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Description: |
Looking for talented individual to take over development tasks of our existing Customer / Order Entry system. Our original programmer passed away during development.
The software exists in two modules: a client side order entry system, and a web based backend whereby clients can log in to view job status, inventory levels, order history, etc. This module is written in ASP with a SQL server database.
The client side is a compiled VB application where project managers at our company enter customer orders, manage inventory, generate job tickets and bill of material, etc.
Both share the same SQL data source.
The application is currently functional, however, it needs some debugging, and a new order entry interface to streamline the order entry functionality.
We also want to add new functionality.
You would have access to the existing code by way of Terminal Server.
Programmer must be insightful, and have a good sense of GUI interfaces and SQL as well as strong VB and ASP skills.
Current project has been under development for 10 years, and I am the lead designer behind the project.
Interested candidates will be given web access to the web side to review its functions as they are now.
Additional Info (Added 8/3/2008 at 9:18 EST)...Here is a more detailed summary of the project:
Our software application is composed of two different modules called “Cortex” and “OPTICS”
Cortex is the VB application that is compiled, and installed on local workstations. This module is the core of the entire MRP system, where, customer information is integrated with Frontrange Solutions’ Goldmine.
Goldmine is the contact manager where Cortex draws its initial customer information.
When a customer is pulled into Cortex, orders are generated. Our business is that of making CD’s and DVD’s. We are a replication company where customers contract us to make 1 or 1 million copies of their software, music, or movies.
The customer gives us the master disc, and the artwork to print the various components like the color printing on the disc, the jacket or booklet that goes into the disc case (which there are various types of cases). We then create a job, building a Bill of Materials of inventory items, schedule the job for 7 different phases of production, and after the job is complete, we then ship the finished product to the customer and create an invoice.
Cortex generates all of the paper work associated with the production of a particular job. For example, it assigns part numbers to the inventory items, in this case, a disc master, and the associated artwork, and manages the inventory of those items whether they be our internal inventory (the raw materials like cases, paper, etc…) and the customer’s finished product which is manufactured with those inventory items.
Cortex also creates Purchase orders which are sent to various outsource vendors when needed, and nicely ties together the purchase order with the particular job for costing and inventory purposes. So if we order 10,000 DVD cases for a particular job, Cortex allows us to select the vendor we buy them from, generates the PO, emails or faxes or prints the PO to send to the vendor. When the finished goods come in, Cortex allows us to Receive the inventory.
Essentially, Cortex is the production module that our project managers use to guide the job through its various manufacturing steps whether done completely internally, a combination of internal and outsourcing, and complete outsourcing of the entire job.
OPTICS, on the other hand, is the module that is web based, and is the front end that the customer sees. (Cortex was named after the Cortical nerve that the eye uses to communicate what it sees to the brain, and OPTICS is the “view” of what the eye sees). OPTICS is written in ASP, and allows our customers OR our staff to log in and view order history, inventory levels, order status, etc… When a customer logs in, they see only their information. But when an employee of our company logs in, they see everything for every customer.
The entire system uses MS SQL which runs on a stand alone server in the domain. And, that same server runs IIS which has an external internet connection by which one can log into.
The easiest way to see what Cortex does is to download ATREX 12, at www.atrex.com This is the software solution that Cortex was reverse engineered from.
We originally started using ATREX about 10 years ago, and outgrew its capabilities. So, we reverse engineered it to create Cortex and the functionality that we needed.
I highly recommend that if you have interest in pursuing this project that you download this application and play around with it.
The problem with our application is two fold. First, our sole engineer on the project died and left the software running, but incomplete. It has some bugs that I have personally fixed and tried to track down, but others that we have to “work around.”
OPTICS on the other hand works wonderfully, but could use a facelift. And, there are some things that need improved, as well as new features added.
While I have been the brain behind the entire concept, and am a programmer myself, I run the corporation and simply don’t have the time to do this work myself. The software has been my passion, and I want to improve it, fix it, and ultimately, lease it to other companies. However, my engineer spent more time doing the reverse engineering to get it up and running than he did on making it “pretty.” Functionally, the system works. Cosmetically, it needs enhanced because entering jobs can be laborious at times having to work with the interface and handling as it is currently written. The software can be so much better than it is just by having a talented person with GUI and deep knowledge of drag and drop functionality, strong SQL database skills, etc…
It works, but it needs the facelift and new features added.
Ultimately, we want to create better linkage with Goldmine. We also want to enhance its ability to work with our ecommerce site, which uses Early Impact’s Product Cart (www.earlyimpact.com). And, we want to create the ability to interface the data with this system with our accounting application, Peachtree Manufacturing 2008.
I realize that a lot of time will be spent learning the routines and code as it is now. And, a lot of communication with me to guide you in the direction we need to go. But I ultimately need someone who is talented enough to spend their time economically by learning the system quickly, so that they can begin the work.
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