Develop Multi-Tenant SaaS Accounting Software While Using Alpha AnyWhere Engine

The Farber Consulting Group Inc. has seen the information technology world evolve from desktop to web-based solutions. We were heavily involved with Visual FoxPro and provided consulting services with that engine. Millions of companies developed mission-critical applications using Visual FoxPro, and many of them were commercial applications that are still in use today.

I myself developed a Report and Query Engine with Visual FoxPro, which was called VisualRep and sold worldwide.

For some of you that are not familiar with this engine, Visual FoxPro is an Object-Oriented Language. I could create classes and sub-classes, allowing the use of inheritance in this engine. Microsoft released the last service pack on October 2007 for Visual FoxPro 9 and it was supported until 2014.

As part of custom software development, we also convert desktop applications from MS Access or Visual FoxPro to web based solutions primarily using MS SQL as the database engine. We also provide remote DBA services and support MySQL as well.

This article will cover some of the conversion efforts from a commercial legacy accounting application to a web-based SaaS application.

Alpha Anywhere For SaaS to be utilized as an Accounting Software:

Our company migrated a legacy Visual FoxPro desktop accounting application to a web-based multi-tenant SaaS system using Alpha Anywhere. We implemented advanced client-side scripting techniques to provide a high level of scalability. The application takes full advantage of the capabilities of Alpha Anywhere as a visual client.

SaaS - Stands for as: Software As a Service and multiple clients can use the same software to be differentiated by the Tenant ID. 

Our company has a team of Alpha Anywhere developers that are experts, using the latest combination of JavaScript, SQL Stored procedures. We use advanced coding practices in Alpha Five to create user interfaces that are both visually appealing and highly efficient. Our biggest client is the Avis Car Rental company which trusted us with their contract manager.

Combining years of experience and expertise in Visual FoxPro, Alpha AnyWhere Software and Microsoft SQL Server, we migrated a complex desktop application to a cloud-based web application while providing the existing user base with a seamless experience transitioning to the more modern software.

By reverse-engineering the legacy application in Visual FoxPro and working directly with the client, FCG has ensured that all validations, calculations and applicable business rules were incorporated in the new Alpha AnyWhere Software application.

Features From Visual Foxpro as Legacy System To Web Based Solution:

• All business rules operate as stored procedures in Microsoft SQL Server.
  
  Utilizing Microsoft SQL Server for high availability and scalability, all business rules from the Visual FoxPro legacy application were translated and refactored as highly efficient SQL Server stored procedures. One of our developers, a former CPA knowledgeable in Visual FoxPro, Microsoft SQL, Alpha Software, and generally accepted accounting principles, developed and reviewed all Accounting.
  
  
• Validation features in advanced JavaScript for scalability.
  
  All client UX components are optimized for performance and scalability using JavaScript for advanced validation by taking advantage of Web 2.0 techniques. The result is a distribution of computing power to the client platforms for high scalability, providing immediate feedback to users during data entry without requiring expensive round-trip callbacks to the servers. As experts in optimizing client-side validation, our company can create a fully distributed computing model harnessing the power of client CPUs to reduce the load on the servers.
  
  
• Custom Reusable UX Shell Components:
  
  In addition, we developed reusable shell interfaces to provide rapid deployment and functional consistency for the user interface. The components use the latest UI features to offer a modern and clean design. By reusing components and modules, we speed development, reduce cost, improve reliability, and make maintenance and updates much more manageable.
  
  
• Advanced Reporting Module:
  
  A data-driven reporting system was developed to provide for detailed reporting with consistent filtering and data selection. We created a customizable reporting interface linked to dynamic SQL stored procedures to allow for a highly flexible reporting environment while maintaining a common code base for the reporting user-interface.

These Modules were developed for the Accounting System:

• Fund-based General Ledger.
• Purchase Order and Encumbrances.
• Accounts Receivable.
• Accounts Payable.
• Human Resource Management.
• Multi-state payroll.
• Reporting.

The Accounting Software is in Use on Several Hundreds Workstations:

The Alpha Anywhere Software version of the accounting application replaces desktop versions installed on several hundred individual workstations across multiple organizations and departments. The Multi-Tenant SaaS solution is installed on cloud-based servers, providing centralized control, ease of maintenance, fast rollouts of features for users. Further more a high degree of scalability through advanced techniques including load balancing, dynamically provisioned servers, and distributed computing through advanced client-side scripting.

For more information on the above efforts for the Accounting System please Contact Us or call: 732-536-4765

We can help you to move your company from the complexities of individual legacy software to a modern web-based SaaS solution.

Some of the services we provide:

• Alpha AnyWhere Development
• SQL Consulting Services.
• MySQL Consulting Services.
• Convert MS Access To Web-Based Application.
• Optimize Your Database.
• Maintain Visual FoxPro Applications.
• Convert Visual FoxPro to web based solution.
• Dot Net Development.