Thanks for the response. The combination of data is not a big deal as I could always recreate a unified solution later. It never would really hurt me. I am just torn on how useful a standalone DB will be. If not useful, it won't get buy in. I am sure this may not be well received in these forums but I have been researching Mendix a lot. Model based development takes the technicalities out of it. Any thoughts on that? Seems like it could be a good route to go.

I am looking to create a tool for my office to simplify the storing of certain logs. Right now it is done via excel and during weekly calls the staff needs to organize this and distribute to recipients, update daily, etc. I am thinking (thinking) if I went to a Database application I could write a better means to store the information and more importantly add some code to have a button (for example) to email all of the reports to anyone in the database flagged as a recipient. This is just one small first step of functionality as I aim to overtime add more and more slightly to it. I am thinking that I could put a template of the database in each project folder and have people just manage it that way so I dont have to worry about too many concurrent users. It also simplifies the location of the storage vs a central place everyone gets to it (which means they forget since they are in the project folders all the time). Alternative, is I just start the endeavor of writing a true .net application on top of the database. Although I am thinking this is more future proof as I honestly dont know where this would feature wise I am thinking it would be way more complex and lengthy on development time. So how do you weigh where to build the application? I can probably knock out basic functionality in access relatively quickly, but am I limiting myself?

Thanks, and thanks to all who are responding. Generated way more conversation compared to what I expected lol. To summarize for everyone (in terms of my capabilities) I spent some time with VB6 and later played around with VB.net and database connectivity. I certainly understand OOP and basic concepts and brushing off some dust can handle some code in VB.Net so I am not just learning from the ground up. I have never developed a full enterprise level piece of software nor am I truly expected too. I really want to just create some isolated functionality that is not available in out of the box solutions so I can incorporate it into. With that being said, it sounds like it would be time well spent to transition to C# for further future experience and there are just better resources out there for help. What are thoughts on backend support? Maybe while it is very limited I am just better off on using access and keeping it simple and scaling it up eventually? Is it feasible to use a database on office 365 so I dont need VPN connectivity to my office?

Not ignoring this at all. I think there is a LOT of merit to this for a few reasons..... 1. Realistically will I ever get to really build this thing, probably not. So if I ever decided to go the custom route I have a good benchmark to share with a developer on what I am looking to accomplish. 2. I do agree as anytime I have dabbled in coding I just start, and quickly it starts to expand into needing this and that and the other thing and it loses focus. Giving myself a road map would be helpful. So I might go this route.... What do you typically do? is it a narrative summarizing the workflow? Picking out the nouns as my classes and my verbs as my actions? How do you actually map it out? Is there a decent piece of software that helps visualize it all vs just trying to type it in word?

If they were clear and unconnected services I would agree. Today we have several major platforms. We use a CRM, a task/project management software suite, a file sharing application, a chat program, and email etc. For right now the file sharing, chat, and email are individual needs I have no intentions of trying to change over from. However, the challenge is we are a project based company. So our business development team has to log all types of information about the CRM. And our opportunities have several different phases all of which have different revenue opportunities attached to them. I have yet to find any CRM that can handle this so we have to duplicate tons of information. When the deal is signed it flips over to our project management / task management platform. All of that history, all of that data, all of that information is essentially lost or has to be recreated. The systems dont talk to each other. It is like trying to learn the project all over again. Our bus development team has to CONSTANTLY be updating and uploading and modifying and tweaking in both. On top of all of their other activities. It is a bear for responsibility. Nothing out of the box starts to merge those two pieces. Seperately, we are not an architect or engineer so software geared for those individuals does not work out of the box for us. But much of our process is replicated from them so we need the functionality of certain tracking elements. but again nothing out of the box has this since we do not fit into a typical industry platform. It yields a lot of inefficiencies and duplication of data and information.

Well the challenge is purely the cost. Exploring the custom software route looks like a FORTUNE. Again, will this ever be something the company really utilizes. I dont know. Just something I have always enjoyed doing and wanted to learn more. So rather than dabble on just bs tutorials out there I thought it might be a bit more enjoyable and a learning experience to attempt to do something useful and purposeful for my "day job"

So the general thought is PostGres or MySql for a database back end? If, and that is a big if, this ever became something we really were able to roll out and use we could be talking about 40 people accessing data. So not thousands, but not two. I have done visual basic connections to access in the past, and thought about that route (as this is a simple application at least at the onset) but figured if I start with a bit more capability, I might be WAY better off long term in terms of conversion. I also was tempted to just look into azure or something like that so it is a hosted scenario elsewhere and I pay Microsoft to handle the BS. I just need to connect to it and that way people that travel dont need VPN to connect to the software and if I get web based I dont have to deal with hosting and security issues.

I appreciate the quick response but unfortunately that is a major part of our issue now as a company. We have so many different tools and technologies (some of which we need external users to be part of, not just internal) the common response from our team is there is just too much to keep track of. We cant update our CRM, our PM tool, our accounting tool, our chat, our email, our file subscriptions, etc. So I am trying to find a platform that can bring all of this under one roof. I looked at tons of PSA software, but they are soooooo complicated and many out of the box have so many features we would never use. Just looking to slowly integrate our tools into one platform so people one day could have one place to go for things.

So I am in my mid thirties and a COO of a small business. Way back when in High School I took some programming classes and loved it. VB6. Fast forward to college and started in computer science before I hated a few professors in a row and switched to business school. So In ever followed through on what was my intent at that point of being a programmer / developer. Now, I see a real need for my business for a centralized application that can handle a multitude of things. Basically, we are a very unique company and not out of the box software fits all of our needs. I am realistic and I know I am not going to create an end all software application for my company. I totally get that. This is a side hobby for me (and I have kids too so we'll see how much time I have). BUt I have always loved problem solving, computers, and the thought of programming really intrigues me. Since I knew VB6 (based on high school classes, far from an expert) I am inclined to think VB.net is the best place to start and learn. But for me to learn through a project, if you are recommending to a newbie who wants to dabble with one application and never do this for a living... What would you recommend to them studying, learning, and playing with? It would need to be a database application too so that factors in. Web or desktop I dont know. I am inclined to think web takes so much of the complication out of connectivity and end user experience. But is it powerful enough to really do thinks. Here would be my start: Right now we take meeting minutes manually in a word based template. This software would have data entry for the minutes, keep it organized, and automatically distribute to all participants after the meeting. First feature. Second feature is a shop drawing log and submittal tracker. So when we make something custom, we prepare a detail drawing. Send it to an architect for approval. When it is approved sned to the manufacturer to release into production. Track all of these submissions etc. That would be number two. I would start with those two small features and continue slowly to add one at a time. Just a slow release of new functionality as our team realizes they need something. Recommendations?