further work.
  • We spent a day with a couple of the staff members, talking them through the export process and explaining some other common housekeeping jobs that would help to keep the database running smoothly. This extra knowledge has made the staff more confident in their use of the database.
  • We spent a couple of days familiarising ourself with the QA database and documenting it. Staff can now phone us whenever they need advice and we can talk them through whatever has to be done. If they don't feel confident to make the changes themselves then we can do the necessary work for them.

Client Testimonials

"Service contract management and invoicing have improved markedly over the last 12 months with Alvechurch Data's assistance & experience"
Will Farrell, Service Manager, Direct Air & Pipework, Coventry

"I just thought I would drop you a line to say thank you for the time you spent with us last month. Both Jackie and myself thought that the training was superb and were especially appreciative of the extent to which you tailored the course and the extra time you spent to help us with some of our more complex issues."
Thomas Still, Research Executive, Product Perceptions Ltd, Crawley

"Geoff Franklin proved to be very responsive to my request for urgent help with Access database information. He took me from a standing start to producing simple reports in 1 day and solved a long outstanding problem with extracting Foxpro based tables , which our reseller had failed to complete. At the end of the day we had a short usable outstanding Purchase Orders report - a first in 10 years! Highly recommended."
Bob Lock, Skyline Systems, Cheltenham

"As a trainer, Geoff Franklin has the rare skill of getting trainees to work through the material themselves without him taking over the keyboard. As a result they have confidence to apply the learning after the session."
Peter Jackson, Holly Training, Leamington Spa