- Introduction to WorkXpress
- Building Your Application
- Examples and Best Practices
- Technical Manual
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WorkXpress is the world's only 5GL (fifth generation software language) PaaS (Platform as a Service). It is a one-stop-shop for everything necessary to build and deploy custom software solutions.
Using WorkXpress, professional developers and non-programmers alike regularly build sophisticated business applications while saving almost 90% development time and cost. They achieve these amazing results by leveraging an intuitively visual, drag and drop, point-and-click, secure, web-based environment.
WorkXpress eliminates the traditional concepts of coding, data modeling and database querying, while automating common systems administration tasks such as maintenance or disaster recovery. These time and cost savings are all possible without purchase of additional hardware or software.
Additionally, WorkXpress offers mobile capabilities and full integrations with 3rd party applications and the latest web-based technologies. Some examples include SMS, Email, FedEx, DocuSign, Google Maps, currency conversions, IVR, Google language translation, FTP services, and many more.
At the heart of everything we do is WorkXpress's fundamental value proposition;
More and better software, faster with and at a lower cost.
These are just a few of the analyst comments, awards and publications about WorkXpress over our long history;
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raditional software has been fraught with issues; from failing altogether, to under delivering, to costing far more than projected. In fact, the Standish Group reports that approximately:The traditional software approach fails so commonly because growing businesses need to be flexible to modify and adapt their processes as new ideas emerge.
For many companies, their software has become an enemy of success. And because it is so ingrained in their culture, they sometimes don’t even realize how they are being held back by software limitations. Employees and developers spend inordinate amounts of time performing activities that are only necessary because it is what the software tool requires.
The new software method, cloud computing, is growing rapidly. It is proving time and again that it is the most efficient way to deliver software and related services. The cloud’s growth is a direct result of its inherent cost-of-use savings, coupled with the emergence of rapid development tools that result in tremendous new savings and flexibility.
These factors have opened the door for organizations to automate processes and integrate their various silos of software creating a huge competitive business advantage. WorkXpress uses the latest proven cloud technologies to ensure fast, powerful and highly adaptable functionality focused 100% on your unique business operations. Our customers enjoy the world’s leading 5GL cloud computing platform advantage as detailed in the herein.
Technology is constantly changing. Today, everyone understands that all new focus is on web based technologies. Most vendors are producing applications that interact via the web. Most integration’s are now occurring using web services.
In fact, even the traditional “big name” vendors are trying to figure out how to retroactively connect their older products into the web.
WorkXpress puts a strategic focus on embracing new technologies on behalf of our clients and adapting those technologies into our client’s applications. A choice for WorkXpress is a choice to have access to all of the leading edge technologies, not just today, but in the future as well. Examples include:
By choosing a 5GL Cloud Computing platform, you are choosing to have access to every modern technology and vendor.
With WorkXpress, you are in control. You can choose:
In short, you are not held hostage to your software.
The problem with security is that every new application; …is built by a new team, …using different tools and methods, …to build different code, …that includes different security vulnerabilities, …and therefore needs its own security testing, …and ultimately needs its own remediation.
A Digital Assessment Survey showed on average; …1 vulnerability for every 8 lines of code, and 1 CRITICAL vulnerability for every 69 lines of code
Solution: Eliminate application security concerns at the platform level The WorkXpress architecture allows developers to build applications that pass application-level security tests…AUTOMATICALLY.
How? WorkXpress is a secure platform with a unique, proprietary architecture. Because of this, the applications built on top of WorkXpress do not need to be independently penetration tested - they are automatically secured according to level of security applied to the platform itself.
In other words, one secure platform saves thousands of applications from having to be tested and secured individually, avoiding enormous expense of time, cost, training and remediation. Security features include;
Additionally, the WorkXpress platform provides critical Data-security tools
For one example of how a specific public cloud provider, Amazon Web Services, supports a range of compliances please see http://aws.amazon.com/security/
If you are considering investing in a custom software solution, the most important question you can answer is whether WorkXpress is good fit for what you are trying to build. If it is, then you can realize all of WorkXpress's quality, cost and other advantages.
If your current processes are not automated, or if they have been previously automated using more basic or older tools, then there is an extremely high likelihood that WorkXpress can very quickly and easily take over management of your process. If you are using one of these tools, you should immediately contact WorkXpress;
Similarly, if you are faced with a large expense developing in 3rd generation languages, WorkXpress may be able to save you significant time, cost and frustration. If you are starting to build in one of these tools, or if a current project is challenged, we strongly recommend you invest just a few minutes to talk to a WorkXpress representative about your project;
Here is a partial list of the types of applications people have built in WorkXpress
Company: Cloudsuite Built by: Stuart Peck, Founder, Cloudsuite Hours to build: unknown Internal or Commercial: Commercial use. Multi-tenant, resale Application description: Cloudsuite is used by recruiting firms to manage their recruitment process. This includes areas for recruiters, finance, job hunters, employers, e-learning and administration.
Company: WorkXpress Built by: Various Hours to build: 200 Internal or Commercial: Publicly available Application description: CRM application presents a better way to manage a complex sales process. Entities (called “opportunities”) are moved through a pipeline logging notes, queuing up next activities, recording qualification and forecasting criteria. Managers can look at aggregate data or individual data about quantity of sales activity, forecasts, and pipeline advancement.
Company: Forgotten Voices Built by: Noah Coburn Hours to build: 80 Internal or Commercial: Internally used, but available upon request Application description: This application manages projects through a proposal and approval process.
Company: ITADS Built by: Various Hours to build: 480 Internal or Commercial: Commercial Application description: In a time when enterprise data breaches are at an all time high, and when the penalties for data breach are steep, The Watchdog monitors enterprise networks for devices which may contain secured or privacy data. Any changes in the status of these devices are immediately brought to the attention of network administrators, and various remediation processes are orchestrated. This application is available for purchase from ITADS.
Company: ShipmentDocs Built by: Siobhan Hyser Hours to build: 360 Internal or Commercial: Commercial Application description: This multi-tenant dashboard for all things related to freight forward and customs clearance is used by carriers, shippers, freight forwarders, buyers and sellers in North America. It presents a simple common place where all parties to a shipment can go and find the status of their shipment as well as any next steps required of them or another party. This application is highlighted by a sophisticated interface, alerts and notifications and embedded workflow.
Company: HC Nye Built by: Siobhan Hyser Hours to build: 120 Internal or Commercial: Internal Application description: This single-tenant application manages all aspects of lead generation, estimating, bidding and delivering commercial HVAC equipment. It was designed to replace large quantities of paper, spreadsheets, email and other document types, and in so doing, reduce confusion, increase revenues, and reduce costs.
Company: Silhouettes Built by: Noah Coburn Hours to build: 480 Internal or Commercial: Internal Application description: This event staffing application focus on employee management, event scheduling and billing. The employee management tools include an employee portal, an intelligent document requirements/management system, a jobs notification system and finally a job management, check in and post analysis system. The event scheduling tools allow complex scheduling of events with many locations in different time zones, each with different shifts, each shift needing different roles filled. Employees can check in and out of jobs via SMS. Finally, the billing system verifies employee documentation, timesheets and expenses, and can be integrated with most popular payroll providers.
Company: Connect and Sell Built by: Siobhan Hyser Hours to build: 80 Internal or Commercial: Internal Application description: This application provides a sophisticated scheduling capability. As resources are made available, those resources appear in a range of relevant formats to the consumer. Based on contract data maintained in the application, consumers are allowed to select from the available scheduling resources. Billing information based on the contracts is generated automatically.
The WX Wiki http://wiki.workxpress.com is a one-stop source for all things WorkXpress. Whether you are building a simple public webform or a robust ERP system, chances are you will find answers to your questions there.
WorkXpress will assign dedicated support representatives who will invest time in you and will personally help you with any questions that you may have. You may reach them by phone, email or IM, and they will be happy to setup a desktop sharing webinar to talk through your questions. Contact your dedicated support representative for;
Engaging WorkXpress is easy. First, determine whether you are using this software internally, or for commercial purposes. Then, determine whether you wish to do it yourself (DIY) or hire us to do it for you (SaaS).
If your company is simply seeking software to use, then you qualify as an “Internal Use” customer.
(1) Includes hosting. Excludes optional pay-per-use services such as SMS and bulk-email
If your company is seeking to resell WorkXpress software or services based on WorkXpress software then you are a “Commercial Use” customer.
For commercial use pricing, please inform a WorkXpress representative of your interest in reselling WorkXpress based products or services.
“WorkXpress is disruptive” - Stefan Ried, PhD, Senior Analyst with Forrester Research wrote in a Twitter Post - IDC Analyst Briefing on PaaS
“Comparing MS Access to WorkXpress is like comparing an old rotary phone to the iPhone” - Tom Lertola, D-I-Y customer
“I have been watching the PaaS space for some time now and have witnessed WorkXpress gain worldwide attention from major analyst firms and clients. WorkXpress is a leader in this space.” - George Fischer, EVP Worldwide Sales and Operations, CA (NYSE: CA). WorkXpress Board Member.
Read the full Case Study in pdf: http://www.workxpress.com/case-study/EPS-case-study.pdf
“With WorkXpress, we’ve gotten everything we asked for at a fraction of the cost of traditional software solutions and in less than two months. We expect a full return on our investment in under 60 days.” - Eric Kaufman, EPS
EventPro Strategies (EPS), headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, is the premiere full service event staffing and execution agency in the industry offering clients in-the-field strategy, expertise, innovation, and measurement, at an unsurpassed value.
For more than a year, EPS searched for a customized software solution to consolidate their hundreds of event detailing spreadsheets and thousands of talent and client e-mails. After a few months, it became evident to the company’s chief operating officer, Eric Kaufman, that to consolidate all of their desired workflow processes into a new custom software solution using the traditional development method would be impossible due to the expense.
The EPS project took a total of five weeks to create the five portals; talent, client, staff, accounting, and management, and all related functionality. Only three additional weeks were then needed to fine-tune the software and train staff before implementation. The project was completed on time and on budget, a relatively unusual reality in the world of customized software.
Kaufman said, “I’m sure other business owners can understand, we needed better organization, cleaner processes and a faster way to ensure our clients were successful without any issues. The new EPS Tracker System® 2.0 centralizes pre-event and post-event information while assisting both the client and EPS staff with event execution. Our mission is simple, ‘Provide our clients with the data that they want and need at their fingertips.’ With WorkXpress, we now have the peace of mind to take our business to the next level of world class service.”
Read the full Case Study in pdf:http://www.workxpress.com/case-study/Servolift_case_study.pdf
“WorkXpress is 10x faster than Access, and has 20x the capability” - Tom Lertola - ServoLift
Servolift is a New Jersey based machinery designer, manufacturer, and reseller. To date, the company has successfully installed their premium manufacturing blenders and lifters in more than 5000 locations worldwide.
The features and functionality, built entirely by Lertola, include; accounting, customer relationship management (CRM), human resources management, employee tasks and time off, reminders, international currency conversion, expense reports, internal commissions, sales representative commissions, quoting, purchasing, shipping and receiving, machine tracking by serial number, RMA’s, work orders, service schedule, parts inventory, shop tool tracking, project management, bill of materials, allocation, scheduling, standard assemblies, and model number generation.
Lertola said, “Since we implemented WorkXpress 5 years ago, we’ve been very happy with the level of service we’ve received. If I ever had questions, I knew exactly who to call and was able to secure solutions in a very timely manner.”
Read the full Case Study in pdf:http://www.workxpress.com/case-study/RT_grim_case_study_final.pdf
“WorkXpress delivered on time, and saved us over 50%” - Mike Wentz – R.T. Grim Operations Manager
R.T. Grim (RTG) is a regional electronics company based in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. Historically, the company focused on providing service for car audio and video, computers, televisions, camcorders, VCR’s, home stereos, DVD players, and professional audio/visual equipment. As an extension of these electronics capabilities, RTG bid on and earned a contract to refurbish Ford Motor Services instrument clusters.
Wentz and his team members searched for an easily customizable platform as a service (PaaS) solution to meet their unique needs. It was essential for the company to be up and running quickly, implement a system that could grow and change with their changing needs, and be able to perform specific automated tasks not currently available in any off-the-shelf software.
A number of powerful features were implemented for R.T. Grim including a bar code scan to simplify order processing, automation of ticket creation with personalized headers and footers, integration of shipping with FedEx, and a clear system for accountability and tracking of dashboard instrumentation throughout their service pipeline.
Wentz said, “No other customized software solution or platform as a service we researched could have provided us everything we needed and still been on schedule. I have been very impressed with WorkXpress’s ability to provide such complex customization and reporting capability without any programming. Add the excellent customer service we’ve enjoyed and I can honestly say that if I had to make the decision to create more software, WorkXpress would be my first and likely only call.”
Read the full Case Study in pdf:http://www.workxpress.com/case-study/Tex-Visions_case_study.pdf
“We have been very happy with our WorkXpress CRM. It’s increased our productivity by at least 30% and everyone on the system finds it very easy to use and learn.” - Marcel Ruhland, Tex Visions President
Tex Visions is one of the world’s leading custom printing facilities. Located in Pennsylvania, the company has quickly moved from an early phase start-up to an industry leader in custom flags, banners, displays and hardware.
With more than 1000 customers around the world and more than 20 employees using an off-the-shelf customer relationship management (CRM) tool, the company decided to seek out a more powerful cloud based software solution to handle and consolidate their fast growing business interests.
Tex Visions now enjoys features including; lead tracking, automated alerts for lead follow-ups, scheduling capability, e-mail integration, voice over internet (VoIP) call integration, outgoing VoIP call integration, fax integration, custom quote generation, and complex sales and marketing reporting.
