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>> 3 Ways to Increase Your SQL Smarts
All of the data that you are used to seeing in Advantage is stored in a Microsoft SQL Server database. If you are involved in creating or modifying Advantage reports, then familiarity with Transact-SQL (or T-SQL for short) can help you. T-SQL is the language you use to query a SQL database and is used by most common reporting tools (Excel, Crystal, SSRS, etc.). The better you know T-SQL, the quicker and better you can respond to reporting requests from your customers.
I've found these three things to be most helpful in expanding my T-SQL knowledge and expertise.
working on my MCSA certification
reading SQL blogs regularly, such as these: http://www.cathrinewilhelmsen.net/ , https://spaghettidba.com/
Attending a user group meeting
For Advantage users involved with …
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>> Friday Five for July 15 – a round-up of publishing industry news
The number of articles, opinion pieces and blog posts shared on the web every day can be overwhelming, but keeping up with industry trends helps us stay ahead of the curve. Here are 5 pieces that captured our attention this week:
Cable Neuhaus discusses The Good and the Bad in the Art of Magazines, from special issues to tweaking logotypes.
Media is a numbers game, and Dan Calladine at The Media Briefing talks us through 8 metrics that show where media consumers spend their time.
The Washington Post has been successful at turning site visitors into digital subscribers. Digiday describes the multi-faceted approach, from technical improvements to data mining, that underlies this development.
On the Prisync blog, Irene Gutierrez shares her tips for optimizing the conversion funnel …
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>> Save Time---And More---With Single Sign-On
Although Single Sign-On (SSO) is not a new concept, it has become trendy in recent years and has been implemented by a growing number of organizations.
So, what is Single Sign-On?
A Single Sign-On solution allows users to log into multiple different applications using the same username and password. This could be a “social login,” such as “Log in with Facebook” or “Log in with Google,” options you’ve no doubt seen on the web before---or a login that is unique to the applications in your organization. Rather than the traditional model in which each application requires its own login, Single Sign-On manages the authentication across several applications:
For Example
Let’s take a look at an example. As a publisher, you sell subscriptions and other digital content on your …
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>> Digital Revenue Growth: Here's What You Need
Are you a publisher wondering why your digital revenue isn't where you’d like it to be? One likely suspect is the system used for orders, marketing, customer service and data analysis. Perhaps you're saddled with legacy software that doesn’t speak the digital language and imposes strict limits on how you can market. Or maybe you outsource to a service provider whose system looks good on the surface but underneath is running your business on outdated, in-house-developed software with a plethora of piecemeal programs patch-worked together.
Or maybe you’ve separated your print and digital businesses between different providers---perhaps an in-house system for the “old” print business and an outsourced solution for the exciting, but fledgling digital business. Neither of these scenarios is …
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>> Jump on the Membership Bandwagon
In response to declining print sales over the last few years, publishers have experimented with new business models. A trend has emerged, and indications are that it’s here to stay: memberships add value and strengthen the relationship between publishers and their customers.
Proven Benefits of Memberships
In 2014, DigiDay reported that membership models are successful revenue drivers that increase customer loyalty. By offering membership perks such as access to exclusive content and events, publishers engage their customers and dramatically improve subscription renewal rates. These perks also open previously untapped revenue streams
A year later, journalism professor Jake Batsell explained to media association FIPP that membership offerings are beneficial to both non-profit and …
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>> Closing Out A Software Bug
Waging war against software bugs can take a toll. This Advantage engineer depicts the aftermath of one such battle.
… I hobbled into my office. One leg dragging slightly like a long breath on a bitter cold winter day; every moment hurts just a little more than the last. I had been in brawls before, it’s part of the job, but this time was different. This time one of us didn’t walk away.
I continued to push my body into the room. I was only a few feet from my desk now. “Perhaps I’ll make it,” I allowed myself to think.
Nope.
The floor came up to greet me like an old friend who had had too much to drink. Too fast, too firm, and unwelcome. I lay there for a few minutes to let the floor think it had won. Once I felt it was sufficiently distracted, I dragged my chair over. Climbing the …
"Over the last few years, we’ve dealt with several software vendors, and none of them have come close to providing the service and support we get from the Advantage team."
- Gae Lennan, Director of Information Technology, Unity
