I'm not a SQL programmer but I need help please

Hello
Yes, I certainly am not a programmer. Access gives me enough of a headache.
What I'm after is some advice.
Me and my brother run a small business and we have decided to have a
database developed specifically for our business. The question is what do we
need? We have approached several companies offering to build a bespoke system
for us based on SQL Server 2003 (as I understand, correct me if I'm wrong).
Another company that seems quite useful uses Visual Fox Pro. Now I've looked
at both these websites. I realise they are both Microsoft programmes. Would
someone tell me what the difference is between the two?
Our business is in the building services industry on the mechanical side;
that is we install heating systems, air conditioning, ventilation and
building controls and we operate around 25 operatives and have around 5
office staff and the business is getting very stretched. The only thing that
is semi automated are our accounts which are done on Sage Line 50 v10.
We do not have even a simple employee table, mobile phone table, etc. An
important area for our business is job costing, adding material costs +
labour costs, and this is something we would be very interested in.
The companies we have spoken to that offer bespoke services whether be by
SQL or Visual Fox Pro say that once a core module is built e.g. An employee
module, other modules could be bolted on at a later stage so that they would
interact.
I would very much appreciate someone who would just spend some time
clarifying some of the points I have made. If I haven't been specific enough,
I would be happy to give you further details.
Thank you in advance
Tim
On Fri, 2 Dec 2005 10:48:02 -0800, Tim wrote:

>Hello
>Yes, I certainly am not a programmer. Access gives me enough of a headache.
>What I'm after is some advice.
(snip)
Hi Tim,
May I suggest that you repost this in microsoft.public.sqlserver.server?
This group (.mseq) is about "English Query" - an add-on to SQL Server
that is used very little. As a result, this group attracts little
traffic and it's only being monitored by a few people.
The group I suggested (.server) is much more active, and is regularly
visited by many experienced SQL Server users. I think that your question
will attract several useful replies by some very knowledgeable people if
you repost in the .server group.
Best, Hugo
(Remove _NO_ and _SPAM_ to get my e-mail address)
|||If not already done so I would look at some off the shelf products as
Bespoke usually means big "'s" (talking from experience)
Many of the companies do job costing modules - as you already use Sage Line
50 - Sage would be my first port of call - Sage MMS or Sage Construct
(specific for the construction industry - CIS etc) but there are others out
there . . . .
Sorry if I am teaching granny to suck eggs - you may have already looked at
off the shelf packages
"Tim" <Tim@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:565A8573-FEFD-4AA5-B670-317A3EA752C2@.microsoft.com...
> Hello
> Yes, I certainly am not a programmer. Access gives me enough of a
> headache.
> What I'm after is some advice.
> Me and my brother run a small business and we have decided to have a
> database developed specifically for our business. The question is what do
> we
> need? We have approached several companies offering to build a bespoke
> system
> for us based on SQL Server 2003 (as I understand, correct me if I'm
> wrong).
> Another company that seems quite useful uses Visual Fox Pro. Now I've
> looked
> at both these websites. I realise they are both Microsoft programmes.
> Would
> someone tell me what the difference is between the two?
> Our business is in the building services industry on the mechanical side;
> that is we install heating systems, air conditioning, ventilation and
> building controls and we operate around 25 operatives and have around 5
> office staff and the business is getting very stretched. The only thing
> that
> is semi automated are our accounts which are done on Sage Line 50 v10.
> We do not have even a simple employee table, mobile phone table, etc. An
> important area for our business is job costing, adding material costs +
> labour costs, and this is something we would be very interested in.
> The companies we have spoken to that offer bespoke services whether be by
> SQL or Visual Fox Pro say that once a core module is built e.g. An
> employee
> module, other modules could be bolted on at a later stage so that they
> would
> interact.
> I would very much appreciate someone who would just spend some time
> clarifying some of the points I have made. If I haven't been specific
> enough,
> I would be happy to give you further details.
> Thank you in advance
>
> Tim