It is not always clear for others exactly what we do at OST – starting with: what is a database?

For practical purposes we write software that assists people to manage collections of information, for instance: details about clients, members, orders, products, purchases, discussions, documents, assets, meetings, etc.  Or possibly collections of things around the house, in the garden, in a game, out in space, in the ocean…

Many people, businesses and organisations may record this type of information in a spreadsheet, or in a group of spreadsheets.  However, if you wanted to link a group of spreadsheets and allow a group of people to add and edit entries, search, sort, link across spreadsheets, ask questions of the information, then a database application would suit the task better – it is a more dedicated and powerful product for this specific purpose.

We have prepared an introductory guide as to the two common parts of a database and how they might be set up, for instance:  on one computer, on a network, on the web, etc.  Click on this link to access this document download:  http://ostdatabasegroup.com.au/databaseoptions.  We also have some additional information on database development in our earlier article: ‘There’s probably a database in that’  in our Issue 02 - August 2007 newsletter:  http://ostdatabasegroup.com.au/downloads/newsletters.

Where you have any additional questions around databases, please give us a call or send us an email:  http://ostdatabasegroup.com.au/contact.

One of the tools (platforms) we have been using to develop database systems for many years is Microsoft Access.

Since the early 1990’s Microsoft Access has been a very powerful engine to develop, deliver and run database applications – for businesses, organisations, even teams within larger organisations and government departments.

And in that it is specifically designed to assist developers to prepare databases, it can speed up development time and so reduce custom database development cost.

Talk to us about assisting you with your new Microsoft Access project or look to us to assist with renovating your existing Microsoft Access database:  http://ostdatabasegroup.com.au/services/microsoft-access-database-development.


FYI:  Microsoft Access belongs to a category of software known as: Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS).  The applications we build in Microsoft Access - that our clients use - are called databases.  Microsoft Access provides the engine to develop and run these databases - it is a relational database management system.

Our biggest news since our last newsletter is our move to web site software or custom web based database development.

Over the last 3 years we have developed, among others, a full featured supply chain management system and a legislation compliance system.

More recently we embarked on a redevelopment of our Minute Keeper (Web) application (due for release in 2016).

Our focus on web based software is starting to overtake, though is not replacing our Microsoft Access / Microsoft SQL Server custom database development.

We have developed a number of utilities over the past few years to assist in specific areas of business operation.  Among the current downloads are:

• Information and a small database for assisting with the preparation of a cost-benefit analysis:  http://ostdatabasegroup.com.au/downloads/cost-benefit-analysis.
• A survey tool for a business to assist in the review of their current information management and workflow:  http://ostdatabasegroup.com.au/downloads/business-health-check.
• A survey tool for a non-profit organisation to review their current information management and workflow – Information Management Review:  http://ostdatabasegroup.com.au/products/intra-office-applications/for-community-support-management.
• An introductory document discussing the two common parts of basic database (software) systems, and how such a database might be implemented – on a single PC, on a network, on the web, etc:  http://ostdatabasegroup.com.au/databaseoptions.