Project Work

This page expands on some of the projects that I have created and worked on

C# .NET Visual Basic Installshield SQL Server Crystal Reports

C# .NET

These applications have been built to improve the productivity of the business and as a learning step to move from Visual Basic \ SQL skills to using C#\ VB.NET.

Service Desk Helper

This was written in C# for a company in order to improve productivity on their Service Desk. The company had approximately 300 staff who would enter customer and pension details into their internal system. The application was locked down and heavily audited to meet regulatory standards. As such when an operations user was unable to enter \ change information in their system a service desk request would be raised for the IT staff to make the necessary change.

A Standard request would require the IT staff member to make a change or series of changes in the database, create an audit trail, and then log in their audit software what they had done.

A huge number of these requests were repetitive and could be broken down into stages. This application was created to manage 80% of the requests and provides a saving of approximately 13 hours a week.

Service Desk Helper provides a single form that had multiple sub forms for actioning the requests and has the following functionality:

Corporate Partners Import Tool

Created as a standalone executable in C# that would run on a company server, the application would be configured by an SQL Database and was created to process multiple XML Files. A Third party would provide policy information to a secure portal, and this application would check and process the information into the internal company system. A notification would be passed to the operations staff when new policy information was ready to be processed and set up.

Financial Database Import Tool

This was designed to allow a user to modify supplier details within Access Dimensions which is an accounting product that uses SQL Server 2000. This tool allows a user via an ASP.NET webpage to alter the database records. An approver would then commit the transaction or refuse it and the records would be written to an audit trail

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Visual Basic

Since 1999 I have been programming in Visual Basic using versions 5 & 6 to meet project requirements

Proprietary Pensions & Annuities Manager

Added additional options and new products to the in-house application for administering pensions and annuities, whilst maintaining legacy code and redesigning the system to work with new processes, data feeds and corporate partners.

Air Traffic Control Simulator

This product was written in parallel using VB and C++. The Visual Basic product consists of three elements:

I re-wrote Node Manager and System Manager for new functionality and to bring the product inline with coding standards. I also upgraded the product from Visual Studio Version 5 to Version 6 due to changes to DLL libraries therefore required retesting.

Test Harness for a New Call Centre

The test harness was created to simulate calls going in and out of a call centre. The product was written in Javascript with an ActiveX provided for VB to interrogate the calls. The project was international with different components being written in America and the UK with each development team having milestones to meet before components would installed and tested in the UK. As lead developer on this project I wrote the test tool whist assisting other team members to learn VB and to write tests in my tool.

Diagnostic Tool for Blood Test Machines

I created a diagnostic tool to read the data logs written by blood test and blood screening machines. The solution was created from Customer Requirements which were shaped and adapted. The Product Solution was written in:

The solution was sold to the UK and European markets as an enhancement to the existing Blood Test and Blood Screening services

Other Experiences

In addition to the above I have written many programs for small companies to provide solutions to problems:

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Installshield

Installshield is a very powerful development tool that allows organisations to build and deploy products using a setup package. This allows organisations to send out automated install prompts to customers that can validate and install all the components that the software needs to run.

Installshield provides a very professional, user-friendly setup interface which is very important as it is the first experience the customer will have of the software package.

Air Traffic Control Simulator

Whilst working at Raytheon Systems Ltd I was given the responsibility of maintaining and enhancing their existing Installshield v5 package. With no previous experience of Installshield, I used manuals and the Internet to teach myself the required skills.

After 6 months, Raytheon Systems Ltd decided to upgrade their Installshield package to version 6.1. As the sole developer for the company, I attended a training course on the new version and rewrote the existing installation.

Blood Test Diagnostic Tool

Created an install package for a diagnostic application that would be installed on Customer Sites. The application would install a VB Component, Outlook addin and information for sending analysis data to the manufacturer.

Administrator Packages for KPMG

KPMG had a requirement that all of the client desktops accross their network have the same software and same document templates. KPMG contracted Hewlett Packard to provide the technical services and the updates to their client machines. The requirement was for the installer to run automatically without any user input when the user ran any program from their desktop.

InstallShield X Training

I was given the responsibility of designing a Windows Installer and InstallShield X training course, generating supporting materials and training staff in an organisation based in India. This project had a tight deadline which I met.

Mobile Devices and .Net Packaging

I created packages for mobile devices deploting Maps and .Net files onto PDA's and handheld devices. To achieve this I used Installshield 11.5 Premier, Installscript and Windows Installer Projects.

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SQL Server

SQL Server 2005 / 2008

I have used VB with SQL Server 2005 /2008. With SQL Server I have written new tables, views, functions and Stored Procedures to enhance and change the product as the business requires. The Stored Procedures have been used to do financial calculations and to validate data that the calling application is storing. In additon the SQL code has been used to create auditable reports.

SQL Server 2005

Whilst at Baker Tilly I wrote Stored Procedures, queries and views to output financial data as required by clients. The SQL code would provide the data required to populate developed Crystal Reports or an MS Excel Spreadsheet

SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services

I have been trained to use SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services. At Baker Tilly the reports for the Automotive Composite Accounts System were written using Reporting Services.

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Crystal Reports

Crystal Reports allows a developer to create and publish professional looking reports. These reports can be displayed online or integrated into an application or as a control.

Online Financial Reports

Whilst working for Baker Tilly I designed, amended and created new Crystal Reports for the external customers. These reports were based against several different accounting packages.

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