Data management software systems provide a way to manage massive amounts of data for nearly any business. From accounting to the life sciences, software for data management is an essential tool for streamlining information. Database management solutions are often easy to start using. But if you want to use some of the more advanced, customizable features of the program, training is recommended.

Any data management tool can provide a customized tracking and organizing system, but it is essential to train all employees to use it. You can find data management software education and training through:

1. On-site training for a business or advertiser database management system.

2. Online training resources, including webinars and courses.

3. Tutorials that provide a self-guided training experience.

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Attend in-person training to learn about database management system software

In-person or on-site training is the most comprehensive type you can get for software. An expert will come to the workplace and teach employees how to use the features of a particular software title. In-person training is also a way for your employees to get professional answers to their questions.

I recommend: Dionex, a provider of database management software for environmental and life science, provides classroom training in a number of locations around the world. IBM provides classroom education for its information management software, Optim.

Explore online training courses offered by providers of data management software

Most providers of data management software offer some type of training to businesses. The easiest way to provide this training is by putting it online. You can find online training in many formats, including videos, webinars, online courses and user guides. Most of the time training is free or discounted for customers.

I recommend: Hitachi Data Systems provides a number of online courses to teach users about its database management systems. Initiate University provides webinars and online courses that teach different aspects of its database management software.

Utilize tutorials to learn about database management programs

Tutorials can help employees learn how to use database management systems on their own. Tutorials also serve as additional learning materials for businesses that want to host in-house training seminars and workshops. Tutorials are often written, but you can also find video and flash tutorials for specific programs.

I recommend: Quackit provides a general tutorial that introduces the basic functions of almost any database management software program. Database Management Systems offers a tutorial on how to work with SQL, the main function of database management software.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When training employees to use a database management software program, make sure the training materials are tailored to the specific program your company uses, or at least the specific industry you work in.

Data management is something every business — no matter how small — needs to address. Data management software can be the answer, whether your needs are as simple as sharing a document with another employee or as complex as sharing data with thousands of employees. The key to streamlining the process is to come up with a data management plan. Data management solutions include:

1. Data sharing software, data management software and project management software enable work groups, departments or clients to access data that has been centralized to one interface at any given time without having to depend on someone else to provide it.
2. Data mining tools search through raw data and extract what you are looking for and often include analyzing and reporting tools.
3. Data archiving is important to industries that have to maintain compliance with regulatory audits.
4. Data migration allows users to switch data from one computer hard drive to another without having to perform time-consuming reinstalls of applications.

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Data management software

One of the more common uses for data management software is allowing employees to access a database. Other more complex uses include allowing a number of users to access information in real-time.

I recommend: Antioch Software's Virtual Documents data management software gathers documents into one central location so employees have access to up-to-date files. McObject’s eXtremeDB family of products provide data management solutions that allow multiple users to access data in real-time. Axiope's Catalyzer specializes in providing data management solutions for biomedical data including specimen tracking and image management.

Data sharing software

With data sharing software, only files you place in the file-sharing interface are available to users who have been given access privileges. Data sharing software is great for companies who regularly share files with vendors or clients and need to do so with more security than email provides.

I recommend: ShareFile data sharing software allows you to place a login box on your company website to allow clients, employees or vendors to access and upload your encrypted secure files. HyperOffice’s data management solutions provide online document management, including data sharing, data storage and data backup.

Data mining software

Data mining software extracts knowledge and search results from electronic data and provides reports and data analysis of the results.

I recommend: PolyAnalyst from Megaputer Intelligence, is data mining software designed to search through large volumes of text and data and turn the results into custom reports. 1010data offers customized data mining software that can be accessed through browser interfaces and can analyze and manage huge amounts of data in seconds.

Data migration software

Data migration software assists with the cumbersome process of transferring data between different formats, computer operating systems and storage types.

I recommend: Migrate Easy data migration software from Acronis is an ideal solution for small businesses to be able migrate all data, operating systems, programs, settings and preferences from one hard drive to another. Symantec’s Altris Migration Suite is a good data migration software solution for medium to large businesses that need to migrate software to many computers.

Data archiving and storage

Data archiving and storage are important for industries that are regulated or that frequently have to perform information audits.

I recommend: IBM's data and information management software products provides data archiving and storage management solutions to keep your data available for regulatory requirements. Treehouse Software offers several data management solutions including LiveAudit to protect and monitor data for audit trailing.

Project management software

Your data management solutions plan should include project management software if you regularly have teams or departments that work together to share data, meet deadlines and assign tasks on projects.

I recommend: Intuit's QuickBase project management software combines workflow, information, data management and communications features. Trichys' WorkZone project management software provides tools to collaborate, assign tasks, manage data and share documents through a web-based interface.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  A responsible data management plan includes limiting access privileges.
• •  Data archiving lets you store client records, providing a backup in case your data is compromised or corrupted.
• •  Business owners that want to create a paperless office should consult data archiving specialists in their industry. Many industries, including banking and finance, are forbidden from going paperless for legal reasons.

Data management software is computer software that allows users to interact with various databases. If you don't have a background in computers, you may need to learn the jargon and vocabulary when you're trying to find more information about data management software. Key terms include what a database actually is, the names of popular database management applications such as MySQL and PHP, and the terms that refer to how to manage the data, such as macro, table and query.

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Database

A database is a collection of data or information. The database organizes the information so that you can easily retrieve parts of it, manipulate it, add to it, change it or use it in other ways. A relational database, a common form of database, stores data in tables and allows you to reorganize the data so that you can access it.

I recommend: Find an explanation of what a database is at the SearchSQLServer section of TechTarget.

MySQL

MySQL is a relational database management system written using open source code, which allows users the ability to access and rewrite the programming code. The SQL in MySQL stands for structured query language, which means the system can add, remove and modify the content of the database.

I recommend: Get a detailed definition of MySQL at TechTerms.com, which provides an alphabetical listing of computer-related terms.

PHP

PHP is a scripting language that allows Web programmers to place or embed scripts within the code of a Web site or Web page. These scripts can interact with databases to do many useful things. PHP also has the advantage of being relatively easy to learn and use.

I recommend: IceTeks offers in-depth information on PHP, including free tutorials for working with it. A manual on PHP is available at The PHP Group.

Macro

A macro is a script or small program that allows the computer user to perform an often-repeated set of tasks with a couple of keystrokes. Macros can perform tasks within an application or they can automate the typing of common database records such as a company name or address. These short scripts are easy to create and save time.

I recommend: Learn what a macro is at Insight Software Solutions.

Query

The dictionary defines a query as a question so it isn't surprising that a query on a database is the way to retrieve data from the database. A select query is a simple kind of query that just asks for data, while an action query can perform operations like adding, updating or even deleting a record in a database. Query tools are the parts of the data management software that allow the user to make queries in order to get information from the database.

I recommend: Read definitions of query and query tools at DataMentors.

Table

A table is a way to organize data in rows and columns. Each cell contains a unit of information, and generally, each row is one record or set of data about one object or item. Many data management applications use tables to organize and display the data in a database.

I recommend: Learn more about tables and how you can use them in databases from InformIT.