The Database Meets Web 2.0

Tracking and managing the various streams of data running through a small company can often feel like trying to herd cats. And while spreadsheets and desktop databases can help, they’re often difficult to use and limited in scope. Trackvia, a new company with a product by the same name, seeks to remedy that situation with an online solution that marries database function with Web-based ease-of-use.

According to Matt McAdams, the company’s founder and CTO, Trackvia gives companies a simple and flexible way to gain better control and visibility over their data. He said that many companies struggle to manage their data and then rely on other applications to handle mass e-mails, mail merge, Web site forms and online backup. “Trackvia provides these services and an easy-to-use database. It gives businesses a one-stop shop for storing and managing data online,” said McAdams.

The company’s target customer is a small-to-medium company, a corporate work group or a non-profit with employees that are familiar with Word, able to create lists using Excel and who consider Access and Filemaker a bit too complex. But McAdam noted that database novices and experts alike can benefit from using Trackvia.

The company currently has about 200 paying customers who use the product for a variety of tasks. “Our customers use Trackvia to manage sales opportunities, customer quotes, client proposals track prospects and even manage inventory.”

McAdams said that with Trackvia you can also import and export Excel spreadsheets, manage mailing lists, clients and contacts; organize assets, locations or partners; sort and filter information; create custom reports, share data in real-time and set up different levels of permission-based access.

Trackvia offers a search feature to help find info within a database quickly. (Click for larger image).

Also, Trackvia lets you set up forms on Web sites. Once a customer fills out and submits the form, Trackvia automatically adds the information to the database. McAdam said this is useful for taking customer orders on a Web site.

Other Trackvia capabilities include:

• Quick Search: Find what you’re looking for, using plain language searches
  
• Formatted & Filtered Views: Build filtered, customized, formatted views. Filter by one or more status criteria, and/or by time, i.e. show all deals closed this week
  
• Report Distribution: Automated, scheduled report distribution via e-mail
  
• Multi-User Access: Share and edit information with multiple people simultaneously
  
• Permission-Based Access: Set appropriate view/edit/add/delete permissions to ensure employees see and change only appropriate records and fields
  
• Web Site Forms: Self-service Web site forms that create database records
  
• Display on a Web Site: Publish a real-time database view to your own Web site
  
• Thumbnail Image Preview: Display database views that include thumbnail previews of images
  
• Distribute Data: Send records or views to one or more people via e-mail, with one click.
  
• Mass Personalized E-mail Campaigns: Send mass e-mails to contacts in your database, with automatic history of e-mails included
  
• Automated E-mail Collection: Receive e-mails into a database, creating records
  
• Map View: Display and edit views and individual records in Google Maps
  
• Mail Merge: Personalize your form letters and labels by merging database fields
  
• Excel Import/Export: Bring information in from Excel and send information out to Excel

Trackvia costs $9.95 per person. Currently the company is offering all features at that price through Oct. 1. Some features, such as Google Maps integration and receiving e-mail into a database, will carry additional fees. Check the pricing page for specific details. The company also offers a 14-day free trial.

Lauren Simonds is the managing editor of SmallBusinessComputing.com