Many of us purchase a variety of software applications that handle vastly different aspects of our computer-related lives. However, wouldn't it be nice to buy only one application that can do the job of several different software programs?
When Steve Workings and I ran the Alpha Five Users Group in Columbia, MD, we learned that people usually bought Alpha Five for a specific, business related reason. One of the things I tried to constantly reinforce was the idea of opening your mind to new and different possibilities with the program, many of which you probably never thought of when you purchased the product. Since you already own a copy of Alpha Five, why not take advantage of the power at your fingertips and eliminate the need to buy an array of unnecessary software applications?
OK you ask, how can you increase the efficiency of your daily life with Alpha Five? Here are some suggestions that I personally find very beneficial, and in fact, I could not possibly imagine trying to get through life without the assistance of Alpha Five as it handles many of the following data related tasks. Hopefully, one or more of these applications will spark ideas on how you can use A5 in your daily life.
Contacts and Scheduling Database:
Why spend money for a PIM [Personal Information Manager] when you can track friends, business contacts, phone numbers, create To Do Lists, calendars, and other scheduling/contact history functions through A5. Incidentally, I think Alpha Five still ships with a basic contact list database that you can use right away and/or modify for more sophisticated usage.
Password Database:
Now that the Internet is such a big part of our lives, many of us visit web sites that ask for a unique Logon Name and password combination. I realize many of you make life just a little easier by simplifying this necessary chore by using the same Logon Name and Password at a multitude of sites. If you are at all concerned for the value and safety of your privacy, that is not a very good idea. If a hacker gets that logon-password combo, he/she can get into all of your accounts. You should definitely use a variety of Logon Name - Password combinations.
However, if you visit a variety of web sites, you will quickly build up a vast array of user profile - password combinations. There is no way you can possibly remember all of that information without some much needed help. My suggestion, create an Alpha Five Password database, protected by it's own password, that includes all of your user logon profiles. And with the arrival of version five, expected in June 2002, you can even protect your password database with the new A5 encryption feature that ships with the product.
Financial Information:
Like many Americans, I use Quicken to track my financial data and I think it is one of the greatest software applications ever written. However, if you don't want to buy Quicken, or if you prefer the challenge of creating your own application, you can use A5 to track all or parts of your financial investment accounts. Once you figure out how to create your own checkbook application you will never need a program like Quicken again. You may want to use it, but you don't have to.
More importantly, as much as I like Quicken, I do not like the report modules. I find that creating reports in Alpha Five is much easier, provides more flexibility, and in the end, is more efficient for my preferences. At the very least, it gives me a lot more creative options than being limited to the pre-built reports that come with Quicken.
Let me once again remind you, this is not a knock on Quicken because it is an excellent example of a powerful, easy to use software application. In fact, I often compare it to A5. But if you already have Alpha Five, why spend the extra money to buy and use Quicken, when A5 can do everything Quicken does, plus a little extra?
Automobile Maintenance:
How many people know the date and mileage of your last oil change, tune up, air filter replacement, state inspection, brake job, tire rotation, or cooling system flush? Come on, creating a Vehicle Maintenance Database is a piece of cake. Believe me, this is one extremely valuable application that will definitely save you money and help maintain your car's health and longevity.
Hours Worked, Leave Earned / Used, and Time / Billing:
If you work for a government agency or a private company, you can track your hours worked, annual/ sick leave earned/used in an easy to create Alpha database application. If you are an employer, you can create one for your employees.
If you are an attorney or a professional who utilizes time based billing, creating an application that helps you track hours worked on client projects is a pretty simple task.
Travel, Business Expenses and Income:
If you are running your own business, you know how important it is to track business related expenses such as vehicle mileage, tolls, office equipment, and business software/hardware purchases. Why don't you use Alpha Five to track those all-important expenses?
While you are tracking your expenses, don't you think you could just as easily create invoices and track your business related income with Alpha Five? Oh yes you can!
Warranties and Serial Numbers:
Every time you purchase a product it comes with a warranty, phone number and/or a website for service related issues. And of course there is usually a unique serial number to identify the product. Once again, there is no way you can remember that key information. Of course, if and when the time comes that you need the warranty information, I am fairly confident you will have no clue as to when and where you purchased the product. But if you create an A5 application that stores all of your purchase dates, serial numbers, warranty terms, and service related phone numbers or websites, I guarantee that information will eventually come in handy.
Medical History:
How many times has a physician asked you about a vaccination, surgery, or the last time you had a specific illness and you couldn't answer the question? This is another great opportunity to take advantage of your database skills. I think tracking your history of surgery, illness, injuries, vaccinations, and hospital stays is critical to your long-term health.
One of the things I also do is track the results of my annual or bi-annual physicals and test results. For examples, I keep a history of my cholesterol tests, triglycerides, blood pressure ratings, and other test results so I can compare one year to another and see if any negative or positive trends are developing.
Travelers Checks:
OK, now you are probably thinking Tishkevich is going just a little too far. Come on, how much information must one person track in their daily lives? But let me state that if you utilize Travelers Checks when you go on vacation and they are lost or stolen, you will be so glad I made this little extra recommendation to track the dates and serial numbers of your checks.
Miscellaneous Ideas:
Most of us have special interests/hobbies that are amenable to tracking information. Do you want an inventory of items in your home, bank/investment accounts, insurance records, kid's vaccinations, monitor your CD collection from your favorite classical or jazz performances, or do you need to record veterinary information for your dogs and cats? Whatever your desire, you can track the information with an easy to set up and use custom database application.
Many people don't even realize they can buy only one program, Alpha Five, and use it to store a vast array of critical information that will make your life more efficient and organize the data so you can find that valuable information when it's needed. Where else can you save money and enhance the efficiency of your life at the same time? If you have a better idea let me know. And if you have some other nifty suggestions for utilizing Alpha Five, please send me an email message.
