By Emma Tsai
Performing functional testing for software applications is part of the job as a business analyst. Occasionally, I need to work with SQL server to do database queries so that I can verify that the application pulls data results as expected. Recently, I learned how to use PIVOT operator to group and aggregate data in SQL database. Here is how it works:
In pivot queries, here are the thr...

by Derek Du

The other day I found an interesting way to test a SQL Server database connection. It is very easy, and quicker than what I usually do. For those of you who like moving pictures, here is a video tutorial.

To test a database connection, I usually make sure a port is open by using the Telnet command and then use a tool like SQL Command Line, or SQL Server Management Studio, ...

by Emma Tsai

Recently, we provided staff augmentation services to a housing service company. We had a Sage CRM developer working on several CRM customization projects that support their special operational needs for their student housing account management. One of the most current projects is to pull the application information from their existing housing website and upload them to Sage CRM and t...

by Hrayr Galoyan
In a previous blog post, I began explaining how to manage projects using Sage CRM and Intacct. Here are the next steps to take:

Step Three – Follow-up

In the most cases, clients let us know if they approve the project. The problem is, if the client decides to not proceed with the project, we usually don’t know about it, but the opportunity continues sitting in our ...

By Hrayr Galoyan
At CodePartners, we literally handle hundreds of opportunities per year. In three years since I joined, I alone worked on over 750 opportunities, big and small. Some of them converted into projects, and some were lost, but all needed attention and had to be tracked. And I am only one of the team members, analyzing the requirements, designing solutions, sending out proposals, manag...

by Emma Tsai
As a business analyst, my job includes gathering the requirements by collecting User Stories and writing the Use Case. People can easily get confused between User Story and Use Case, since they are pretty similar in the concept. Then how is a User Story different than a Use Case? “While a use case is highly structured and tells a story, the User Story sets the stage by stating t...

by Sheila Zhang
Databases designed for businesses typically focus on data manipulation. Normalized relational databases tend to increase the amount of tables, to reduce the space required for data storage, while being updated to reduce redundancy. For example: a customer table holds the customer ID and address information for each customer, and the sales order table only keeps the customer ID, not...

by Brian Terrell
 
About 10 years ago, mid-market ERP software publishers created software maintenance plans to finance ongoing research and development efforts. Publishers require a significant investment to update software to offer additional functions or support improved operating systems or databases. Several years ago, Sage eliminated the basic version of these plans and disrupted their ...

by Hrayr Galoyan
“What on earth is Coupa?" I asked myself this when I heard about Coupa for a recent project. I quickly learned Coupa is a procurement system designed for businesses to simplify purchasing and ensure the users’ interaction is easy and enjoyable, as if you are shopping on Amazon.com. Technology supposedly makes our lives easier and more enjoyable. However,...

by Brian Terrell 
Often, I spend time with prospects or customers who intend to engage a software developer to automate a business process. No one considers this technology purchase trivial.  Buyers get nervous because they hear real horror stories from their peers, or the media, about the unending and ever more expensive projects. I agree that software development is risky, bu...