How one independent RPG developer delivered complex Java to his clients in a matter of weeks.

When he was first starting out, he created his own code generator in RPG, and then used it to develop a complex character-based software package targeted at high volume warehouses and running on the AS/400.

But, with the recent convergence of platforms, he knew he needed to make a change. And, he knew where he wanted to go: Java. He just wasn't sure how he was going to get there.

Challenge
He preferred Java because it allowed him to play anywhere but with a booming business, he couldn't afford to spend the time to learn Java, create a new code generator, and rewrite his package for his customers.

Understanding the merits of using a code generator, he was most concerned with key functionality.

Could he still write applications like an order-entry program?
Could he still incorporate key logic, like the proprietary algorithms that made his applications unique?

Solution
With m-Power, he discovered the answer was yes across the board.

But, he still had to sell the new technology to his customers and he knew that clients weren't going to change just for the sake of change. He had to give them a reason.

So, he decided that the best way to justify this new technology was to start out by giving his customers something they didn't already have that character-based technology could not provide.

First, he created a short list of applications he knew would be an asset to his customers, and decided what he wanted to build first. Then, he took a week of mrc training on m-Power, and then using m-Power within 6 weeks he had a high volume warehouse application that was servicing 140 customers a day.

Value
What should be made clear is that those 140 customers were his customer's customers. That six week timeframe included his mrc training, the design, creation, and testing, the implementation, training for his customer and their customers, and full deployment.

Since then, he has also created an application that tracks damage reports, including pictures of damaged products/shipments, and all of the information necessary to file a claim. He's also included a calendar that shows when shipments are set to arrive in the warehouse, and those shipments that are leaving the warehouse daily.

In addition to all of this, all of his applications are security-based, meaning users sign in under their own ID and passwords, and the applications only show the data they are privy to.

Would you like to do the same for your customers?
If you would like to see what he built, or would like to learn more, just let us know by filling out this form, and we can show you some of the neat things you might be able to do.

Notable updates that can help your business.

I'm pleased at what a difference a year can make. There have been a lot of changes in technology that we were able to pass on due to major improvements.

Here are the top five things you can now offer your customers:

m-Power and the mrc-Productivity Series introduced the ability to create Portal applications and Executive Dashboards, allowing users to get at-a-glance business information, and improve internal communications.

Shopping carts include the ability to make order changes as you go, making it easier for your users to make purchases.

m-Power gives you the option of portability to allow you to run your applications live on other platforms along with the iSeries, giving you control over your workload.

You can create applications to seamlessly pull records from disparate databases into one application.

Retrieving and analyzing records is easier with the new "m-Powered Prompt" feature, where m-Power displays available options to users as they type in search criteria. You can try it out. Just type "Bike" into the search field above the Customer Name field of this application, and you'll see a list of options appear with all companies available with Bike in their name.

These are just some of the changes that small and large could change the way you do business. We know it's changed the way we do ours. If you'd like to see more specific examples of any of the above, just let us know.

And to help us continue hitting the Productivity Sweet Spot you can brainstorm with other mrc users, to flesh out the capabilities you want, and exchange ideas on how to make your consulting agencies embrace the very best practices.

Start a networking category today!