Integration
The desktop app only imports CSV files, which is very bare-bones data – being able to haul in Excel files would be really helpful. Despite that, there are plenty of exporting options, not only for Excel, but HTML, XML and Word as well. One factor to take into account is that Documents to Go will soon be coming to BlackBerry. Once OS 4.5 hits, the only thing keeping users from using an Excel/Documents to Go combo instead is the extensive library of preexisting forms available for HanDBase, and even then, Documents to Go will be freely available with the patch. One thing that the program notably lacks is the ability to e-mail entries – it’s not hard to imagine an instance where some vital information needed to be passed around, and a menu option right through HanDBase could facilitate that.
Functionality
Right off the bat, the desktop client isn’t especially intuitive for casual users. If you know a thing or two about databases, how they work and how to set them up, you’ve got a head start. If you’re not, DDH has some really helpful video tutorials available to walk you through the first steps. That being said, if you know what you’re doing, HanDBase has a wealth of functions that any experienced user will be able to squeeze a lot out of. Field types include the standard text and integers, but also date, time, check boxes, popups, images, calculated and plenty more.
For a novice like yours truly, it’s a bit overwhelming trying to cook up a simple bowling scorecard, especially if you’re used to something as easy as Excel. At first, I was hoping that it would be fairly painless to emulate (and maybe even expand) the functions of programs like Ascendo DataVault, but really, having those templates already set up and ready to use makes life a lot easier, which is exactly why DDH has a pretty great library of free user-created tables that you can pick up, ranging from checkbooks, to monitoring calorie intake, basketball schedules, and all sorts of other stuff.
