For companies that have their IT systems based on, or part based on MultiValue databases, the prospect of being able to create modern UI based, integrated apps that run on mobile devices and desktop computers may appear daunting.
For those that utilize SB/SB+/SBXA in their MultiValue systems architecture the task may appear more challenging still.
From the outset BlueFinity has provided its low-code Evoke app development platform to work with MultiValue databases as well as SQL based databases. Now BlueFinity has produced a roadmap to help SB/SB+/SBXA (SB) users augment their existing systems with the customer facing apps essential for businesses today.
Evoke is a globally used, world-class app development platform, for business apps that run on all mobile devices and desktop computers, and is built on industry standard principles and technologies (.NET, Visual Studio/Xamarin, SQL, Azure). Evoke supports SQL database technologies (including MS SQL and Oracle) plus it fully integrates with all MultiValue databases, including support for all types of BASIC legacy code. This has resulted in apps built using the low-code Evoke product, working as an integrated element of existing MultiValue system environments for customers world-wide.
The various incarnations of System Builder are effective MultiValue application development tools, but are proprietary and do not always allow for the easy inclusion of the additional software systems required to evolve applications to meet certain aspects of business. BlueFinity's roadmap for SB users is aimed at companies that intend to retain their SB environment, but strategically need to augment it with modern business apps for their employees, customers or partners.
The roadmap focusses on three steps, which can be performed separately or together, according to the specific requirements of each company.
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Create independent business apps that are fully integrated with the MultiValue database used by your System Builder Environment
Evoke creates apps that are fully integrated with your existing, unaltered MV database(s) that are part of SB based systems. Everything is managed by Evoke; from automatically importing the data dictionaries directly from the MV database into the Evoke app design to accessing data objects, items and attributes, while retaining existing Embedded MultiValues, SubValues and local or remote key structures and providing record locks/data integrity. In addition, Evoke provides the automated generation of CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) code as the complete integration layer between the app and the MV database. The new Evoke built apps then work alongside the existing SB built applications, both accessing and updating the same data and the same MV databases. -
Incorporate Basic routines and existing logic into the new apps
The Basic routines, that generally form an integral part of all System Builder environments, can be incorporated seamlessly into new Evoke built apps. This means that business logic, calculations and formulae, produced over a number of years, as well as newly produced code, can still be used and included in the app. Basic code in all its forms, can be incorporated in to Evoke built apps. -
Create direct access between your SB systems and new Evoke built apps
Where your SB applications have been built with the user interface closely intertwined with the back-end business logic, a further stage of integration may be considered. It is possible to provide a direct access between the new apps and the existing SB systems so that instructions or input from the Evoke app will initiate the processing of business logic in your SB application. Users are able to create a series of BASIC subroutines that are called from the Evoke CRUD code, so that the systems can speak directly to each other. This allows existing business logic that is resident within SB to be accessed by a new modern UI built using Evoke.
Following one or more of the steps in this roadmap provides a way of augmenting an otherwise stagnant application with mobile and desktop apps using, modern technology, providing a cleaner and far more efficient and flexible way for your users to access existing applications.
Evoke is able to meet the many specific needs of MultiValue companies worldwide, including;
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Companies hoping to update their ageing 'green screen' user interface.
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Companies planning to work electronically directly with their own customers and partners
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Businesses searching for a new approach when dealing with customers in the new post Covid-19 world
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Organisations who are finding that keeping in step with the requirements of their business divisions or the pressures created by the company's competitors, is becoming progressively more difficult.
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Businesses looking for their adopted solutions to be flexible enough to cope with and address changes in technical infrastructure, changes to the types of desktop and the mobile devices they require as well as changes to evolving business requirements.
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And for companies that are aware of the amazing advantages that agile and flexible business apps can provide but are looking for the best way of creating apps that are integrated with MultiValue databases.
Companies throughout the MultiValue world, and in particular those using System Builder have different technical environments and infrastructures in place and their strategic requirements will be diverse. Their needs therefore in being able to achieve their goals will also vary significantly. BlueFinity has a combination of the advanced capabilities of the Evoke low-code development platform as well as unrivalled expertise in both the SQL and MultiValue environments to be able to meet those needs.