Lotus Approach

At a Glance

Lotus Approach Release 9.8 is designed for professionals who need to manage, analyze and report on business information. It occupies a unique position in the database market, offering breakthrough ease of use, unprecedented cross-product integration, connectivity and outstanding power and analysis capabilities. Sophisticated Team Computing features maximize the sharing of information within the organization.

Approach offers extremely tight integration with Lotus Notes, delivering fast, transparent access to Notes database (.nsf) files, making it an excellent tool for reporting on, analyzing and updating Notes data. All of Approach's reporting, forms and analysis capabilities can be used with data stored in Notes. Additionally, Approach and Notes can pass information back and forth via global variables using the Notes /FX (field exchange) capability. Finally, Approach users can distribute forms, reports, worksheets, charts, mailing labels and crosstabs via Notes mail.

Approach lets users seamlessly connect to all data, whether it is stored in dBASE, DB2, Oracle, Lotus Notes or almost anywhere else. Tight integration with Lotus Notes and DB2 provides users of these databases with specialized, advanced functionality. Built-in Internet/intranet capabilities let users easily integrate Approach applications with the Web, without needing to learn HTML.

Key Features and Benefits

Productivity
Approach's highly acclaimed user interface and rich feature set maximize productivity and enable users of all levels to be proficient quickly.

• Notes Normalizer extends the ability to generate reports on Domino-based data to include reporting on Domino databases that include Notes multi-value fields. Normalized Notes fields enable the simple creation of accurate reports with functionality never before available in a suite database product.
• Dialog Editor makes it easy to create custom dialog boxes containing traditional controls such as list boxes, radio buttons, images and check boxes.
• Notes R5 Compatibility: The Notes PowerKey offers support for Lotus Notes Release 5 while providing customers with high performance and direct access to all of their data (which is stored in Notes databases) without requiring assistance from IT support. Customers can create reports, forms, worksheets, mailings and analyses using live Notes data.
• Save to .APT: In one simple step, Approach users can combine or consolidate all Approach views, indexes and data files into a single APT file. Users who receive an APT file can quickly extract the files into a single, read-only version of the information.
• DB2 Compatibility: DB2 queries and printing offer greater performance. In addition, DB2 usernames containing the @ character are allowed.
• Queries allow for named finds on calculated fields and more flexible "if" queries. In addition, editing stored multi-criteria finds are easier with the addition of page up/page down arrows on the status bar.
• Action Bar puts the commands you use most frequently right at your fingertips. Reduce time spent learning icons as Action Bar text prompts clearly present the most commonly used database controls.
• InfoBox is a compact palette that floats above your work when designing new views of data. InfoBox lets users easily apply fonts, color, macros, field order, check boxes, radio buttons and more in a consistent, familiar fashion.
• SmartMaster Applications: This feature reduces the time needed to generate finished, custom solutions by supplying completed applications for common business tasks such as customer tracking, order entry and inventory management. Each SmartMaster includes all the database files, relational joins and professional layouts that the application needs.
• Find Assistant lets users create and store complex queries easily with step-by-step assistance. Quickly find the top or lowest values, unique records, duplicates and more. Users save time by storing find and sort criteria for later use. Find Assistant allows users to execute named finds and sorts instantly by selecting from a drop-down list in the SmartIcon Action Bar.
• PowerClick Reportwriter generates professional reports with unprecedented ease. Users may design reports quickly, easily and accurately by seeing how data will appear in print as they work.
• Crosstabs let users quickly and easily perform sophisticated data analysis that enables better decision making. Users simply drag and drop fields to define the desired crosstab, then perform advanced analysis by obtaining the sum, count, average, standard deviation, minimum, maximum or variance of any cell, row or column.
• Charts let users review and present data with the benefit of graphics through a single mouse click. Users may choose from more than 120 different chart looks to produce dramatic-looking charts with multiple data sets and multiple series on an axis.
• Drill-Down: This feature lets you drill down to see the detail information that makes up summarized resultsinstantly. Users may specify how they display the data - in a form, report or worksheet.

Internet Capabilities
Approach lets users take full advantage of both the Web and their Approach applications by providing integration features that leverage the strengths of both environments.

• Save As...to the Internet/intranet: This feature lets users save an Approach file to the Internet/intranet, providing a fast and easy way to distribute Approach applications.
• Automatically generate HTML pages: Users are able to save Approach reports, worksheets and forms in HTML format for use on the Internet/intranet, without needing to know HTML.
• One-click Internet link to Lotus tech support and SmartSuite reference library offers users quick and easy responses from the most up-to-date reference library.
• Publish to the Internet/Intranet allows users to create an HTML document automatically and save it to the Internet/intranet in a single step.

Connectivity
Approach provides connectivity to all the data in the organization, including Lotus Notes, DB2 and SQL data sources.

• Notes R4 PowerKey provides users with high performance and direct access to all of their data stored in Notes without requiring assistance from computer support staff. Users may create reports, forms, worksheets, mailings and analyses on live Notes data. Users combine information stored in Notes with data stored in virtually any database format. Users may view and update data based on access privileges.
• Full transactional database support takes total control of DB2 by creating transactions that can be committed and/or rolled back.
• DB2 BLOB support: Approach support for Binary Large Objects allows users to store and retrieve pictures, sounds and OLE objects in DB2 databases.
• SQL back end error message support allows users to save time troubleshooting SQL data by viewing actual SQL back-end error messages.
• DB2 QMF support automatically converts legacy data in DB2 Query Management Facility (QMF) definitions to Approach forms and reports without the need to convert the data.
• High-performance data access gives users the ability to directly access, update, manipulate and report on virtually all of their team's information, regardless of file format. Users enjoy native database speed and functionality.
• Pass-through SQL unlocks the power of SQL by using Approach to pass any SQL statement — including DB2 stored procedures — to the back end.
• Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) gives users the ability to share data with other OLE 2.0 applications seamlessly . Approach serves as either an OLE 2.0 server or container and includes full support for OLE 2.0 visual editing, as well as bubble help for OLE custom controls (OCX).

Customization
Approach is as powerful as it is friendly, offering a variety of options for customizing and building sophisticated business solutions.

• Automated LotusScript and Approach macro generation reduces time to generate scripts and macros with the script and macro recorder. Approach transcripting will quickly and easily build LotusScript code and macros by recording the end user's keystrokes and mouse clicks.
• LotusScript control of find and sort functionality lets users create more powerful and flexible Approach applications.
• LotusScript programmability: Users may enable sophisticated task automation using LotusScript's object-oriented BASIC programming capability. The Interactive Development Environment brings together the Object Browser, the Debugger and the Program Editor.

Approach Release 9.8 is sold as part of the SmartSuite Release 9.8.