How to go about making a database for a small business?

Question

Hello, Keeping track of all the customers that have come in is always a trouble. I have a car mechanics garage and would like to create a database where I can store clients information. This would ideally be interlinked between a few devices so I believe a server would be the best choice. How can I go about creating one? I have little coding experience but I am willing to learn and do it myself.
Any advice?
Thanks

Answer 1

Hi. You don't really need to get into MS Office at all.



The majority of current Accounting software actually provides multiple computer setups & access. I worked at a Plumbing / heating / etc company where they used Quickbooks Pro across an average of 6 computers in the office plus a remote set of connections from Home.



Look into other brands like Peachtree, and several others, or start looking into small-time software houses also for a more homemade (Reasonably priced) selection too, but the things You need have been done for decades.



If You don't need to re-invent the wheel, You'll find it's WELL WORTH a few hundred bucks to get something that's already had all the bugs worked out of it.



Otherwise, I highly recommend just creating a main webpage with a company logo & some file links to Your main database that You can use a simple netbook or tablet to connect to through the building's WiFi by IP address. Add a password if necessary, unless the files are password locked anyway.





G'Luck!!!





G'Luck!!!

Answer 2

Centralized server? MySQL for free or the CRM suites available for cost such as that Salesforce tool, obviously MySQL calls for programming and IT skill to make it to usable to your business needs. While it is relatively easy to do for someone like myself you may just think an off-the-shelf CRM is better choice.



On the other side of coin I thought flat file you may want, that would be Microsoft Access or XML Database, but that is single user as far as I know and XML DB has the added benefit of using XPath for database manipulation in an ugly way that brings back the Prolog nightmare I had just after graduation.

Answer 3

You can follow Audit your customer data, Structure the data, Expand the database, Fill the gaps, Develop a regular maintenance program. you can install XAMPP computer or laptop. http://www.bezzietechnologies.com/index.html

Answer 4

What you want to do can be accomplished, and I think it consists of a lot of work. If it was with ONLY 1 device then I think it would be less work.

Answer 5

Libre Office is a free office suite including a database, word processor, spreadsheet etc. See link.

I'm sure this will help your business. Very best of luck!

Answer 6

What you need is a CRM application. Two of the best known CRMs is Salesforce and Dynamics CRM/365. Of these two Salesforce is more structured for large businesses where the roots of Microsoft Dynamics CRM the focus was more on small to medium size companies.

Answer 7

You only need a spreadsheet In excel to do this tweet me at ianjac2 and i will see if I can help you thanks Ian



All free .

Answer 8

Here's a tutorial:

https://css-tricks.com/php-beginners-building-simple-crm-scratch/



You can follow it if you install XAMPP on your computer: https://www.apachefriends.org/index.html



When you're done, get a Raspberry Pi and set it up as PHP / mySQL server. Then put the app on it.