Help with web page required

[cupysmom]

I've been ask to design a web site for a customer that wants to post proof of deliverys to her customers that her customers can view for up to a week. Of course I told her no problem! Now I have just gone dumb and drawn a blank, but I'm sure you more experienced web designers can help as always.
Thanks
Sarah

[akashik]

Erm,

take a long way round and let us know exactly what the proposed system is. Is it just some quick html written up saying "customer xyz - your stuff has been sent", or a more complex invoicing/billing sort of thing? I can think of a few things depending on how rough and dirty it needs to be.

Greg Moore

[cupysmom]

I believe she wants something alittle more complex. She said to post proof of deliveries but I gather that she actually want's to also post more customer information.

[akashik]

So what is she selling? I'm just wondering if a cart system might do the trick, if they are ordering off her site as well.

Might be worth having a dig through http://www.hostcripts.com to see if they have anything that might help you out.

Greg Moore

[cupysmom]

She runs a long haul carrier business so she won't be selling anything online. Thanks for link. I'll check it out

[cupysmom]

I still am not having alot of luck finding a script but have found a website that is using a system like I am wanting to use http://www.arfw.com/ if anyone can tell me how to do something similar to this it would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks

[GregS]

They are going to need someone to design a database and make scripts for forms to pull data and display it to web pages.......that is a lot more than just a "web design"

[Mr Chunder]

I have to agree with Greg here - a db and server side scripts e.g. cgi, PHP are needed. this may or may not be available with cart software.

If the orders are done online then there must be some sort of database in existence ?

[cupysmom]

It's obvious to me now that either I will need to contract this part out to a programmer or learn alittle more about programming myself.Can anyone tell me a good place to start. Is there software programs that I can purchase to help me write scripts?
Alittle more info from my customer is that she wants to be able to post a bill of lading to her web site and then her customers can lon on and view and print that bill of lading.

[GregS]

I really don't go around and look for software to make databases.......but I found an old link in my favorites:

http://www.aroogasoft.com/

I think it just makes plain flat text file databases.....but if you decide to learn or to contract out instead, make sure you use a real database, such as MySQL, and use PHP to interact with the database.

[cupysmom]

thanks! anyone have any opnions on filemaker? http://www.filemaker.com

[Mr Chunder]

To develop and run your own web based database application based on a reliable, fairly scalable, the following is required:

1. Ability to code in a scripting language - PHP an obvious choice
2. Ability to setup and run a relational database - MySQL an obivous choice
3. Ability to understand business application and design a relational database table model to support this and possible future requirements.
4. Program in SQL - to link the PHP stuff and the database together and make things happen.

The software above is free on the net but a certain amount of skill is required to put it together. To me and to others its easy but thats because we've done it several times before. I remember that you made a lot of progress before so you have three options:

1. Outsource it (probably will cost a bit plus you need maintenance)

2. Learn PHP / MySQL / SQL. Pursue this route if you feel confident and really want to spend time learning - this will take time. As an introduction, you can prototype the application using MS Access becuase it supports relational tables and SQL BUT don't be tempted to stick this on the web because Access is very unreliable and you will require Windows based hosting to make it work. PHP / MySQL is the easiest.

3. Use something like FileMaker. I personally have never used this tool but it appears to be a quick an easy way to get this application built for what looks like $250 - it looks like the cheapest and quickest way out.

However, watch out for the following issues:

1. What server side components are needed - i.e. when you go live, what bits are needing installation on the host server because if it is not simple, then you will have difficulty hosting it cheaply.

2. What database is used - if you want to build a long term relationship with this client and grow as the client grows, then they will require more reporting, more features and functions etc. So they may in the future require a "proper" relational database to communicate with other business apps.

Overall, this project is not about the internet or web design, it is about a business application so mainly business application rules apply e.g. you will not just have to develop pages for end users to retrieve their data, you need backoffice pages for your client to enter in data - probably with a secret login so noone else on the web can access and damage data.

These things start out looking simple, but then they start to grow into something more.

I've rambled on a bit but I was just trying to explain what it will be like further down the line. Can others please point out if I've portrayed anythign incorrectly but this is the type of problem I face every day.