Web-Based Calendars vs. Schedule Management Tools: Which is Better for Your Organization?

Posted on January 13, 2022

Since the rise of digital utilities for productivity that’s occurred over the last 25 years or so, business owners and managers have been in a position of having to choose between web-based calendars and schedule management tools in managing teams. Not only that, but they’ve had to determine which utility serves them best. Some may remember the personal digital assistants of the late 1990s and early 2000s. These stand-alone devices became extremely popular at the time, primarily due to their productivity functions. These featured an electronic work calendar and other useful tools by proprietary names such as “Palm Pilot” and others. Third-party software could also be purchased, includingmpeting electronic calendars, games, and other applications (we didn’t call them “apps” back then). These days, of course, there is a multitude of web-based calendars and schedule management tools available to help you future-proof your business. Unfortunately, that multitude can translate into a foreboding jungle of functionality, making purchasing choices complex and anxiety-producing. Depending on the organization, its size, culture, and other dynamics, there may be a great deal of deliberation in the process of choosing a digital scheduling solution. Web-Based Calendars vs Schedule Management Tools In determining whether a web-based calendar versus a schedule management tool would be better for your organization, we must first establish the distinction between the two. Next we’ll explain the difference between the two options. What is a Web-Based Calendar? A web-based calendar is a calendar that resides online, as opposed to software that’s purchased and loaded onto an individual’s computer or company server. The function, appearance, and bells and whistles it has are a function of the development company. Some widely known web-based calendars include Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar. Web-based calendars allow one or more users to enter, edit, and share data with team members online. They usually include drag and drop functions for creating reminders, recurring events, and different viewing options. Web-based calendars are widely used, even among large corporations that employ more comprehensive project management software. What are Schedule Management Tools? Schedule management tools are scheduling utilities that include calendar functions which are usually components within project management suites or communications platforms. Based on the company offering the solution, a schedule management tool may not be available as a stand-alone utility. Some companies do provide stand-alone tools as a matter of convenience. Depending upon the manufacturer and the built-in function, employees may use a scheduling tool in conjunction with other project management software applications and manual methods to perform schedule network analysis to generate updated project schedules. So, What’s Right for Our Organization? While looking into the choices between online calendar solutions, the offerings are reasonably straightforward. Researching schedule management tools can be a bit more complicated due to the crossover between project management suites and communications platforms. Also, you have to consider the capabilities of the different options. For example, a company engaged in manufacturing, or one that regularly handles large, unwieldy projects, might be better served with a schedule management tool or a project management suite with manufacturing as its core functionality. In manufacturing, for example, schedule mismanagement is often a direct cause of budget overruns. Sticking to a schedule is imperative for invoicing and closing out essential milestones. You can invoice such milestones with the proper software solution. In addition to invoicing snafus, when employees log time after a due date has passed, it decreases profit margins. Typically, organizations launch projects with a projected return on investment (ROI). But if additional hours are required to finish the job, project managers need to subtract the added labor costs from the ROI. This can have a cascading effect, interfering with other projects going on. Thus, when more comprehensive scheduling and project management functions are needed, the manager will need to research more comprehensive solutions. In these cases, a robust schedule management tool or project management suite will allow them to effectively effectively plan and maintain project schedules. Contact Trinity for Advanced Scheduling Tools In the end, it is up to the business owner or manager to be their advocate, as it were, and be prepared to explore the available options meticulously. TrinityCalendar remains the top solution for these needs due to its compatibility with Quickbase and full functionality. If you’d like to schedule a demo of our tools, contact us today. […]

The Age of Operational Agility in 2021

Posted on December 15, 2021

In the ultra-competitive modern marketplace, the companies that thrive have mastered the art of operational agility. Conversely, those organizations that fade into obscurity have a static business model and rigid internal structure. These businesses cannot adapt to the changing economic tides or unpredictable market conditions. These hard truths were highly evident during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. While thousands of businesses learned some tough lessons during 2020, these challenges paved the way for 2021 to become the age of operational agility. With that being said, you must understand how agile operations work to prepare your organization to remain competitive in the future. Below, we’ll discuss the core aspects of operational agility and agile working methods. Here is what you’ll learn: What is Operational Agility? Benefits of Operational Agility Operational Agility vs. Business Agility Dr. John Kotter’s Dual Operating Systems Methods of Agile Leadership Emerging Software Preparing for 2022 What is Operational Agility? Generally speaking, operational agility refers to an organization’s ability to adapt and evolve due to changing circumstances or expectations. Agility may include reacting to market pressures, technological advancements, changing customer demands, and more. An agile company in operations management will be more resilient to external market factors. While agile operations are always essential to a company’s overall financial health, it is imperative in strained economic times. This is because organizations must contend with their competitors and unpredictable operational disruptions across every industry. Operational Agility During COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most significant disruptions to the U.S. and global economy ever encountered. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis’ Economic Research, the Index of Industrial Production demonstrated a 17% drop between February and April of 2020. The decrease was the single steepest two-month decline in the history of the IP, which was created in 1919. The severe economic impact of the coronavirus epidemic caused many leading organizations to reevaluate their level of agile operations readiness. According to a Harvard Business Review report, a staggering 91% of organizations altered their existing operating models in response to COVID-19. Despite these widespread disruptions, the most successful organizations effectively adapted during the pandemic’s height. Based on the same HBR analysis, only 27% of companies stated that their strategies were “very effective” both before and after the start of the pandemic. This means that roughly 73% of organizations were at least partially unprepared to pivot their current business operations in response to COVID-19 related disruptions. While both the U.S. and the overall global economy are on the mend, businesses should not forget the lessons learned during the pandemic. Instead, companies should take a proactive approach to long-term operational agility. By evolving your current business model, you can ensure your company is better prepared for the next event that changes how they interact with consumers. Benefits of Operational Agility In addition to making a company more fiscally viable in the unpredictable modern marketplace, a high level of operational agility offers several other benefits, including: Improvements in Efficiency Agile operations will inherently become more efficient, as well. Each improvement that an organization makes to its current organizational structures will reduce waste and expedite internal processes. Agile teams across various departments will share information more effectively and collaborate with ease with this approach. Operational agility will allow them to develop new solutions to emerging problems rapidly. Enhanced Technological Resources Organizations that deploy an agile operating model will make a concerted effort to obtain the latest digital technologies and products. While reassessing their current practices, many businesses find that the technologies they rely on are due for an upgrade. With an agile approach, they will seek new technologies that allow greater employee responsiveness. Quality Improvements The modern consumer has lofty expectations regarding the products and services they pay for. This same trend has arisen in the B2B industry, as well. Therefore, all organizations must become responsive to changing client demands. If a company fails to make regular quality improvements, it may lose loyal customers to its local competitors. By achieving a high level of agile operations readiness, companies can ensure that they provide their clients with the ideal mix of quality and value. Increased Collaboration Collaboration is essential as organizations face new and unprecedented challenges. However, companies that lack operational agility will not have the processes to facilitate this collaboration. Conversely, companies that have struck the perfect balance between efficiency, communication, and flexibility by deploying the latest solutions will facilitate a high level of collaboration. Better Brand Image Ultimately, a company’s ability to exhibit operational agility will directly impact the experience of its end users. Organizations that have invested in new technologies and solutions to increase their agility will provide their clients with a high-quality experience. In turn, this will benefit their brand image and forge a strong sense of loyalty among consumers. Brand loyalty is essential to a company’s survival, especially during times of economic turmoil. Fuels Innovation In addition, operational agility gives team members the tools they need to devise creative solutions to new problems. This freedom to collaborate, share data, and think outside of the box will fuel innovation. With an agile approach, companies will address short-term concerns and craft long-lasting initiatives simultaneously. They will be better positioned to stay competitive both now and in the future. Operational Agility vs. Business Agility Often, the terms operational agility and business agility are mistakenly used interchangeably. While these two terms are closely linked, they are not the same. According to the Agile Business Consortium, “business agility is concerned with adopting and evolving values, behaviors, and capabilities. These enable businesses and individuals to be more adaptive, creative, and resilient when dealing with complexity, uncertainty, and change leading to improved well-being and better outcomes.” While business agility focuses on the values and culture, operational agility is more concerned with the strategic deployment of technology to capitalize on new opportunities. Agile operations fall under the larger umbrella of business agility. Both concepts are designed to help make a business more resilient to unpredictable […]

Everything to Know About VoIP Solutions

Posted on September 15, 2021

Solid communication is a key component in how a company functions. The limitations of traditional phone systems have led businesses to look elsewhere for solutions that provide connectivity on a broader scale, a boost in efficiency, and even cost savings in the long run. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems have become one fix to meet the needs of companies that want better for their communication needs. We dive into the basics of VoIP, proven benefits to the networks over traditional phone systems, and how TrinityVoIP can be advantageous at your company. What Is VoIP? VoIP is a communications technology that replaces a traditional phone system at a company. How do VoIP calls work? Instead of traditional phone networks, VoIP calls use the internet to transmit calls and audio files as digital data. That means you don’t need phone lines or a phone company to replace landlines with VoIP. Your company needs a high-speed internet connection and phones or devices configured to work with VoIP through a VoIP service provider. That doesn’t have to mean traditional desk phones, either. A smartphone or desktop computer can work, too. VoIP is then ideal for remote workforces and flexible office environments looking for ways to improve connectivity on a broader scale. Industries That Benefit from VoIP Organizations large and small have made the switch to VoIP systems. The technology is particularly beneficial, even profitable, for companies in several unique industries. Customer Service Centers A VoIP solution can improve efficiency and allow employees to better manage customer support with features embedded in the service. That can mean routing a customer to someone who will answer an urgent question immediately or providing recorded information in cases where a physical customer service agent isn’t necessary. VoIP allows for multi-tasking and mobility from company employees, giving customers more access to the support they need. Businesses With Remote Workforces E-commerce companies, marketing agencies, even financial institutions have all taken a hard look at flexible work standards. As VoIP isn’t connected to one hardwired telephone, work can happen anywhere, anytime. Do business from home if the situation calls for it or from the office. Businesses with remote workforces have embraced ways to make work more accessible, more efficient and more effective at their companies. Small Businesses and Startups The promise of cost savings makes VoIP that much more appealing to companies working with thin margins or just trying to get off the ground. The added flexibility with working outside of office space allows for customer follow-up and efficiency when working with clients. Communication on a smaller scale is just as important, if not more so than at a large, global corporation. Each customer interaction matters. Global Enterprises International calling is generally much less expensive when using a VoIP service over a traditional phone plan. Companies in frequent communication with clients worldwide are then moving to VoIP to cut costs on their bottom line. Business Benefits of VoIP Organizations that have upgraded their phone systems to VoIP already understand the benefits of the technology over traditional landlines. If you’re on the fence, there are a few key business benefits of using VoIP that could help you do business better. Cost Savings Phone calls will be coming over a company’s existing Internet network. That means a reduced phone bill and reduced operational costs associated with hardware, and the need for added phone lines over time. There is also the added potential for free Wi-Fi calling, depending on your VoIP plan. This is particularly noteworthy for companies only dealing with domestic calls. Global companies working with international clients will also save money in the long run, as VoIP calling will always be less expensive than calling internationally on a landline. Improved Access & Service Mobility Traditional phone calls are connected to a conventional office space. A versatile phone system allows companies to operate more efficiently in a changing environment where remote work is commonplace and office work is more fluid. Voicemails can go to your email if you’d like, rather than being hosted on a physical phone. Say goodbye to the days of calling into that landline for your messages. A VoIP allows you to go where the business is and where the clients are. It’s easier to telecommute and operate globally if your company is working on an international scale with VoIP. It’s also easier to connect when collaboration is needed or desired, whether through conference or video calls. Landlines won’t be taken up by callers looking to dial into the network, making it easier to reach one another. That access improves overall service at an organization. More Effective Customer Service VoIP allows for more control over the customer experience. On top of reaching customers and clients more efficiently, an organization can customize how they deal with incoming customer service calls. For example, a company that doesn’t want a customer to leave a voicemail may route that caller to someone available at that moment. That immediate connection may make the difference in that customer’s satisfaction with that interaction and business down the line. Employees can also use VoIP to fax over IP rather than using that outdated machine back at the office. Organizations working with frequent faxing as a service will enjoy the flexibility and reliability of doing so no matter where they’re working. The Quickbase Connection At Trinity, we understand the power of simplifying processes and improving efficiencies to operations. An added benefit of VoIP is easily integrating with existing applications already in place at your organization. TrinityVoIP is directly connected to Quickbase, providing your company with an added layer of efficiency and a more seamless way not only to communicate but collaborate. Trinity VoIP allows you to: Simplify your communication systems, enhance your customer service, and improve your reach with clients and your client base. Contact us at Trinity and request a quote to improve the quality of what you do tangibly. […]

Why Your Company Needs an Appointment Scheduling Tool

Posted on August 23, 2021

It can be hard to keep up with endless emails and a hectic meeting schedule in our busy business world. We’ve all been there: struggling to fit a client or coworker in for a meeting when you both have full calendars. It’s funny how sometimes trying to schedule one quick meeting can turn into ten emails sent back and forth over two days. Slightly frustrating, no? This is why we recommend making it easy with an appointment scheduling tool. These make it easy for customers to schedule time on your calendar and vice-versa. Appointment schedulers are organization tools that allow clients to book, reschedule, and cancel appointments on your calendar. It’s much better to focus on making meetings happen as opposed to scheduling them. During our time in business, we’ve developed Quickbase solutions such as TrinityAppointment, our appointment scheduling tool that makes self-scheduling automatic and easy. We designed it with a custom interface that integrates with your Quickbase application to allow for open appointments and input from your customers. Our app prevents any double booking and gives you the freedom to block off times that you’re not available. For instance, if a team member needs to take a vacation, they can block days or specific periods. This is so people can’t book times that you or employees are unavailable. TrinityAppointment syncs up with your team calendars to ensure that your business appointments will correspond across all departments within your organization. Making Appointment Scheduling Easy Take a look at the screengrabs below: it shows how simple TrinityAppointment’s appointment scheduling interface is to use. And that’s how it should be! You can specify the importance and type of project while selecting a timeslot. Any appointment scheduling tool should not be more complicated than this. Select an image to review the process steps: TrinityAppointment allows you to schedule meetings in an efficient manner: which means no more back-and-forth! Customers can select times with you based on your availability. Straightforward and no-nonsense so that you can focus on business. While the above is appointment-centric, clients have already enabled the same customer self-scheduling of home visits such as estimates or installation work. One customer enabled the ability for clients to self-schedule income tax support and was able to increase the efficiency of the process by ten times. What’s most interesting about the TrinityAppointment Quickbase application? It’s customizable features. Let’s check them out: Custom Scheduling: Set up your workflows and customized pre-qualifying questions. For example, you can specify the importance, subject, and location while scheduling the message. Simple Interface: Your stakeholders can easily select from available appointments on a calendar. They will see when you already have meetings and when you are open. Data Capture: You have the option to collect customer information during the scheduling process. It’s solid when you need specific information for potential clients and leads. Straightforward Appointment Setting: View and manage appointments in your Quickbase app. You can access this on computer and mobile while connecting to your other Quickbase applications. Flexibility: You can enable multi-location scheduling for your appointment scheduling tool so other members of your team, clients, or external stakeholders can collaborate. Appointment scheduling is a vital asset for any type of business. We’ve noted that industries across the map are benefiting from the TrinityAppointment app. Quickbase tools work well for SaaS companies, contractors, medical organizations, non-profits, call centers, shipping, retail, office spaces, education, and beyond. Any industry can benefit from opening their schedule only to the days and times that work for them. When their connection selects a meeting slot: the meeting is confirmed for both parties. Any meeting scheduled will never experience calendar conflicts. Also, meeting reminders are sent automatically with the option for easy rescheduling if needed. All of this means that scheduling hassles are instantly eliminated. Meeting cancellations also decrease because people can quickly reschedule with the appointment scheduling tool. Custom Designed Applications to Make Business Easy Trinity uses Quickbase to design software solutions to provide practical solutions to everyday business process problems. Our Quickbase application development process is perfect for businesses who want the precise specifications of a custom app with the compatibility of an off-the-shelf solution. As you may know, Quickbase is a low-code platform that offers real-time insights and automation across applications. This means customizable and responsive in-house business applications that meet your specific workplace needs. You can include a range of features from workflow automation, to digital transformation, to data tracking and beyond. The Quickbase customizable application platform is ideal for business use cases such as personalized charts and reports, workflow and process automation, appointment scheduling tools, and forms. We have a streamlined Quickbase app development process. We define requirements while understanding your business processes to create a perfect bespoke product. Is there a better way to use cloud applications? At Trinity, we take the time to understand your existing workflows and business processes for ongoing support around app development and potential improvements moving forward. Quickbase is perfect for this without requiring traditional professional application development resources. We help our customers to accelerate business transformation via building, deploying, and customizing cutting-edge cloud applications. We do this without requiring traditional professional application development resources. Contact Trinity for Appointment Scheduling Solutions Do you want to try out the perfect appointment scheduling tool or create the ideal customized business applications? We’re here to help you make your company more efficient than ever. Learn more about TrinityAppointment, and feel free to inquire about how we can make the perfect appointment scheduling tool for your organization. It’s a pleasure to help clients and companies across the world boost their business with newfound efficiency! […]

Why You Should Use a Weather Monitoring System at Job Sites

Posted on August 9, 2021

Anyone who has managed a job site has dealt with weather conditions that have delayed their project. Weather is a tricky factor for any industry that conducts business outdoors. Every company that operates outside has dealt with changing weather conditions. Everyone from the construction industry to event companies to general contractors has to deal with this constant challenge. If a project is delayed by weather, demanding clients sometimes create disputes around weather delays! On the flip side, weather can even damage equipment or a job site: forcing costs to climb. What Weather Monitoring Systems Do Weather monitoring solutions, like TrinityWeather, provide automated weather tracking that makes tracking weather at any job site easy. Weather monitoring systems are ideal for helping your business log and track weather to identify why delays occur. You can also utilize historical information to see how the weather might impact your operations or how microclimates might affect your job site. Weather monitoring can be helpful to account for missed deadlines with a client. You can reference your TrinityWeather data to show any project delays. There are multiple types of weather data to consider in construction management: Historical Data: Past weather trends are useful for planning long-term or multi-year projects. Weather Forecasts: Perfect for weekly scheduling, planning, and project management. How a Weather Tracker Can Help You Deal With Extreme Weather It’s pretty simple. TrinityWeather is a Quickbase add-on that captures weather details and provides valuable reporting and trend analysis. The TrinityWeather add-on is a weather monitoring system: you merely enter your job site location and start collecting local weather data. As you can see above, weather data is automatically collected, and you can capture the weather as many times per day as needed for historical reporting. Weather Factors to Consider Risk management is a massive aspect of project success. The construction industry, in particular, deals with adverse weather conditions as a primary factor of risk management. This is due to safety precautions and delays that invariably arise due to bad weather. Utilizing an add-on like TrinityWeather within your Quickbase application can improve project planning and increase flexibility. It’s nice to check up with an app that works on your mobile phone and integrates with your project management software. This way, your entire team can access the information with their Quickbase applications. Making Business Process Automation Easy At Trinity, we have substantial experience working with clients to automate their business processes. We use Quickbase because it’s a low-code business application customized to meet your precise requirements. We’re all about making business process improvement easy to integrate with existing business operations. Many companies are dealing with outdated systems and processes. Plain and simple. Our solutions are designed for total business process improvement to help increase efficiency. We like to use the following adjectives to describe our service: seamless, customized, and secure. Trinity works with clients to improve efficiency, increase service levels, and upgrade the quality of their output. Our team can easily integrate our TrinityWeather add-on with your existing work management tools on your Quickbase platform. Contact us today to streamline your business and make weather less of a worry – and more of a factor that can be dealt with logically. Request a Demo Feel free to schedule a no-obligation consultation call today! It’s an excellent opportunity to speak with a team member and view a demo of TrinityWeather in action. […]

Operational Agility: Shifts in Operating Models During COVID-19

Posted on July 23, 2021

The benefits of operational agility became clear early on during the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses that adopted agile operations on a flexible operating model were better able to adjust during the upheaval. We’ve now had time to examine better what businesses did to shift their strategies and how they were able to sustain change. The importance of operational agility remains a key component of long-term growth. The Need for Operational Agility The pandemic highlighted a need to adapt to unforeseen situations. Digital transformation was significant as organizations had to create new workspaces remotely with a flexible approach. Organizations that resisted change in their operational models faltered. Even companies that made minor adjustments in the right direction had difficulty sustaining the crucial flexibility needed to survive these global challenges. One takeaway has become clear: Operational agility and all that comes with it is the key to long-term solvency. While we may not experience another event like the COVID-19 pandemic, companies that adapted are better prepared to thrive under the most challenging conditions. Successful Changes to Operating Models A few common threads have come to light in organizations that seemed more prepared to tackle pandemic-related obstacles. Digitized Operations Companies that had embraced the digital transformation ahead of the pandemic were better equipped to handle remote workforces and internal processes than their counterparts. Digitization allowed companies to automate workflows and adjust as needed. They found ways to use AI for operational agility where they required clear, creative solutions. Digital processes also made it easier to analyze incoming data and address demand shifts across supply chains as the remote workforce exploded. Responsive systems allowed IT leaders at organizations to respond efficiently and effectively as needs change throughout the pandemic. Dual-Track Transformation As we already described, digital transformation and modernization efforts have been vital to remain solvent throughout the pandemic. The most successful operations, however, had focused on dual-track change even before COVID-19. This kind of operating model took a two-pronged approach, with projects working concurrently, addressing long-term goals and more rapid innovations addressing current needs. The pandemic revealed how important it is to have teams working on a vision to allow a business to respond to future opportunities and present obstacles. Rapid-Cycle Innovation Organizations that embraced rapid-cycle innovation better equipped themselves to provide quick wins when challenges came from all directions. A focus on innovation is all the more critical when businesses have to face rapid, necessary change. Rapid-cycle innovation is also an ongoing process that requires buy-in from company leaders down. It’s essential to identify a point person or team that allows for a more focused effort once society normalizes. Low-Code Tools Organizations that had broad access to low-code tools could expand their efforts to allow for more seamless transitions between work and home during the pandemic. Low-code tools are cloud-based tools that one can customize to a company’s needs. An organization’s developers can certainly run higher-end models, but employees can run these tools in-house once the frameworks are in place. These tools empower those outside the IT sector to access operations when the usual processes have been upended. In the pandemic, these kinds of devices allowed for a more efficient remote workforce with the bonus of lowered operating costs and better responsiveness to customers. As with any digital efforts, it is essential to continually assess whether tools meet expectations and address any security concerns that may arise with remote work. A Focus on Continuity Businesses that managed to navigate disruptions successfully have focused on workflow continuity. Productivity will always be necessary, rapid-response time to a need for resiliency — and whether a company’s current operations promote agility — has become even more critical. Supply chains experienced more upheaval than most businesses. The pandemic highlighted the need for improvements in managing shortages of necessary supplies and staff, mainly when the situation is of global concern. Operational agility is an ongoing process. Even the most successful companies that fully embraced the digital transformation in COVID-19 should stay on their toes, commit to resiliency and change, and seek support for long-term growth. Embrace Agile Operations with Trinity Fully embracing operational agility is not an easy undertaking. With decades of experience in custom solutions, Trinity can help your business grow and adapt no matter the obstacles. Build a pathway today for intelligent solutions that will set you up for success and embrace change to set you up for the future. […]

Leveraging the Quickbase Platform

Posted on July 16, 2021

Quickbase provides a fantastic platform to build up any business. The breadth of the applications that you can build is unlimited. As we always say, “If you can define it, Trinity can build it.” One of the reasons that many companies do not proceed with projects is the cost. Understandably, businesses must consider the cost of the development plus the cost of the platform. But, businesses that have the vision to see beyond the first application can significantly leverage the Quickbase platform to drive their overall application, and IT costs are considerably lower. Application Multiplication Leverage Most people look at the cost of an application on a per-user basis. And while that is completely valid when looking at standalone solutions, there is a way to completely change that cost methodology and look at the cost per user per application when using a single platform to develop many of your applications. That is where Quickbase can provide significant cost savings vs. segregated solutions from multiple vendors. Let’s say your first Quickbase application has 100 users. And the development cost of the application is $25,000. Then the cost per user for the first two years is $35 / month for this single application assuming a $25 / month Quickbase user cost. The outlay of $85,000 over two years is what most businesses look at when deciding if they should go with Quickbase or 1) a targeted cloud solution that addresses the business need or 2) an off-the-shelf, already developed commercial solution. But once you are on the Quickbase platform and understand its capabilities, moving to the next app will only cost you the development plus potentially some additional user licenses outside the initial group of users. Let’s say that your second Quickbase app costs $20,000 to develop, and you’ll need another 25 user licenses. Using the same 2-year term, the cost per user per application is now $20. Moving onto the third application, the development cost is another $30,000 but is used within the same 125 user group of the first two apps. The cost for the same 2-year term per user per application is now $17. The leverage continues as you build out additional Quickbase applications. Instead of investing in multiple vendors, multiple applications, various platforms, and the ongoing maintenance and support costs with each one, you have a single platform that you pay for and can leverage its capabilities. Long-Term Solutions Trinity has seen many companies be able to eliminate other solutions and platforms and consolidate all their applications onto the Quickbase platform. In some cases, they have actually saved money by doing so. Whereas asset utilization is a primary measure in a lot of businesses, application platform utilization can also be a significant leverage point to reduce application, and IT costs. When using the same application platform across your business; training a user on a new application becomes significantly easier. Once a user understands and has used a Quickbase application, moving to the next application is almost second nature. They already understand the interface and all the capabilities; they just need to learn the business process of the new app. Training and uptake are significantly faster. Leveraging Quickbase with Trinity Trinity works with many clients to help them achieve productivity, service, and quality improvements. Trinity has been a Quickbase Solution Provider (QSP) for 14+ years and has a lot of expertise in developing and enhancing Quickbase applications. We understand what it takes to build great Quickbase applications to meet your exact business needs. For more information about Trinity and a demonstration of our capabilities, contact our team and we’ll be happy to connect with you. […]

The Benefits of Automated Loan Originator License Tracking

Posted on July 9, 2021

Managing mortgage loan originator (MLO) licensing can be time-consuming, particularly if you’re navigating multiple licensing processes in numerous states. License tracking and management have traditionally been done as a manual process. Individuals were tasked with following the license requirements at the federal and state level. There are better ways. Take a look at how you can better manage MLO licensing with an automated license tracking and management system. Challenges in the Loan Originator License Process The S.A.F.E Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 established minimum licensing standards and registration requirements for loan originators across the country. Additional requirements are handled on a state-by-state basis by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System & Registry (NMLS). In 2018, a provision under the SAFE Act was passed and made effective the following year. That provision, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act, is known today as the Temporary Authority to Operate. It allows for loan originators in the renewal process to work while they await final license approval. The act streamlined processes for those seeking licenses in new states or moving from federal to state loan licenses. It can be challenging to follow the requirements on both the state and federal levels. That task often falls to teams who track those requirements and their status using paper-based or manual processes. Manual tracking causes lapsed days when the process could be moved forward, reporting errors, the silo effect, and missed deadlines, which can mean approval delays for loan originators. Manual reporting is also time-consuming, which means less time to focus on an organization’s long-term goals and provide data for strategic planning. Benefits of Automated License Tracking and Management Automated tracking of licensing eases the burden on loan originators and team members tasked with manual document management. The benefits in support of this level of business process automation are numerous. A Centralized, Streamlined Approach An automated process for license tracking and management allows for one central location of any MLO licensing information. Users can track real-time data and progress on upcoming deadlines and potential eligibility issues. This ensures that updates are completed without delay, potentially speeding up the license approval process. State-by-State Data Automated processes eliminate the guesswork behind how licensing requirements differ state by state. Users can track tasks remaining by state or branch to easily see the status and any remaining to complete by deadlines. The value of a feature like this cannot be overstated. Automation frees up staff for other priorities and offers loan originators peace of mind. Greater Oversight Organizations with several employees in various phases of meeting licensing requirements will appreciate the added oversight of an automated workflow. Available data will keep all team members on track with meeting requirements and follow-up by business leaders as necessary. Businesses can even automate reminders of upcoming renewal dates and requirements. Flexible Reporting on Trend Data Customized solutions like loan origination software allow organizations to track relevant licensing data and address any inefficiencies on their teams. Data collected by the application can enable relevant information-gathering to spot trends that provide valuable information to a company’s strategic plan/or processes that need to be addressed. The needs of organizations differ, after all. Solutions should be adaptable to meet unique needs to ensure your organization improves inefficiencies rapidly. Who Would Benefit from Loan Originator License Tracking? Loan origination management software can benefit financial institutions working with mortgage loans, mortgage brokers, and loan applications – particularly across state lines. Automated tracking of loan originator status is an easy win. Any organization that wants to streamline its licensing processes is a good fit for automatic license tracking and management. You’ve read about the benefits, but those benefits can mean significant results at your organization, including: Improved efficiency around license completion and approvals Data tracking for license approval or task completion Additional opportunities for collaboration among team members Contact Trinity to Learn More About License Tracking and Management Software Trinity’s license tracking and management software is an intuitive solution that takes the guesswork out of loan originator management. Take a seamless, streamlined approach to what is otherwise a cumbersome process and get your loan originators on track for success. […]

Trinity’s Quickbase App Development Process

Posted on June 22, 2021 (September 19, 2024)

Many kinds of software solutions are quick and easy to set up and provide fixes to everyday business process problems. However, not every app is suitable for every user. That’s why over 6,000 companies use Quickbase as their low-code platform that is customizable to their unique business processes. For companies without access to expert coders, Quickbase app development is the ideal solution. You’ll see why a platform like Quickbase wins out when comparing customs apps vs. off-the-shelf software solutions. What Is Quickbase? Quickbase is a low-code application platform that can gain real-time insights and automate across platforms. In addition, Quickbase is customizable and responsive. The platform allows a company to create unique business applications that meet the needs of a workplace. Whether that’s the automation of workflows, steps toward digital transformation, or data tracking, Quickbase applications are a fantastic software solution. Quickbase App Development: Steps to Create Custom Apps with Trinity As with all application development platforms, there are a few steps to Quickbase app development that make the process seamless. Requirements Definition The first step of any development project is defining requirements for that project and mapping out a process for bringing a project to fruition. In app development, that means defining your business processes and creating a table structure based on project goals, and working within an organization’s existing systems. Trinity’s Responsibilities We’ll help capture your vision for how your processes should be going forward and define a table structure for your app that makes sense for your business. Trinity will spend time learning about existing workflows and business processes to provide ongoing support around app development and potential improvements down the line. From there, we’ll help capture your vision for how your processes should be going forward and define a table structure for your app that makes sense for your business. This vision will allow your business to grow long-term while improving efficiencies and customer service levels in the short term. Your Responsibilities Engagement in the development process is essential, particularly in this initial phase as we gather feedback goals for the app. We’ll also need your approval of any requirements before moving forward. Roles and Permissions Roles and permissions refer to anyone using the app and any specific permissions that need to be put into place ahead of your app’s launch. There may be particular individuals who have editing or administrative permissions, such as others limited to viewing only. Trinity’s Responsibilities We’ll explain any differences in access to the app and how to make sure necessary individuals have access as appropriate, whether that means editing or viewing permissions. We’ll also give you a primer on how role permissions can be applied to customize your app. Common permissions, for example, can be applied at the Table, Record, or Field level, control adding or deleting records, saving reports, or customizing field properties within the app. Your Responsibilities Your project team will need to identify roles and permissions for the app and share those with us. This may mean conversations around roles and responsibilities, identifying citizen developers, and how to assign roles to make ongoing app development and use seamless and efficient. Development Trinity embraces the iterative development method for all our projects. Instead of developing the client’s solution in isolation for a few weeks or months then bringing it to you for approval, we develop portions of the project in stages. At the completion of each stage, we ask the client’s project team to test and provide feedback; then, we make the appropriate changes as needed. Once the client approves everything, we move on to the next stage of development. In many cases, we can work on multiple stages of development concurrently. Trinity’s Responsibilities As the app is developed, we will keep you informed on opportunities to see the app at work while it’s in progress. In addition, any feedback we receive at those early development stages will be incorporated before the completion of the app. If anything comes up as part of the development process outside the original project’s scope, we’ll document those findings as they may be valuable for future enhancements. Our goal here is transparency and creating open lines of communication for a successful project. We’ll be meeting with any key team members regularly to make sure that happens. Your Responsibilities Your feedback is essential here. You’ll need to be open to scheduling and attending any review sessions to incorporate your input into the result. We’ll have you testing the app thoroughly in the next phase, but you will be asked to test components along the way. Testing Testing will occur while the app is in development and once the finished project is received. This is a critical component in identifying any last-minute changes before app implementation. Trinity’s Responsibilities We’ll be making sure that testing is available at all stages of app development and that relevant team members all have access to test all components of app functionality. Once app development is complete, we’ll run end-to-end testing to ensure the Quickbase app is running correctly on our end. Your Responsibilities You know your organization best. Testing the app will allow you to see that each component is working as expected. We’ll ask for thorough testing on your part to identify whether any final changes are needed and that the app was designed as you intended. Training We won’t cut you loose once the app is developed. Instead, Trinity will see you through training sessions to make sure anyone who needs access to the app knows how to use it and would be able to train others in using the app as well. Trinity’s Responsibilities On top of training team members, we’ll share strategies around employee buy-in and effective app implementation. We’ve found that an app’s rollout is most successful when key stakeholders have access to project status along the way and are allowed opportunities for feedback ahead of app implementation. Your Responsibilities Communicating your feedback to us is undoubtedly important, but it’s also important […]

Understanding Lean Process Improvement

Posted on June 8, 2021

Lean process improvement is a strategy focused on creating long-term growth through increased efficiency with the customer in mind. Lean process improvement steps are then less of a short-term fix and more a philosophy around continuous improvement. Companies should then be willing to learn more about the lean improvement cycle and support increasing profits at their organizations. What Is Lean Process Improvement? Put simply; lean process improvement is about reducing waste and inefficiencies at an organization. It focuses on customer-centered decision-making with an overall goal of meeting a customer’s wants and anticipated needs. The origins of “lean” stem from Toyota’s attempt to improve auto assembly line efficiencies. Toyota’s production system was having difficulties meeting supply and demand using existing processes. So the principle was born: create a workflow that improved efficiencies across the board to get products to the consumer faster. The principles have been adopted across industries, even within the vaccine rollout. The Basics of Lean There are five main principles of lean that make up the overall lean principle. The lean process improvement steps below are part of a continuous cycle, as you’ll see with fundamental principles. 1. Identify Customer Value Use new or existing data to identify your customer base’s wants or needs. Moving forward with products that an intended audience may or may not need is an inefficient, even costly, strategy. Market research is critical as a way to add value to novel products or services and decision-making. 2. Identify Steps in the Value Stream Once value points have been identified, lean organizations should map steps to meet them. For example, identify process inefficiencies and eliminate what is standing in the way of the end goal: meeting the identified needs of customers. This step can involve difficult decisions about cutting areas of identified waste operating at a company for a lengthy period. The priority here, however, should be on keeping operations as lean or straightforward as possible. 3. Create an Efficient Workflow Lay the groundwork for efficient business processes that keep customer value in mind. That groundwork is your organization’s workflow, and any inefficiencies missed may be adjusted here to prevent delays and added costs. 4. Develop a Pull-Based System Eliminating waste can create a flow of products where inventory is monitored on a live schedule. It may feel counterintuitive to operate in a pull-based system. However, it’s more an indication of a high level of operational agility, and the lean approach is all about minimizing waste. For example, stocking your inventory with products can be wasteful if you don’t have data to back up their demand. So, teams should create a system that identifies customer’s needs while reducing inventory that may be causing waste company-wide. 5. Continuous improvement Big decisions in organizations should not be made in a vacuum, and new strategies should be data-driven. Data can tell you; what was the impact of those changes? Did improvements meet expectations? Customer needs change, as do the needs of an organization. Lean should not be considered a temporary fix. Some organizations may need to repeat the cycle to benefit from real change. The benefits will grow alongside a company striving to deliver better as an overarching goal. Benefits of a Lean Improvement Cycle There are several benefits of adopting a lean improvement cycle. At the top of the list is added value for that customer base. In addition, high efficiency means deliverables are sent to customers faster, and customers boast a higher satisfaction rate. That prioritization can even become part of a company’s branding. On the business side, companies can cut costs by reducing areas identified as irrelevant in the growth of a business. Reducing bloat in processes deemed inefficient or ineffective can open up funds in other areas better suited to business goals. Lean businesses remain competitive by growing alongside others in that same industry. They often pull ahead of companies not as invested in process improvements. Lean process improvement promotes operational agility and adaptability. As workflows are tested, tweaks may need to be made, especially if an organization’s first attempt at these kinds of efficiency changes. The process creates opportunities for collaboration within an organization. However, lean requires buy-in across a company, as efficiency standards must be considered no matter the team. Finally, lean process improvement steps support digital transformation. Efficiency often improves as new technology creates room for growth. For instance, teams with reduced waste can work on bigger-picture goals. Lean Business Processes Lean and business process management work simultaneously, as both are about using existing resources more innovatively. Reducing waste in the lean process is strategic and will vary from company to company. Business processes, as with lean, are also typically focused on reducing, even eliminating, inefficiencies. Long-term, continuous approaches create space for long-term growth. The customized solutions offered at Trinity are aligned with the principles of lean. As a result, we have the right tools to improve company-wide productivity at your organization. We’ll guide your business in the right direction for long-term growth and a satisfied customer base. […]

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