Sunburst Database focuses on developing software using components that make the programs easy to use while performing sophisticated operations within the relational database architecture. Our software provides users with simple choices through a point and click interface while the underlying software links multiple tables and filters data records to satisfy a variety of consumer needs. Users do not need to know about table relationships or how to program in SQL to complete their work. All windows throughout our programs use consistent mechanisms to display, search, and filter large amounts of information.
Sunburst Database develops Access programs using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), the programming language common to all Microsoft Office applications. The procedures and libraries built in to Access make it easier to integrate our software with other Office programs such as Word and Excel. Structured Squery Language (SQL) within the VBA code and in separate queries performs manipulation of the information in the database tables. VBA and SQL are among the most common modern computer programming languages.
In addition to the general software components for controlling the user experience and manipulating the data records, Sunburst Database employs an overarching strategy for making the software highly configurable for each user. Our programs are “data driven,” allowing users to establish the choices on pull-down menus and to set parameters that control the software. In this way, the user is able to configure the program to his or her specific needs, without having to modify the underlying code.
Below are some of the common program elements shared among Sunburst Database’s software:
- An application log-in that controls entry to different program areas and allows read and write capabilities based on user privilege. This includes simple point-and-click buttons on a Main Switchboard to guide users to various parts of the program.
- Standard screens for viewing and editing data records with indexed lists that allow record selection when the user starts typing.
- Calendars to aid in date entry and date checking.
- User-configurable choices for pull-down menus, which can limit the number of choices and avoid errors due to spelling and typos.
- Representation of one-to-many or parent-child relationships on screen forms by the use of sub-forms which have the ability to drill down through a hierarchy of related records.
- User-controlled selection filters that allow a combination of database fields to limit the records displayed on screens, reports, Excel exports, and automated merges to Word templates.
- Hierarchical reports that provide data joins between relational database tables, with grouping and subtotals for parent categories.
- Output to Excel of records in tabular form, or auto-generation of preformatted spreadsheets where computed database values serve as a data source for specific cells, graphs, or charts.
- File management capabilities to manage folder and files associated with data records, enabling external documents, spreadsheets, and graphics to be opened directly from the database application.
- Modules that manage the import of information collected on remote field computers into the main database system.
- Linkage to other systems through Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) or data import capabilities, allowing the programs to share data with legacy systems.