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Some examples of our work
We can help supply the technological knowledge and experience you need to improve or start
your business and to help make more effective use of your existing staff and systems.
Seagrass has been developing networked software and online solutions since 1999 for various business sectors
including education, training, information, financial and recruitment. Here's some examples to illustrate the types of business we have dealt with:
If you are a recruitment company, please also see our Litework section to some of our current Litework clients websites.
2010
Mahmaan - Website
Authentic indian cuisine, Mahmaan is Derbys most exclusive and exciting Indian Restaurant and we should know as we often eat there. Wordpress is becoming increasingly more popular as a website framework, again Wordpress has allowed us to make a simple but professional website, fully updatable and (via Wordpress plug-ins) boasts a Google map including driving directions, a booking enquiry form, the ability to post special offers and various search engine marketing tools to assist the marketing. This allows Mahmaan to run their business, and grow/promote their website with ease. (see here). |
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Aromatic Refreshments - Website
A company with an online store offering gourmet coffee beans, consumables and ingredients to consumers, restaurants, bars and workplaces. In addition they sell and lease commercial coffee machines around the UK. Since marketing a website is as important as building it, and since these days keeping costs down are more important than ever, the approach was once again to use Wordpress, allowing the website and online store to be fully managed by Aromatic themselves, combined as ever with guidance from us. (see here). |
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2009
Frigiliana Apartment - Website
Frigiliana Apartment is a holiday/apartment leasing website, offering various types of apartment for holiday letting or long-term leasing, in the beautiful village of Frigilina (appox. 1 hour from Malaga, 10 mins from Nerja). This website was created using Wordpress, a "free" open-source blog system that allows websites to be fully updatable whilst ensuring they look professional (with the use of off-the-shelf themes) and "importantly" very search-engine-friendly (though the use of friendly urls, style sheets and well formed html). This is a very cost effective way to produce a professional (and successful) website without incurring large up-front costs. (see here). |
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Recruit 4 Health - Litework Website
Leading specialist healthcare recruitment agency offering locum and permanent jobs throughout the UK. Website was originally launched in 2002 and since updated and modernised. (see here). |
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2008
Skilled-Jobs - Litework Website
Skilled-jobs.com is a unique site offering a job-board (Litework driven) to Skilled Workers including Builders, Plumbers, Electricians, Site Leaders and Engineers. (see here). |
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Alta Legal - Litework Website
A London-based Consultancy offering global opportunities for lawyers of all levels. (see here). |
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2007
AltPolicen Check - Website
Provides a way for German endowment policyholders to get up-to-date information including a current valuation. The site is geared towards a German market hence it is completely written in German.
Our client, European Financial Resource Ltd is based in the UK and has been investing in Second Hand / Traded Endowment Policies for over 20 years and has been a Seagrass client for over four and a half years. (see here). |
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Key Account Development Software - TACK IQ Version 2
Following on from the success of TACK IQ (2004), TACK International commissioned us to write a
second version of this software which has now been released.
TACK IQ 2 brings a much more modern look to the software, has a simplified menu system and lots
of new features including more integration with MS Outlook, more interaction, better reporting
and numerous small improvements to various screens.
(see here). |
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Elite Dance Supplies - Website
Created a basic ecommerce solution for a company selling ballet/dance wear. Uses osCommerce to
take online payments and handle the orders. (see here). |
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Appleby Associates - Website
Added a back-office database to handle communications between clients and partners. Uses the bulksms.co.uk
service to send SMS Text Messages to staff when prospects register on the website. Also added
a facility to track/produce useful marketing statistics about the website which may be emailed to the
owner or stored in a database. The feature uses a technology called ajax which allows (amongst
other things) facilities such as this to be added to plain html web pages. (see here). |
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SPC Training- Website
Updatable (CMS) web site. Professional website for small training consultancy. Owner can login
and create/modify news items. Site has also been optimised and marketed for search engines. (see here). |
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2006
Company Data and News Website - Website
Subscription based business intelligence service focussing on the 15,000 companies that most influence
the UK economy. Uses PHP and mySQL to provide a maintainable and powerful online service, offering
facilities to users such as downloadable reports, online payments, subscriptions to email alerts
and saving search parameters as favourites. The system comprises a back-office control panel where
finanical, contact and other important data is uploaded and news items are input by editors.
And, the website itself where this information can be viewed and downloaded by members. Incorporates
many time-saving features such as usage reports, spell-checkers, mass-updates/deletes and editing
of prices / subscription packages. (see here). |
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Ecommerce system using oscommerce - for online photo gift shop- Website
Created in partnership with Relish Multimedia. This online shop is powered by an off-the-shelf
ecommerce package called oscommerce. Using bespoke php and some off-the-shelf contributations we
heavily customised oscommerce to enable photographs to be uploaded, product pictures to change dynamically
to match colour choices, added a numerous minor features such as discount coupons, complex shipping
charges and order status tracking. (see here). |
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Behaviour For Learning (BFL.NET) software for Secondary School - Web Application
Implemented a system to ease the process of booking, recording attendance and reporting on individuals
or groups. This system was also developed using ASP.NET(c#) and a Jet(Access) database. Staff
can enter C3 forms, after which letters to parents and detention dates are automatically processed.
If pupils miss a detention, further action is automatically booked into the system and letters
and registration slips produced where approriate. The system signifantly reduces the amount of time
that needs to be spent re-arranging detentions by automatically allocating dates according to
certain definable parameters - e.g. room size, notice required for parents and priority. |
Online property website - for estate agent/property consultancy - Website
A new client's website needed an updatable and searchable property database, including images,
virtual tours and multimap integration. The system we implemented allows administrators and agents
to upload their properties and enter details and even specify custom fields which can then be searched
and viewed by visitors. The whole system is written in PHP/mySQL and is template based and incorporates
a Content Management System (CMS) so practically every part of the site is configurable by the client. (see here). |
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2005
Individual Learning Plan (ILP.NET) reports for a local Secondary School - Web Application
A forward thinking local secondary school that has introduced pioneering methods of teaching
based on individual learning plans was struggling to cope with the amount of administration involved.
Seagrass was brought in to look at how many of the processes involved could be automated and
to remove duplication of effort. A system was developed using Microsoft ASP.NET(c#) and using
a Microsoft Jet database which takes information from the main school system SIMS.NET and then
provides a web based interface where teachers, tutors and pupils can all login and contribute
to their plan. Teachers can write their reports and make future subject level suggestions and
then tutors can go through the recommendations with the pupil and build a personalised pathway.
As always, this state-of-the-art system was developed and delivered successfully, within the quoted timescales and budgets. |
Time, Cost and Expenses Management Software for Land and Building Surveyors - Web Application
This is a web based system written in PHP and using mySQL for Surveyors. The system handles
everything from creating quotes, using daysheets to plan site and office daily activities, online
time booking including reminders and vehicle and equipment contract management and servicing. This
system was commissioned to replace a paper based system which was too time consuming and difficult
to use. On logging in, every surveyor is presented with a unique homepage putting the essential information
in front of them, such as the jobs they are working on, outstanding timesheets and vehicle usage. |
Various marketing websites for a local financial services company - Website
Various websites created to market financial services and offer online quotations and calculators for
life insurance, equity release and pension transfers. Site is template based and written using PHP. |
2004
Key Account Development Software - Windows Application (Purchased through TACK International)
One of our clients, an international training company, required a piece of software to complement
one of their Sales/Management courses for Key Account Development. The software is for Key Account
Managers and is sold as part of the course run by TACK International Ltd (see here). The software
consists of a series of screens which prompt the Account Manager to Research critical information
about their client(s). Then a number of Analysis tools are provided such as Power Grids which allow
an entire account to be visualised graphically in terms of Influence and Authority - ensuring
the Account Manager is talking to the right people. Also provided are Strategy and Tactical planning
tools to enable better use of the information learned. In addition, the software also provides
a means of collating all the information and documentation on a Key Account in a single place. The software
was written in c# to run on the Microsoft Windows platform using .NET and utilises the Microsoft
Jet database engine - A future internet/intranet enterprise version is planned based on Microsoft ASP.NET technology. |
EndowmentCheck.com - Website
Written using opensource solutions php and mysql. This website allows endowment policyholders to
enter their details. The details are then checked for accuracy and used to produce a financial report,
including an actual predicted maturity value (based on the latest bonus rates from Life Companies).
(see here). |
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2003
Online E-Mail & "SMS Text Message" Birthday Reminder Service - Web Application
Developed for a card shop as a website add-on to allow customers to enter birthdays and other
events. The customers would then be emailed or texted reminders in time to buy cards and presents. |
Magazine Advertisement Database for Editors / Publishers - Web Application
This mini-project required an online database for managing the advertisements (size/colour/layout/etc)
for a number of printed magazines. The user interface consists of a scaled view of the magazine page
layouts which can be clicked and then edited. The database allows several editors and/or designers to work on the same magazine concurrently. |
Allez Francais - Website
Basic, professional looking website with updatable news section (php) for a service that can help
anyone buying a house in France. |
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Microsoft Access Query E-Mailer for Business to Business Data Transfer - Windows Application
Another mini-project. A client had an access database from which reports had to be regularly sent to
its clients and raw data to be sent to call centres. We designed a utility that would execute a database
command and then email the resulting data to a mailing list at regular intervals. |
Document Quality Control System for Legal Transfer of Endowment Policies - MS Access Database
Written in Microsoft Access, this database was produced in about 18 months and is a complete
system designed for a law firm to enable them to deal with Market Makers and Investors who buy
and/or sell Endowment Policies. Included in the database is an easy to use Mail Merge system enabling
Fee Earners to create their own letter templates. Key Features Included issuing Deeds, Powers of
Attorney and Clear Title / Full Title Checks. Handling Gearing, Portfolios, Batches and Tranches
of Traded Endowment Policies (TEPs). Issuing / Registering charges, deeds and direct debits with
life companies. Generating reports for banks and clients and Auditing. |
.Net Based Online Website Builder - Web Application
This is an online website builder (or content management system) using Microsoft .Net, ADO and
SQL Server technologies. The project was self-funded and involved considerable work in programming graphics; file transfer and xml web services. |
Traded Endowment Policy (TEP) - Web Application
One of the biggest Market Makers (Buys and Sells Endowment Policies) in the UK commissioned Seagrass
to write a database system. Its purpose was to completely automate the processes involved in
buying and selling endowments. It involved some very complex database relationships and algorithms
and financial calculations all running on a Windows 2000 Web Server. As it was a web application,
the users required nothing to be installed on their computers (just Internet Explorer). The
finished project was a resounding success and so user-friendly that they required virtually no training. |
Conversion tool to migrate old Symantec Q&A databases to MS Access and Visual Basic - Windows Application
A critical business system running on Symantec's Q&A for DOS was desperately in need of a new
platform to tackle a number of issues including millennium bug, hardware stability and performance.
Time was of the essence and so a project was undertaken to write a conversion utility which would migrate
the data to Microsoft Access format and the forms (including all programming) to compiled Visual
Basic. This turned out to be an extremely efficient way of upgrading Q&A databases, although new
applications are now appearing such Lantica that are providing a modern alternative to Q&A.
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