Repurposing Your Software Solutions?
It’s possible to take old software and make it relevant again
Once upon a time I was working for a small medical device company as their International Service and Installation Manager. As such, I had no budget for “toys” like software so I was relegated to getting creative on Excel as much as possible in the hopes of doing something with this database of information.
It was my good fortune that the company had a small “library” in which we had a collection of knick knacks, at best, and lots of medical and scientific reference books. In amongst the pile, I happen to find a CD for an older software application called “ACT!” by Sage. Interested in what this application did, I went ahead and borrowed it, popped it into my computer, and let it load up.
Sage, it seemed, had created a simple Sales application by which each sales person could be put into the system as a distinct entity and all relevant information regarding that person. Notes, history, and miscellaneous other tabs were there for the taking, to use any way you wanted...even allowing Visual Basic modifications.
My eyes lit up at the possibilities. First thought I had was: “Since I know the FDA and what they want me to track, how can I use this free software to help me out?” Upon more investigation, I found that the VB modifications were grueling, but fairly straightforward and easy to do. So I got to mapping out the capabilities of the software and began my evil plan to getting rid of Excel for good.
Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE Excel! The only problem was I had no ability to run reports on the database (well, I couldn’t anyway). I found the ACT! Database did exactly that. That alone got me interested in using the application. So I began the slow process of converting over this simple sales rep tool into a sophisticated Service application.
Recognizing that each file inside the software was a unique identifier (for each sales rep), I thought about using these unique files for each serial number of each machine I was installing. Not only the ones I installed, but I could keep a record of EVERY unit that was made, its location, and who it belonged to.
Next, I was able to take a few months and change over one of the tabs within the files to be an all-inclusive list of each work order and the parts that were replaced by me or my crew. This allowed me to keep track of exactly how much was being spent on the repairs of the machines. I could also keep track of who worked on the units on any given date. The idea here was to create something to be able to answer management and auditors' questions within seconds. There was gonna be a LOT of upfront work but, because I had more time than money for this project, I felt it worth the effort to have "custom" piece of software that gave me everything i wanted.
Like I said, MONTHS of work. Almost on a daily basis the COO of the company would see me sitting behind my computer, banging and clicking away, building this database to suit me and my needs from scratch. He would tell me, “That’s a waste of time, dude.” I’d smile and tell him, “maybe” then keep on banging away.
When it was all finished, I took it out for a “test drive” to see how well this program would answer any query I demanded of it. I would sit in management meetings with Quality, Engineering, Manufacturing, Purchasing, Operations, etc. listening to the issues brought up and the questions they would ask, knowing full well they didn’t have the answers and wouldn’t without a large effort by a few people. As the meetings went on, I would take the questions, run back to my computer, open up the ACT! Software, and run reports. Very soon, I was able to bring in my laptop into the management meetings, wait for someone to ask about our units out in the field, run a quick report, and answer the question in a VERY short period of time.
Wondering where I got this information, I reminded the management that the software I had been playing with for months had all of our information in it, every machine, every customer, every possible spare part, and a history of everything I had done to maintain and/or repair units in the field. I made them aware that this application was going to be the greatest source of information we could have for us internally and for FDA. By the second month of management meetings, questions about our systems, operating expenses, placements of units, etc. were all being directed to me. In a word, I became the "guru."
Oh, and that COO that kept telling me this organizing of data was a waste of time? Guess who would come to my office almost daily requesting I run reports on this, that, or the other thing? Every day he asked for a report, I had a big smile, grinning from ear to ear (in my head). Nobody cared how “pretty” is wasn’t. They had questions and I had answers. Period.
Turns out that “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” isn’t just an idle saying. My “trash” turned out to be data gold.
That throwaway piece of software that wasn’t good for anything? Turns out to have been one of the most valuable tools in the company, simply because I recognized the capabilities of the application, the software gave me the freedom to configure it, and I had the desire and initiative to run with it. Next time you see one of those “old” pieces of software, take a second look and see if it could be used as a solution for some nagging and manual problem you’ve been having.
You might be surprised to find that some of the old solutions are still the best.