About Microsoft Silverlight

Microsoft Silverlight is an application framework for writing and running rich Internet applications, with features and purposes similar to those of Adobe Flash. The run-time environment for Silverlight is available as a plug-in for web browsers running under Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. While early versions of Silverlight focused on streaming media, current versions support multimedia, graphics and animation, and give developers support for CLI languages and development tools. Silverlight is also one of the two application development platforms for Windows Phone.

  Figure 1 XAML is the core of a Silverlight application.

Silverlight is a powerful development tool for creating engaging, interactive user experiences for Web and mobile applications. Silverlight is a free plug-in, powered by the .NET framework and compatible with multiple browsers, devices and operating systems, bringing a new level of interactivity wherever the Web works.

Silverlight is a new cross-browser, cross-platform implementation of the .NET Framework for building and delivering the next generation of media experiences and Rich Interactive Applications(RIA) for the web. It runs in all popular browsers, including Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera. The plugin required to run Silverlight is very small in size hence gets installed very quickly.

It is combination of different technolgoies into a single development platform that allows you to select tools and the programming language you want to use. Silverlight integrates seamlessly with your existing Javascript and ASP.NET AJAX code to complement functionality which you have already created. Silverlight aims to compete with Adobe Flash and the presentation components of Ajax. It also competes with Sun Microsystems' JavaFX, which was launched a few days after Silverlight.

Silverlight Plug-in

Silverlight is a Plug-in for a web browser. A Plug-in is an extension of an application created to enhance or extend functionality. Examples of other web browser plug-ins are Flash, Java applets, Windows Media Player, and QuickTime. To run a Silverlight application in a browser, users have to download and install the Silverlight plug-in first.

The Silverlight Plug-in is the complete environment where the Silverlight applications run. The Plug-in contains the XAML Parser, Media Pipeline, Presentation Engine, and a .NET programming layer that uses the embedded Common Language Runtime (CLR). The Plug-in also provides a way for Silverlight applications to communicate with the Browser. Figure 11.2 shows the components of Silverlight Plug-in.

The Silverlight Plug-in consists of the following sub components and features:

• The Presentation Engine with Multi Core support
  • Drawing Vector graphics and Shapes
  • PNG/JPG decoders
  • Image Cache, Text and Glyph cache
  • Animation System
  • 3D rendering engine
• The XAML Parser
• Subset of the .NET Framework
  • Core Common Language Runtime (CLR)
  • The .NET base class libraries
• Media features
• Media Pipeline
• Download and streaming
• Audio/video decoders
• Browser Interaction
  • HTML Bridge
  • Mouse and Keyboard Input and Events
  • Ink Support
• The Downloader

The Silverlight Plug-in resides in the browser and is activated when you navigate to a web page that has the embedded code for Silverlight Application.

How Silverlight would change the Web:

1. Highest Quality Video Experience : prepare to see some of the best quality videos you have seen in your life, all embedded in highly graphical websites. The same research and technology that was used for VC-1, the codec that powers BluRay and HD DVD, is used by Microsoft today with its streaming media technologies.
2. Cross-Platform, Cross-Browser : Finally build web applications that work on any browser, and on any operating system. At release, Silverlight will work with Mac as well as Windows!  The Mono project has also already promised support for Linux!.
3. Developers and Graphic Designers can play together! : Developers familiar with Visual Studio, Microsoft.net will be able to develop amazing Silverlight applications very quickly, and they will work on Mac's and Windows. Developers will finally be able to strictly focus on the back end of the application core, while leaving the visuals to the Graphic Design team using the power of XAML.
4. Cheaper : Silverlight is now the most inexpensive way to stream video files over the internet at the best quality possible. Licensing is dead simple, all you need is IIS in Windows Server, and you’re done.
5. Support for 3rd Party Languages : Using the power of the new Dynamic Language Runtime, developers will now be able to use Ruby, Python, and EcmaScript! This means a Ruby developer can develop Silverlight applications, and leverage the .net Framework!
6. Cross-Platform, Cross-Browser Remote Debugging : If you are in the need to debug an application running on a Mac, no problem! You can now set breakpoints, step into/over code, have immediate windows, and all that other good stuff that Visual Studio provides.
7. The best development environment on the planet : Visual Studio is an award winning development platform! As it continues to constantly evolve, so will Silverlight!
8. Silverlight offers copy protection : Have you noticed how easy it is to download YouTube videos to your computer, and save them for later viewing ? Silverlight will finally have the features enabling content providers complete control over their rich media content! Streaming television, new indie broadcast stations, all will now be possible!
9. Extreme Speed :There is a dramatic improvement in speed for AJAX-enabled websites that begin to use Silverlight, leveraging the Microsoft .net framework.

 Silverlight provides a retained mode graphics system similar to Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), and integrates multimedia, graphics, animations and interactivity into a single runtime environment. In Silverlight applications, user interfaces are declared in Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML) and programmed using a subset of the .NET Framework. XAML can be used for marking up the vector graphics and animations. Silverlight can also be used to create Windows Sidebar gadgets for Windows Vista.

Silverlight applications can be written in any .NET programming language. As such, any development tools which can be used with .NET languages can work with Silverlight, provided they can target the Silverlight CoreCLR for hosting the application, instead of the .NET Framework CLR. Microsoft has positioned Microsoft Expression Blend as a companion tool to Visual Studio for the design of Silverlight User Interface applications. Visual Studio can be used to develop and debug Silverlight applications. To create Silverlight projects and let the compiler target CoreCLR, Visual Studio requires the Silverlight Tools for Visual Studio.

A Silverlight control is a ZIP format file with extension .XAP containing a list of one or more .NET managed assemblies (.DLL files) along with the AppManifest.XAML file containing this list along with the entry point (class and assembly). It can be hosted in any HTML file using an object tag, for example: <object data="data:application/x-silverlight-2," type="application/x-silverlight-2" width="100%" height="100%"><param name="source" value="MySilverLightControl.xap"/></object>

A Silverlight project contains the Silverlight.js and CreateSilverlight.js files which initializes the Silverlight plug-in for use in HTML pages, a XAML file for the UI, and code-behind files for the application code. Silverlight applications are debugged in a manner similar to ASP.NET applications. Visual Studio's CLR Remote Cross Platform Debugging feature can be used to debug Silverlight applications running on a different platform as well.

Microsoft Silverlight History :

• Silverlight 1 - Silverlight 1, developed under the codename Windows Presentation Foundation/Everywhere (WPF/E) was released in 2007. It consisted of the core presentation framework, which is responsible for the user interface (UI), interactivity and user input, basic UI controls, graphics and animation, media playback, Digital rights management (DRM), and DOM integration.
• Silverlight 2 - Included a version of the .NET Framework, implemented the same full Common Language Runtime (CLR) version as .NET Framework 3.0; so it can execute programs written in any .NET language.
• Silverlight 3 - Silverlight 3 was announced on September 12, 2008, and unveiled at MIX09 in Las Vegas on March 18, 2009. A beta version was made available for download the same day. The final version was released July 9, 2009. Silverlight 3 included more controls—including but not limited to DataGrid, TreeView, various layout panels, DataForm for forms-driven applications and DataPager for viewing paginated data.
• Silverlight 4 - On November 18, 2009, at the Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles, Microsoft Corporation unveiled a Beta version of Silverlight 4. The final version was released on April 15, 2010 (along with Silverlight 4 tools for developers). New features in Silverlight 4 include: Support for Google's Chrome browser; Web cam and microphone; Printing; More mouse support; New notification support to send messages to users; New and enhanced controls (e.g., RichTextBox, DataGrid); Theming of controls; rendering HTML; better localization, and others.
• Silverlight 5 - The final release is available for download on December 9, 2011. New features include: GPU accelerated video decoding, 3D graphics, playback speed controls, remote control and 64-bit support.

Top Silverlight Features :

IIS Smooth Streaming

IIS Smooth Streaming, an IIS7 Media Services 3.0 extension, enables adaptive streaming of live and on-demand media via standard HTTP protocols, and provides a high-quality viewing experience that scales on massive content-distribution networks, bringing a fantastic visual experience to any viewer regardless of their connection and computer capabilities.
Launch Demo : http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/iis-smooth-streaming/demo/

PivotViewer

PivotViewer makes it easier to interact with massive amounts of data on the web in ways that are powerful, informative, and fun. By visualizing thousands of related items at once, users can see trends and patterns that would be hidden when looking at one item at a time.
Because PivotViewer leverages Deep Zoom, it displays full, high-resolution content without long load times, while the animations and natural transitions provide context and prevent users from feeling overwhelmed by large quantities of information. This simple, inviting interaction model encourages exploration and longer audience engagement times, and applies broadly to a variety of content types. The Silverlight PivotViewer control is available now and can be accessed by developers and designers to begin creating collections and deploying solutions.
Technical docs : http://www.silverlight.net/learn/data-networking/pivot-viewer/pivotviewer-control

Sketch Flow

SketchFlow, part of Expression Studio Ultimate, revolutionizes the speed and efficiency with which you can demonstrate a vision for an application. SketchFlow provides an informal and quick way to explore, iterate and prototype user interface scenarios allowing you to evolve your concepts from a series of rough ideas into a living breathing prototype that can be made as real as a particular client or project demands.
Launch Demo : http://www.iis.net/media/experiencesmoothstreaming

Deep Zoom
Silverlight Deep Zoom is the fastest, smoothest, zooming technology on the Web, bringing the highest resolution images and frame rates with the lowest load times to users. Deep Zoom also enables the display of thousands of items simultaneously, giving designers and developers new opportunities to create innovative navigation paradigms for both applications and the Web.
By optimizing the way images are stored and intelligently downloading only the pieces of information needed to fill the screen, Deep Zoom removes technical barriers and enables the delivery of engaging customer and content-centric experiences.
Technical docs: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc645050%28VS.95%29.aspx

Pixel Shader Effects

These software based effects include blur and drop shadow that can be applied to any graphical content and animated. You can also write your own effect.
Launch Demo: http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/pixel-shader/demo/

New Controls

Silverlight is packed with over 60 high-quality, fully skinnable and customizable out-of-the-box controls such as charting and media, new layout containers such as dock and viewbox, and controls such as autocomplete, treeview and datagrid. The controls come with nine professional designed themes and the source code can be modified/recompiled or utilized as-is. Other additions include multiple selection in listbox controls, file save dialog making it easier to write files, and support for multiple page applications with navigation.

Launch Demo : http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/new-controls/demo/

Media Format Extensibility

With the new Raw AV pipeline, Silverlight can easily support a wide variety of third-party codecs. Audio and video can be decoded outside the runtime and rendered in Silverlight, extending format support beyond the native codecs.

Launch Demo : http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/extensible-media/demo/

Perspective 3D Graphics

Silverlight 3 allows developers and designers to apply content to a 3D plane. Users can rotate or scale live content in space without writing any additional code. Other effects include creating a queue in 3D and transitions.
Launch Demo : http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/perspective-3d-graphics/demo/

Skinning and Styling

Silverlight makes it easy to create graphics and then use them to customize controls, such as the look of a scrollbar. Silverlight provides XAML based templates for each control that allow designers to reach inside the control and change the layout or look of each part of the control without rewriting any code. For example, a scrollbar is made up of a layout container and a set of parts such as the up and down button and draggable thumb. Parts can be rearranged and their appearance changed to fully customize the control. In addition, controls can be themed by applying a style. For instance you can offer a range of different colors or font sizes.

Launch Demo: http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/skinning-and-styling/demo/

Silverlight Host

Microsoft Visual Studio and Expression Blend both allow you to create Silverlight applications. These applications essentially create a XAML Application file (.XAP) file, referenced by a link in an object tag.

There are three ways you can host a Silverlight Application File in a web page

1. Hosting the Silverlight in any HTML Page using <object> tag
2. Hosting in an ASPX Page using a Silverlight Control
3. Hosting in an ASPX Page using a MediaPlayer Control

Using an <object> Tag is similar to embedding any ActiveX control like a Media Player or a Flash file. Here is a sample code which embeds a Silverlight Object that link to a HelloWorld.xap.

<object data="data:application/x-silverlight-2," type="application/x-silverlight-2">
</object>

Visual Studio allows creating web projects that uses Silverlight User Controls in a webform. This user control is eventually converted into an object tag as shown in the earlier example. Silverlight also allows using Media control inside a web form (ASPX).

Silverlight Controls can also be embedded into an existing or new Web application by dragging the user control from the Tool Box to the web page.

Silverlight Application File (.XAP)

A Silverlight Application file is a single compressed .ZIP file whose extension is changed to .XAP (XAML Application). It consists of a number of XAML files, .NET assemblies, and other resources. When you build a Silverlight application, Visual Studio compresses all relevant files into this single file.

The .XAP file is referenced inside the Silverlight Object tag in HTML and is loaded, parsed and executed by the Silverlight Plug-in. The .XAP file contains the actual logic and the interface of the Silverlight application. See the instruction for “Hello World” application at the end of the chapter to follow along as we develop the application.

Notice there are four files- App.xaml, App.xaml.cs, MainPage.xaml, and MainPage.xaml.cs. These are automatically created by Visual Studio. App.xaml and .cs files are used for application level properties and events. MainPage.xaml and .cs file are the files which contain the first visual of the application. Note the InitializeComponent method in the .cs files. This method combines the XAML file with the code.

To better understand the code interaction, we will open the HelloWorld Folder as a website inside Visual Studio. This will show us the hidden folders and files which are not shown in a Silverlight application.

In the Solution Explorer click on the HelloWorld Solution and click on add existing website and select the HelloWorld Folder and click ok. See figure 11.5 for an updated explorer view. In the Website view you will find two new folders:

• Obj folder, used for intermediate processing
• Bin folder, which stores the binaries after the project is compiled

The Obj/Debug Folder store objects and intermediate files before they are linked together:

• Page.g.cs and App.g.cs are the intermediate files corresponding to each xaml file. The “g” stands for generated. Each XAML file is converted into this partial class file. This file declare the initialize component method, and loads the corresponding xaml file as components.
• HelloWorld.g.resources file is the compressed binary form for all the xaml files which is also sometimes called BAML files
• The HelloWorld.dll, the assembly created by Visual Studio, is also copied to the BIN folder before compressing into the .XAP
• XAPCacheFile is the intermediate file for the Assembly Manifest
• HelloWorld.PDP is the projects related file that contains debugging and project state information
• FilelistAbsolute.txt, as the name suggest stores the absolute path of the files used before compiling them inside the dynamic link library

The Bin/Debug is the folder where the compiled files are stored. The files created as a result of the build process are:

• HelloWorld.XAP: File is the final compressed Silverlight application file which contains the HelloWorld.dll as well as the AppManifest.XAML. You can see this by changing the extension to .zip and opening it.
• TestPage.html: Host file which embeds the HelloWorld.XAP file
• The HelloWorld.dll: Assembly created by Visual Studio that contains the XAML files, required .NET assemblies, and other embedded resources related to the application.
• AppManifest.xaml: Application manifest file which stores the Entry Point of the applica- tion, describes the names and source of assemblies that the application should bind to at the run time, and also contains metadata for assemblies used by the application.

To deploy your Silverlight application, you upload the TestPage.html and HelloWorld.XAP file to a web server. The HelloWorld.XAP file has all the needed files. HelloWorld Application has the fol- lowing files in the .XAP:

• AppManifest.xaml
• HelloWorld.dll

A sophisticated Silverlight Application file will have other .NET assemblies, xaml files and other resources like images, and media files. When the Silverlight Plug-in loads a HelloWorld.zap file in a web browser, it reads the AppManifest file first to find out the entry point.

The entry point is the name of the dll which needs to be loaded first and is entered in the field Entry- PointAssembly. In AppManifest.XAML, the value is HelloWorld. The manifest file will also have references to other required assemblies as AssemblyPart to be loaded by the application at run time.

Reference Sites :

http://silverlightfun.com/?page_id=105

http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/what-is-silverlight/

Learning Rails (Ruby on Rails) Web Application Framework

What is Rails?

Rails is a web application development framework written in the Ruby language. It is designed to make programming web applications easier by making assumptions about what every developer needs to get started. It allows you to write less code while accomplishing more than many other languages and frameworks. Experienced Rails developers also report that it makes web application development more fun.

Rails is opinionated software. It makes the assumption that there is a “best” way to do things, and it’s designed to encourage that way – and in some cases to discourage alternatives. If you learn “The Rails Way” you’ll probably discover a tremendous increase in productivity. If you persist in bringing old habits from other languages to your Rails development, and trying to use patterns you learned elsewhere, you may have a less happy experience.

The Rails philosophy includes several guiding principles:

• DRY – “Don’t Repeat Yourself” – suggests that writing the same code over and over again is a bad thing.
• Convention Over Configuration – means that Rails makes assumptions about what you want to do and how you’re going to do it, rather than requiring you to specify every little thing through endless configuration files.
• REST is the best pattern for web applications – organizing your application around resources and standard HTTP verbs is the fastest way to go.

The MVC Architecture

At the core of Rails is the Model, View, Controller architecture, usually just called MVC. MVC benefits include:

• Isolation of business logic from the user interface
• Ease of keeping code DRY
• Making it clear where different types of code belong for easier maintenance

1. Models

A model represents the information (data) of the application and the rules to manipulate that data. In the case of Rails, models are primarily used for managing the rules of interaction with a corresponding database table. In most cases, each table in your database will correspond to one model in your application. The bulk of your application’s business logic will be concentrated in the models.

2. Views

Views represent the user interface of your application. In Rails, views are often HTML files with embedded Ruby code that perform tasks related solely to the presentation of the data. Views handle the job of providing data to the web browser or other tool that is used to make requests from your application.

3. Controllers

Controllers provide the “glue” between models and views. In Rails, controllers are responsible for processing the incoming requests from the web browser, interrogating the models for data, and passing that data on to the views for presentation.

The Components of Rails

Rails ships as many individual components. Each of these components are briefly explained below. If you are new to Rails, as you read this section, don’t get hung up on the details of each component, as they will be explained in further detail later. For instance, we will bring up Rack applications, but you don’t need to know anything about them to continue with this guide.

• Action Pack
  • Action Controller
  • Action Dispatch
  • Action View
• Action Mailer
• Active Model
• Active Record
• Active Resource
• Active Support
• Railties

1. Action Pack

Action Pack is a single gem that contains Action Controller, Action View and Action Dispatch. The “VC” part of “MVC”.

1.1. Action Controller

Action Controller is the component that manages the controllers in a Rails application. The Action Controller framework processes incoming requests to a Rails application, extracts parameters, and dispatches them to the intended action. Services provided by Action Controller include session management, template rendering, and redirect management.

1.2. Action View

Action View manages the views of your Rails application. It can create both HTML and XML output by default. Action View manages rendering templates, including nested and partial templates, and includes built-in AJAX support. View templates are covered in more detail in another guide called Layouts and Rendering.

1.3. Action Dispatch

Action Dispatch handles routing of web requests and dispatches them as you want, either to your application or any other Rack application. Rack applications are a more advanced topic and are covered in a separate guide called Rails on Rack.

2. Action Mailer

Action Mailer is a framework for building e-mail services. You can use Action Mailer to receive and process incoming email and send simple plain text or complex multipart emails based on flexible

3. Active Model

Active Model provides a defined interface between the Action Pack gem services and Object Relationship Mapping gems such as Active Record. Active Model allows Rails to utilize other ORM frameworks in place of Active Record if your application needs this.

4. Active Record

Active Record is the base for the models in a Rails application. It provides database independence, basic CRUD functionality, advanced finding capabilities, and the ability to relate models to one another, among other services.

5. Active Resource

Active Resource provides a framework for managing the connection between business objects and RESTful web services. It implements a way to map web-based resources to local objects with CRUD semantics.

6. Active Support

Active Support is an extensive collection of utility classes and standard Ruby library extensions that are used in Rails, both by the core code and by your applications.

7. Railties

Railties is the core Rails code that builds new Rails applications and glues the various frameworks and plugins together in any Rails application.

source : guides.rubyonrails.org

Medical Office Software

The medical software market is very large (1,000+ vendors) and complex. Vendors have customized applications for just about every provider designation (MD, DO, OD, DC, PT, PhD, LSCW, etc.) and type of provider organization, including outpatient, inpatient, and home health care. Years of development and company consolidation have led to a daunting market.

What is Medical Software?

Medical software includes a wide class of systems that manage the clinical and administrative functions of healthcare organizations. Systems have been tailored to automate just about every healthcare process, including billing, patient scheduling, creating and managing patient records, picture/image archiving, prescribing medication, and more. Since different specialists have unique requirements, software companies address the different needs through both broad and narrowly-focused solutions. 

Deployment Strategies

When selecting a system, buyers will have the choice of implementing different applications for specific tasks, or a complete suite of tools to address all their needs. The decision that most providers will need to make is whether to implement a standalone electronic medical records (EMR) system or replace an existing practice management (PM) system with a complete EMR and PM program. We hear from many buyers facing this decision as practice management systems have been ubiquitous since the 1990s and EMRs are increasing in adoption, primarily due to the ARRA HITECH Act of 2009. It is important to note that many vendors offer applications in more than one category, and that the lines between many categories have become blurred. 

Application Categories

Electronic Medical Records	Assists in creating and storing digital patient records. Helps track patient notes, demographics, histories, and medications. Functions include e-prescribing, lab integration, device integration, tablet support, and voice recognition. Example vendors include GE Centricity, AllScripts, and eClinicalWorks.
Medical Billing	Manages the creation of patient statements and submission of claims. Functions include coding, claim scrubbing, eligibility inquiry, electronic claim submission, payment posting, and reporting. Example vendors include AdvancedMD, HealthFusion, and LeonardoMD.
Patient Scheduling	Used to automate the process of scheduling patient visits. Features include automated follow-ups, text message/phone/email reminders, and multi-location support. Typically offered with billing in a “practice management” suite. Example vendors include AllegianceMD, NueMD and MedLedger.
Radiology Information Systems	Manages the operations and workflow of radiology imaging centers. Automates the process of storing, manipulating, and distributing patient data and images. Example vendors include RISynergy and Medics RIS/PACS.
Picture Archiving and Communications Systems	Manages the storage and retrieval of DICOM images (X-Rays, CAT scans, MRIs, etc.). Often used in conjunction with a RIS to execute the radiology workflow efficiently. Example vendors include Medics RIS/PACS and Sage Intergy.
Medical Accounting	Automates accounting procedures for healthcare practices. Functions include A/R, A/P, general ledger, and financial reporting. Example vendors include Microsoft Dynamics GP, Epicor, and Sage MAS 90/200.

What Type of Buyer Are You?

Before evaluating software and queueing up a formal comparison, you’ll want to make sure you know what type of buyer category you belong in. We have found that almost all buyers fall into one of the following four categories:

• Integrated suite buyers. These organizations are investing in software to manage two or more aspects of providing patient care in one single system. Most commonly, these buyers are looking for integrated EMR, billing, and scheduling systems. 
• Best-of-breed buyers. These buyers are focused on applications to address a specific need. Most often, buyers in this category are looking for a billing, EMR, RIS, or PACS system. 
• Outpatient organizations. Ambulatory care providers such as family medicine physicians and specialists will share common feature requirements to support “walk-in/walk-out” care. They are usually looking for EMR, practice management systems, or both. 
• Inpatient organizations. While similar in scope to systems designed for outpatient care, inpatient care provider centers such as hospitals will require systems to support bed management, UB-04 billing, and potentially long-term patient stays.

Market Trends You Should Understand

Buyers should keep the following trends in mind when researching software. How a vendor fits within these trends could have a big impact on its viability.

• Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). The trend towards cloud computing is impacting many industries, and healthcare is certainly one of them. Providers are beginning to show increasing affinity towards the lower upfront costs, monthly pricing model, lack of IT infrastructure, and remote accessibility associated with web-based applications. 
• Mobile computing. Going hand in hand with SaaS, healthcare providers are finding themselves increasingly on the go and accessing systems from multiple offices, home, and mobile devices. iPad and iPhone support are becoming increasingly common. 
• ONC certification. As most healthcare professionals are aware, the HITECH Act of 2009 requires the use of electronic medical records systems by 2015. Eligible providers can subsequently qualify for $44,000 in stimulus funds by demonstrating “meaningful use” of ONC-ATCB certified EMRs. This ONC-ATCB certification is going to be nearly essential for EMR vendors to survive, unless their target customers will not qualify for stimulus funds. 

Benefits & Potential Issues

The primary benefits of any medical system are to increase efficiency, improve collections, or improve the quality of patient care. These benefits are created by different applications and impact organizations in different ways. Increased back-office efficiency streamlines administrative tasks associated with patient encounters, enabling providers to see more patients and hire fewer staff. More rigorous documentation of these encounters and a more organized claims submission process lead to increased collections. Automated alerts prompt providers with potential issues or risks, while automated reminders help patients return to the office when necessary. 

While most systems are expensive, the high costs of delivering improper care or delaying receivables can often justify the investment. While trends such as software-as-a-service help make purchasing software a bit easier, government stimulus funds are providing a lot of the necessary funding to cover the costs of implementing most systems.

Business Intelligence (BI) Software

Business intelligence (BI) software has gained considerable traction since first being introduced as “decision support systems” in the 60’s. It’s consistently recognized as a top technology spending priority, especially as tough economic conditions force organizations to make effective and efficient use of existing resources. Today, there are over 100 business intelligence software companies selling some type of BI tool.

What is Business Intelligence Software?

So what is an accurate business intelligence definition? Is it online analytical processing (OLAP)? Extract, transform and load (ETL)? Analytics?

The business intelligence market has evolved from IT staff assembling component tools (e.g. OLAP and ETL) to business intelligence software vendors developing functional applications (e.g. marketing analytics, procurement analytics, etc) to address specific market needs. Today, more and more BI users are business users - not IT staff - that need quick, easy-to-understand displays of information. As a result, vendors are hiding the complexity of BI and increasingly focusing on the user experience.

Business intelligence software helps organizations identify and analyze business data in order to make better business decisions. It allows organizations to collect both internal data from company departments, and external data such as marketing or economic data sets. BI provides more accurate reporting, monitoring and assessment of data, and aims to help companies make the most of their existing resources.

Business Intelligence Functions

When evaluating systems, it is important to determine what functions your organization needs and identify products that support these. Here is a list of common functions found in business intelligence software.

Analytics
Data Mining	This is the process of sorting through large amounts of data to identify new or unknown patterns. It is often the first step that other processes - such as predictive analytics - will rely on.
Online Analytical Processing (OLAP)	Allows users to quickly perform ad hoc queries and analyze multidimensional data from different perspectives. It is typically made up of three analytical operations: consolidation which is the aggregation of data; drill-down which allows users to sort through the details, and; slicing and dicing which allows users to extract (slice) a set of data and view it (dice) from different perspectives.
Predictive Analytics	Essentially analyzes current and historical data to make future predictions in order to identify risks and opportunities. An easy consumer example of this is credit scoring, which relies on an individual’s current financial standing to make predictions about their future credit performance.
Semantic and Text Analytics	Extracts, interprets and structures large volumes of text to identify patterns, relationships and sentiment of the text.
Data Management
Data Quality	Helps organizations maintain clean, standardized and error-free data.
Extract, Transform and Load (ETL)	ETL is the process of taking data (extracting) from outside sources, transporting it to the target system and transforming it in the process, then loading it into the end target (i.e. database or data warehouse).
Reporting
Dashboards	Dashboards allow users to create reports with easy-to-understand visual displays. The displays usually compare key performance indicators (KPIs) and other metrics against a goal or target value. Dashboard reports are often web-based.
Report Writer	Allows users to design and generate their own reports from a range of data sources including databases, spreadsheets, HTML/XML files and other sources.
Scorecards	Scorecards allow users to take KPIs and apply them to a strategy map. From here, related reports and analysis can be performed. It’s basically dashboards taken one step further. It is more often used by organizations that have a strategic performance management methodology like the balanced scorecard (BSC) and Six Sigma.

What Type of Buyer Are You?

Before evaluating software, you must determine what type of buyer you are.

• Business users and departmental buyers. This group of buyers favors small data discovery vendors and BI tools over the big traditional BI systems. Ease-of-use and fast deployment are more important than in-depth functionality and integration. They are usually business users rather than IT staff.
• IT buyers. These traditional business intelligence buyers are more focused on functionality and integration within their information infrastructure stacks or other enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications. Integration across different business entities and departments is usually more important than ease of use.

Market Trends You Should Understand

As you begin your business intelligence software comparison and evaluation, there are a couple trends to consider:

• In-Memory Processing. OLAP systems of the past would pre-calculate every possible combination of data. These calculations would be stored in the “cube” and users could retrieve them when they needed a certain analysis. Creating these cubes was very time consuming - sometimes taking as long as a year - and required expertise. Today, computer processors and memory are faster, cheaper and overall more powerful. This same process can happen in-memory, rather than using a disk-based approach with cubes. BI software built on an in-memory architecture can retrieve data and perform calculations in real-time or on-the-fly.
• Big Data. The Internet is rapidly creating vast amounts of data. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), data use in 2011 will grow by as much as 44 times amounting to 35.2 zettabytes (a billion terabytes) across the world. This phenomenon is being dubbed “Big Data” among IT and business leaders. BI software companies are beefing up their data warehousing and analytics capabilities to keep up with demand.
• Business users to outnumber IT staff. This is a major trend playing out in the market. More business users - rather than traditional IT staff - are evaluating and purchasing software. So usability is becoming more important than functionality during software evaluations. As a result, small data discovery vendors that develop really good interactive visualization tools are gaining market share. Meanwhile, traditional BI vendors are parroting new market entrants by promoting ease of use.
• Software as a Service (SaaS). A growing number of organizations are considering SaaS or “cloud” BI software instead of traditional, on-premise software that you install on location. Cost is a major driver of this trend. The poor performing economy is motivating companies to look at lower-cost BI software from SaaS and open source vendors. Of course, perceived ease of use, faster implementations and reduced IT needs are also driving this trend. On-premise BI vendors are responding by committing development resources to cloud technology.
• Mobile BI applications. Proliferation of the iPhone, iPad and other mobile devices is pushing vendors (e.g. Microsoft business intelligence software and Oracle business intelligence software) to develop on-the-go tools and applications. Analysts think mobile BI could expand the population of BI users to a larger mainstream audience.

Accounting Software

What is Accounting Software? 

Business accounting software keeps track of the financial transactions within an organization. A core package includes general ledger, accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll, and reporting modules. These systems occasionally come with specialized functionality for particular types of businesses or companies. An example is fund accounting for nonprofit organizations and government entities. Because it's a critical business process, accounting software is often a central component of an organization’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.

Application Categories

Core Accounting	Core systems assist with the basic functions necessary to balance a business' books, including general ledger functionality, the ability to track accounts payable (A/P) and accounts receivable (A/R), fixed assets, and bank reconciliation. Every business requires core accounting to manage its finances.
Project Accounting	Project accounting software helps project-oriented businesses maximize job profitability and efficiency by tracking detailed project costs. Businesses can examine past job costs and estimate future costs to choose the jobs which will achieve adequate profit. Project accounting software tracks by project factors like labor, overhead, materials, and equipment to improve decision-making.
Fund Accounting	Fund accounting software supports non-profit and governmental entities in tracking their development and spending of funds. Non-profit organizations can track their expenditures of donations or grants to make sure they meet fund provider requirements. The software also allows government entities to make sure they meet unique Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) regulations.
Inventory Management	Inventory management software helps companies keep the correct inventory levels to maximize profit, avoid overspending, and minimize the costs associated with inventory depreciation. The right software keeps inventory information up-to-date by tracking product levels as well as orders, sales, and deliveries. The Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) stipulate specific ways to account for inventory to ensure proper reporting of value for inventory that has depreciated or undergone other changes. Software with inventory management capabilities ensures this is done correctly.
Billing & Invoicing	Billing software automates the collection of payments from customers to enable timely and consistent collection with minimal human error. There are many different types of billing and invoice software designed to support the wide range of industries, business models, payment methods, and scale of operations.
Budgeting & Forecasting	Users can leverage budgeting and forecasting software to project a company’s financial outlook from historical data and estimates of future conditions. These systems are typically used in businesses that must consolidate multiple departmental forecasts and budgets. The systems are most helpful where multiple variables drive the ultimate forecast.
Fixed Asset Accounting	Fixed asset software tracks fixed assets by providing a central database of important asset information, including location, check-in and check-out, due date for return, maintenance scheduling, audit history, cost and depreciation. Depreciation schedules are a core element of fixed asset accounting.
Payroll Management	Payroll software helps businesses track and process employee payrolls. It also composes and prints paychecks, automatically withholds and pays government taxes, and generates the necessary legal and tax reports on a regular basis. Automated reminders to pay required fees help businesses avoid legal penalties.

What Type of Buyer Are You?

Before evaluating software, you must determine what type of buyer you are. Over 90% of buyers fall into one of these three categories:

• Growing small business buyers. These small businesses are on the verge of upgrading basic systems, like QuickBooks, to support more sophisticated functions (like demand forecasting, intercompany accounts, increased data storage, and others). Growing businesses upgrade software for a range of reasons. Industry-specific functionality will become important when a small company reaches a certain size threshold.
• Enterprise buyers. These buyers represent businesses and organizations that need the functionality of a full enterprise resource planning (ERP) suite. Usually, these systems will include functionality for multi-company consolidation, international operations and foreign currency, and other concerns relevant to large entities. Seamless integration is usually more important than specific features; however, there is considerable differentiation in both of these areas, and buyers should examine both. SAP and Oracle, two of the largest vendors, have some of the most feature-rich systems on the market.
• Best-of-breed buyers. These buyers are focused on specific functions. For example, non-profit organizations need to look specifically for systems that can perform fund accounting. This method tracks funds in such a way that different grant providers can see the right report on how each fund amount has been used. Construction companies or engineering firms, on the other hand, usually need a system that can break down costs by each project, location, and other characteristics. For best-of-breed buyers like these, functionality is often more important than integration.

Market Trends You Should Understand

As you evaluate software, consider these current market trends.

• Software as a Service (SaaS). SaaS is picking up speed as buyers realize the advantages of lower up-front costs and quicker implementation time. NetSuite is a prominent example of a SaaS system. In fact, it is available only as a SaaS offering.
• Mobile apps. Mobile applications are gaining popularity across the board, and accounting is no exception. Check to see how each vendor is innovating on this front.
• Increased specialization by industry. Increasingly, consumers are demanding more industry-specific features, and vendors are listening. Products that were once “horizontal” - such as Sage MAS 90/200, QuickBooks, and Microsoft Dynamics - are increasingly adding new vertical features to cater to buyers’ specific industries. Make sure to keep a lookout for features that fit your particular industry when investigating tools and solutions.
• Business intelligence. Interest in business intelligence is on the rise. Business intelligence takes the massive amount of data collected and organizes it into reports designed to support business improvement. Many vendors are now integrating business intelligence into their ERP and financial management systems. 

Benefits & Potential Issues

The key benefits of financial management systems are clear: better visibility of costs and expenditures, which leads to more financially responsible decision making. In addition, systems can generate reports in a variety of ways to summarize this information cleanly for the right audience. For example, non-profits can generate reports specific to a particular grant provider, detailing exactly where every cent of the funding ended up. This allows an organization to be accountable to investors, donors, and lenders, maintaining trust and avoiding financial damage. Accounting software also allows companies to ensure compliance with reporting standards and federal requirements.

There are a number of issues that should be avoided when selecting software. Buyers in certain vertical industries must make sure the appropriate modules are included in the system they purchase. For example, engineering firms and construction companies should choose a system with a project accounting module. Another issue is a company’s rate of growth; the buyer should consider how fast the company is growing at the time of purchase. This way, the company will not grow out of a system immediately after investing considerable time and funds in the selection and implementation processes.

Warehouse Management System

A warehouse management system (WMS) is a software application that supports the day-to-day operations in a warehouse. WMS programs enable centralized management of tasks such as tracking inventory levels and stock locations. WMS systems may be standalone applications or part of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. Warehouse management system (WMS) software helps control the movement, storage and accounting of materials or finished goods through a warehouse. Warehousing management system benefits can be seen throughout the manufacturing process.

Early warehouse management systems could only provide simple storage location functionality. Current WMS applications can be so complex and data intensive that they require a dedicated staff to run them. High-end systems may include tracking and routing technologies such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and voice recognition.

No matter how simple or complex the application is, the goal of a warehouse management system remains the same -- to provide management with the information it needs to efficiently control the movement of materials within a warehouse.

The implementation of a WMS is often complex. Project planning is critical to the success of any WMS implementation. The project requires warehouse resources to collect data on the physical warehouse, materials, inventory as well as defining the strategies required to operate the warehouse. There is the added challenge of implementing the system whilst still operating the warehouse. A major factor of all projects is still ship product whilst the WMS is being implemented.

The complexity of a WMS implementation varies with every business. The physical dimensions and characteristics of each item in the warehouse are required to be collected and entered into the new system. Capacity calculations require the physical size and weight of the item as well as the dimensions of all the storage bins or racks in the warehouse. The storage options for each item are required, for example if the item can be stored separately, in box, pallet or if it can be stacked. Each item must be reviewed to see if it is physical limitations on its storage, such as requiring refrigeration. Hazardous material information needs to be collected so that the item is not stored in certain areas. This information is only part of the requirements of the WMS implementation. The system requires decisions or configuration to be made on how items are to be placed or removed from the system, in what order, for what types of materials and what methods of placement and removal should be used. The implementation requires significant input from the resources that operate the warehouse on a day to day basis and this can be a strain on warehouse operations. A successful project will recognize this fact and ensure that the key personnel required for the implementation are given adequate back up so that warehouse operations do not suffer.

After the successful launch of the WMS system, many businesses will find that the resources required to operate the system is greater than prior to the implementation. This is primarily due to the data intensive nature of the software and the fact that warehouses are in a state of flux; racks are moved, placement and removal strategies changed, new items added, new processes developed. Warehouse accuracy is paramount for the software to operate and to do this data will need to be entered accurately and in a timely fashion. Although most WMS implementations will reduce labor costs in the placement and removal of materials, there is often an added warehouse management function required just to operate the software.

Despite the complexity, WMS implementations do offer businesses significant benefits. Not only will placement and removal cycle times be reduced, but inventory accuracy should be improved as well as increased storage capacity, more organized storage of materials and greater flexibility of warehouse operations.

Here are a few main reasons why warehouses exist:

1. Match Supply with Customer Demand: Because demand can change quickly, having the appropriate level of merchandise ready to ship to the customer is a key ingredient in a good customer experience. In this case, the warehouse allows for quick and rapid response and acts as a buffer to the changing customer demand.
2. To Consolidate Product: In warehousing, the debate isn’t about one-piece flow versus batch, it’s really about what level of batch is appropriate. There is a fixed cost any time product is transported. To lessen the cost burden on the supplier, it often makes sense to fill the carrier to capacity. Because of this dynamic, consolidation of inventory has come into play and is a major strategy to reducing overall supply chain landed costs.
3. Provide Value Added Processing: In some situations, to differentiate in the market required adding some value added processing prior to selling merchandise to the customer. This might mean strategies such as creating kits of various pieces of inventory to create a sale-able product (known as kitting). An example of this is with bicycles: bicycles come in parts and are consolidated at a warehouse for assembly. The company then sells the bicycle whole, not in parts.

 Types of Warehouses

 In general, here are the types of warehouses

1. Retail Distribution Center: This type of warehouse typically supplies product to retail stores, such as Wal-Mart or Target. The customer for this type of warehouse is the retail store.
2. Service Parts Distribution Center: This type of warehouse holds spare parts for expensive capital equipment, such as planes or other types of manufacturing. Toyota has a network of supply parts distribution centers where they supply automotive parts to the manufacturing plants.
3. Online Retail or eCommerce: This type of distribution center receives orders online, then those orders enter the pick, pack, ship process to the end customer.
4. 3PL Warehouse: This type of warehouse is where a brick-and-mortar retailer of an online retailer outsource their warehouse operations. For example, Amazon.com often acts as a 3PL to large retailers, such as Target. In other words, if you purchase an item from Target.com, that inventory is actually housed in Amazon.com’s fullment centers and will be shipped from there. In this example, Amazon.com acts as a 3PL to Target.
5. Perishables Warehouse: Similar to the examples above, this type of warehouse holds food items or pharmaceutical items that have a short shelf life. This type of warehouse usually is part of a “cold chain” where temperature and other conditions that can impact the merchandise is closely monitored and controlled.

The main activities any warehouse management system needs to be able to do are the following:

1. Record receipt of inventory
2. Record shipment of inventory
3. Stock locator (inbound: where can a piece of inventory be stored and outbound: where can I go to pick an inventory item a customer ordered)
4. Main Features:
   • Receiving
   • Cycle Count
   • Put Away
   • Location Tracking
   • Picking
   • Packing
   • Consolidation
   • Space Capacity
   • Shipping
   • Replenishment (replenish prime bins from safety stock and replenish safety stock from supplier)
   • Vendor and Carrier quality compliance
   • Trailer Manifesting
   • Returns
   • Labor Management
   • Advanced Slotting

When selecting a WMS there are many vendors to choose from. If you currently operate an ERP system then the WMS functionality may be part of that suite, or you can use a bolt-on WMS package. For companies that use best of breed solutions, the choice of WMS will reflect the requirements of your warehouse operations.

Some sample of the WMS software as follows:

Warehouse Management System Buyer's Guide

ACCTivate!

For small to mid-sized businesses distributors looking for a complete, cost-effective ERP, ACCTivate! is a system that integrates seamlessly with QuickBooks, expanding the solution's capabilities without expanding the cost.

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ADS Solutions Advantage - Distribution

ADS Amplexus Distribution is a solution that has been developed over more than 25 years for small and medium sized distributors. The software is best for firms that make between $1 million and $25 million annually.

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Demo

Abas Distribution

abas Business Software is a well-respected ERP solution that serves the manufacturing and distribution markets. abas Distribution is a good fit for distributors of HVAC & mechanical, electrical, chemical supplies and more.

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Apprise

For manufacturers, importers and distributors of consumer goods, Apprise Software offers a fully integrated Enterprise Resource Planning solution. Apprise gives consumer goods companies sophisticated out-of-the-box functionality.

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Blue Link Elite

Established in 1992, Blue Link Elite develops software for the small to midsized distributor that makes from $1 million to $50 million. Blue Link offers their system as an on-premise or hosted (SaaS) solution.

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CMS

CMS Professional is an affordable transportation management system for distributors. This TMS asisits all FTL and LTL, including equipment & customer management, accounts payable and receivable, invoicing and billing.

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ECi Maytech

An ideal distribution ERP for the janitorial, sanitation and industrial paper industries, Maytech is backed by ECi's 20+ years of technology experience. The system includes accounting, inventory management, purchasing and more.

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Enterprise 21 ERP

Enterprise 21 is an award-winning, fully integrated ERP solution for small to mid-sized wholesale distributors that combines financial reporting, CRM, business intelligence and warehouse and inventory management.

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Entree

NECS has provided software systems for the food distribution industry since 1987. NECS entrée is an ERP for all types of food distributors, offering order entry, sales, purchasing, inventory, routing, and reporting functionality.

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Epicor (formerly Activant) Distribution

Epicor is a highly regarded vendor of ERP software that is known for its flexibility and ease of use. Epicor has more than 25 years of experience and serves more than 20,000 customers across the world.

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Exact Globe Distribution

Exact Globe can serve for small to medium manufacturers and distributors industries. The software provides best-of-breed accounting and inventory management, customer management and others in the suite.

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Fishbowl Inventory - Distribution

Fishbowl Inventory is built for distributors that are using QuickBooks as their accounting package and need to improve their inventory capabilities. This system is popular amongst distributors working in the lower to middle market.

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Geneva Business Management Systems (GBMS)

Geneva is a good system to upgrade from a standard basic application such as QuickBooks. The system is great for midsized distributors but can also scale to meet the needs of larger distributors.

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Demo

HighJump Warehouse Advantage

High Jump for distribution targets the large distributors that usually have requirements to operate multiple warehouses across North America or the world. The software is a best fit for companies that have more than 100 employees.

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IBS Enterprise

Backed by over 30 years of experience in supply chain and distribution software, IBS Enterprise is a fully-integrated ERP solution for manufactures & distributors. Over 4,000 customers have been helped by IBS’s 40+ modules.

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Infor ERP Distribution

Infor Distribution solutions currently drive more than $100 billion of services and goods in N. American supply chains. This system includes WMS, TMS, order and inventory management, demand planning, & demand management solutions.

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Inform Distribution Software

Inform Distribution Management Software by DDI System is the choice of thousands of distributors. The software is fully integrated allowing distributors to manage everything from inventory and purchasing to sales performance.

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Intuit QuickBooks Enterprise

For distributors looking to more efficiently manage and streamline business operations, QuickBooks Enterprise offers a cost-effective, enormously popular ERP solution that can expand to meet the company's growing needs.

Price

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Microsoft Dynamics AX

Microsoft Dynamics AX provides deep functionality and excels at managing distribution across multiple warehouses and multiple countries. This program is meant for large distributors with robust software requirements.

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Microsoft Dynamics GP

Microsoft Dynamics GP brings strong accounting capabilities to large distributors that need to consolidate their financials. Dynamics GP also offers transportation management, warehouse management, and more in the system.

Price

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Microsoft Dynamics NAV

Supporting specialized functionality for distribution, manufacturing, government, and other industries, Microsoft Dynamics NAV is a highly customizable system that benefits from numerous partner-developed vertical extensions.

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Microsoft Dynamics SL for Distribution

Microsoft Dynamics SL for Distribution handles financial management, business intelligence, collaboration, and more. Available in both hosted and on-premises versions, the system works well for project-based businesses.

Price

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NetSuite Wholesale/Distribution Edition

NetSuite is one of the leading web-based SaaS applications for wholesale and distribution. This is a powerful solution for medium-sized and fast growing distributors looking to gain a competitive advantage.

Price

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Oracle JD Edwards - Distribution

At it’s core, JD Edwards is an accounting system designed for mid-sized distributors that work in any industry. It offers modules for accounts payable and receivable, general ledger, expense management, and fixed asset accounting.

Price

Demo

ProSel for iPad

For salespeople in wholesale distribution, ProSel automates and improves the selling process by ensuring all the information needed on a sales call is right at your fingertips. Interfacing seamlessly with a distributor's existing ...

Price

Demo

Produce Pro

Designed specifically for the perishable food distributor, Produce Pro is a complete ERP which includes accounting, inventory management, warehouse management and transportation management capabilities.

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Retalix Power Enterprise

With its fully integrated ERP solution, Retalix Power Enterprise offers food service retailers and distributors a comprehensive solution to manage and streamline operations while providing a complete, real-time business view.

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Royal 4 Enterprise

For distributors looking for a highly scalable, complete ERP offered as both on-premise and web-based, Royal 4 Enterprise is an internationally recognized industry leader, providing robust functionality that adapts to your needs.

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S2K for Distribution

S2K is a bundle of hardware and software for retailers and distributors. The system has functionality for point-of-sale, shipment, and warehousing, as well as in-depth sales analysis. It can integrate with other S2K applications.

Price

Demo

SAP Business One - Distribution

With a strong background in enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, SAP's solution is specifically targeted at mid-sized distribution companies to help streamline the order-to-cash process and improve inventory management.

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Demo

SAP for Wholesale Distribution

Combining ERP and CRM functions compatible with the distribution industry, SAP Business All-in-One leverages hundreds of industry-specific solutions to provide specialized tools for financials, inventory, marketing, and more.

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SCP 4.0

Jada SCP 4.0 is a best-of-breed system that handles the demand management and inventory management requirements of distributors. The software can accommodate medium and large distributors and comes either on-premise or web-enabled

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SYSPRO

Offering small to mid-sized distributors a fully integrated solution, SYSPRO offers control over every aspect of the company, from accounting to operations. SYSPRO has been designed to support the special needs of distributors.

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Sage ERP

Sage ERP is a comprehensive enterprise resource planning system for managing finances, customer contacts, supply chain, and more. Deployed on-premises or on-demand, it’s a good fit for companies with between 5 and 2,000 employees.

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Syncron Global Inventory Management - Distribution

Syncron Global Inventory Management streamlines supply chain management and planning by increasing stock availability, controlling inventory, improving the end customer experience and, most importantly, increasing profits.

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V2

V2 by Distribution One is a functionally complete offering that is sold as a broad suite to handle distribution needs. Distribution One’s V2 solution is built for distributors with revenue between $1 million to $25 million.

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Vision SCM

Vision Supply Chain offered by Jesta I.S. is among the reader’s choice of Top 10 companies according to Consumer Goods Technology. The software supports the needs of distributors of apparel, books, and consumer packaged goods.

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e-PIC One Enterprise

Offering a flexible system developed specifically for distributors and manufacturers, e-PIC One Enterprise incorporates all the functionality needed to run a successful business: WMS, financials, inventory management and more.

Price

Demo

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