The phased approach adopted for this project required interim and the use of existing Excel based applications which overcomes extensive development work and facilitates planned migration work that will be alleviated by SharePoint services eventually.  Some of the featured application includes lists of student information that is tracked using traditional XLS based lists, which have been improved using comprehensive search tools, and validation logic to enforce accuracy and reduce errors in lookup lists.  A host of XLS documents will be used to support the ASP.NET/VB.NET application that will be built to serve as a STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEM, currently being planned to support day-to-day functions such as homework assignments, templates for reports and application forms.

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The migration from ASP and VB into ASP.NET/VB.NET platform required the intervention of prototyping tools to enable the integration of data from InterBase into SQL and SAP.  An ETL application was developed to help process inbound, and outbound EDI transactions from trading partners to interface with SAP and other underlying sub-systems.  This model was crucial because it is highly portable, easy to code, configure and provides the best platform for testing by alleviating the need for complex installations or ODBC connections.  The self-enclosed application stores connection information, records a log of transactions, captures errors and established the best means for prototyping, which was eventually put into long term service.  Resembling many of the aspects of relational EDI, this application has been proven to be a formidable solution that supports all other aspects of the enterprise system.

Actek is the industry leading provider for EIM (Enterprise Incentive Management) solution which was developed in Java and SQL.  While the Java-based console designed to accommodate day-to-day configuration, planning and processing has been modeled for the trained user, many of the rudimentary configuration and implementation tools were identified and developed for ease of use, portability and integration.  There were four (4) principal Excel applications which were created to alleviate the configuration process.  The first application is a Database Configuration Loader which allows engineers, and customers to enter configuration data into a workbook which then offers the ability load the complex data directly into the back-end SQL database.  This application also overcome referential integrity and performs the necessary checks to maintain accuracy.  The second application is a XML Loader which extract configuration data, transforms and creates XML output for loading into the EIM system, which adopt specific XML structure to ensure compliance with the receiving host.  The next application is an intelligent Issues Log Reader which enhances the way their existing XLS document is used to read, search, enter and communicate issues stored in compliant XLS files.  Lastly, the Test Data Generator is a customized application which is designed to create test cases based on explicit scenarios to ease the test generation and documentation process.  Using color coded and structured layouts, this solution helps to discern testing into an organized fashioned which is typically achieved through an expensive application such as WinRunner or TestDirector.

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In my very first assignment at BellSouth, I was charged to developed a complex EXCEL application which is designed to calculate the annual movement of employees profiled by job types and pay grades (EEOC Compliance).  This profiling application gathers historical information from years past via an EEOC source and internal PeopleSoft application, which is then extracted, transformed and loaded (ETL) into a VBA-code enabled application that will project the possible movement for the upcoming period.  The wizard based forms regulate work processes, so that an HR manager will adhere to specific steps in loading the source data, and reviewing the information before the resulting report sheet is processed and finalized.  The self-enclosed application is made highly portable and can operate in traditional Excel 2000 and modern day Excel 2007.  Due to its inherent capability of being able to handle complex calculations, Microsoft Excel was the choice of tool to be used instead of MS Access due to the number of calculations that would be performed in real-time.  This solution emulates many of the characteristics of contemporary CUBE and OLAP logic that would require a fully-functional SQL engine and its companion analysis tools.

An XLS based project sizing and estimation tool was created to help generate cost estimates on new projects or revised programs in that became a part of the methodologies.  A set of XLS templates were also built with verification VBA routines to aid it the development of TEST cases that would be imported into WinRunner.  This alleviated the need for additional WinRunner licenses, and offers users the ability to devise test cases from their desktops - in an effort to meet One-Step Testing model.  This model provides traceability, accountability and reporting which is highly portable, customizable to meet ECIC standards and can be used outside the Mercury platform.

EDI Transformation functions were created using a XLS/EDI Modeler (Excel VBA) tool that would be used to define EDI files for processing via translators.  This tool which is crucial for day-to-day EDI transactions mission-critical business operations enabled analysts to compose specifications which allows the underlying transformation/translator logic to perform primitive tests such as verification, formatting, delimiter logic tests and XML outputs that will be logged for transaction processing analysis.  The gathered information would be used further for generating estimates, sizes and complexity points necessary to support any operational changes, EDI specification alterations, and service order reviews.  In short, the application serves as a simplified translator application that also generates metrics data essential for business analysis that resembles many high-level functions contained in products such as GENTRAN, Harbinger and ERP applications.  Accompanying functions were also created to emulate EDI Gateway processing using the workbook embedded data maps, code and conversion tables to enable prototyping.  This logic also supports primitive operations such as order response, order change, transmission, acceptance, acknowledgement, delivery, errors using contemporary standards such as X10, ASC X12, SSL/EDI, ANSI EDI, EDI 997, EDI 850, EDI 810, XML and SGML.

A mapping tool to help establish accountability between requirements, specifications, documents and facts gathered from planning sessions culminated in a XLS Trace tool.  This tool complete with entry forms, reports and verification logic enables analysts to identify missing links or points of reference for each functional requirement that is gathered.  It also helps to create a log of changes, and provides calculable elements necessary to generate an estimate of work and size of a functional item.  The trace tool was also extended with additional VBA coding to serve as a traceability matrix, and as an aid to generate metrics such as defect introduction rates and defect resolution rates, which also served the basis for computing test cycles, types and costs.