Backware

Trans Mid-America is a North American (USA and Canada) trucking permit licensing service. Their network physically delivers permits through any of over 2,000 truck stops as well as via email and fax. However, they relied on outdated pen-and-paper methods of a few highly knowledgeable employees along with smaller, task-specific applications for managing permits, invoices, licenses and customers.

When handling over 300 US and Canadian permits, it is not a simple task to keep the operation quick, easy, and accurate. As drivers often pass through several state and other regional borders in a single trip, finding all of the permits needed, keeping track of the differences in regulations and requirements, and having all of the information consistent and accessible from permit to permit becomes an ambitious enterprise.

TMA came to us searching for a solution to meet the burgeoning demand for efficient permit issuing. Backware began as a system to determine the licenses required to get from Point A to Point B. Through refinement it has developed into a way to encapsulate their entire business model.

Backware is now a customizable web-based business management system that can be made to fit the business model of any company - TMA is even planning to license it to other businesses. We have created sample applications to demonstrate how Backware can be used to run a bank and a summer camp.

Backware utilizes an object oriented approach for storing data and structuring the business. Classes are created to describe everything involved in your business model. For example, in the summer camp, classes would include camper, counselor, cabin, activity, bill, payment, and many more, until every aspect of the business can be described through these classes, Data is entered into the system as objects, or instances, of the classes. This system allows for quick and simple access of data, as well as eliminating duplications and confusion.

Once the data structure has been built, there are many tools available that provide quick and straight forward methods of interacting with the data. Custom forms are constructed to display data directly to the user, and allow the user to enter, view, or edit the system data. Processes are built to pull the user through more complex tasks in a simple to follow step by step fashion, with complex actions being taken care of through code behind the scenes, and not visible to the normal user, Also, swappers can be created to tie together all relevant forms and processes for a given task or object. Another tool available is an internal messaging and alert system. This not only allows messages to be sent between users, but also objects and processes can be sent through attachment. Alerts are handled by the system so that users are quickly notified of important messages, or tasks that have been sent to them.

Finally, a powerful search system ties everything together. Again, the searches are completely customizable. They provide quick access to all of the stored data, and link the data with forms, processes, and swappers that allow direct interaction with the data.

Security is handled through permissions given to specific users, groups, and roles on either an entire class, or specific objects of a class. Groups and Roles can be defined to give a broad set of permissions for categories of users. Specific permissions can be assigned to users who need additional access to certain areas.

Because Backware started out as a system to determine the licenses required to get from Point A to Point B and evolved into a way to encapsulate their entire business model, this project is an excellent example of how we work with our clients to create exactly what they want - even as that evolves through the development process.

Please visit the Backware website at www.radbackware.com.