Software Development:
Individual Programming

Goal

The public volunteer agency of Florstadt city (Hesse, Germany) connects volunteer helpers with help seekers via Internet. The agency's software was previously based on the content management system Joomla 1 & PHP 4. Support for Joomla 1 & PHP 4 were about to cease at the current web space provider. For that reason the agency's database had to be updated to an up-to-date Joomla & PHP version. Also, the new software should be installable by other volunteer agencies as well. Logo, colors and texts should be freely configurable on an administration page.

Screenshot: Volunteer database of Buergerhilfe Florstadt e.V.

Implementation

Discussions with the customer revealed that it will be cheaper to quit Joomla usage. The programming costs for a Joomla plugin would be higher than for a new software, plus with a Joomla-independet solution the customer could avoid the elsewise obligatory frequent updates. For that reason the agency software was now to be removed from Joomla and re-recreated as an independent, multi-user enabled software. has programmed a Joomla-independent database application with PHP/MySQL that can run in practially any PHP/MySQL server environment.

Screenshot: Multi-user enabled user administration

Screenshot: Comprehensive search function

Look and standard content can be fitted to other volunteer agencies easily on and administration page. Therefore the application can be used by other organizations, too. The previously external agency administration softwas has been integrated into the new solution.

Screenshot: Simple adaptation of the look on an administration page, including text modules and logo

The software is multi-user enabled. A page has been created to administrate the users with their different access rights. Lists (z.B. volunteer workers, help seekers …) can be easily exported to MS Excel. For internal processing in the different volunteer organizations a PDF export class has been implemented that can export statistics on multi-page PDF documents. The new software has been documented.

Screenshot: Information on volunteer helpers (and help seekers on a different page) is clearly presented and available immediately.

Work Hours & Price

Replacement of Joomla, programming the new software, ready-to-run installation and documentation of software needed approximately 67 hours. The total cost was approximately 3,000.00 US$ without VAT (includes 15 % non-profit discount).

Client¹

Bürgerhilfe Florstadt (volunteer agency)
Volunteer speaker Dieter Eckhardt
Freiherr-vom-Stein-Strasse 1
D-61197 Florstadt (Alemania)

www.bh-florstadt.de 

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