PMAPS Architecture
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A Modern, Scalable, Fully Integrated Component Based Application
Designed and built using the most powerful object-oriented environment for database construction and application development, PMAPS utilizes the most widely accepted methodologies and design standards in use today including true inheritance, sub-classing, encapsulation and polymorphism. It functions as an n-tiered application: fast, scalable, and easy to maintain.
Document Management n-Tiered Technology
Program components are modular in function, providing easy adaptability of the application, consistency of business rules and processes, and greatly simplified application maintenance.
User Interface Tier (Presentation Layer)
Consistent among all Westport software products, PMAPS utilizes a simple, user-oriented interface that has the Windows™ look and feel. It consists of two major levels. The first contains seven tabbed screens that provide quick access to the data used to track management information on proposals. The second level consists of search and document assembly of proposals.
Business Rules Tier
The business rules tier is a main functional component of PMAPS: it is in this layer that the document searching is performed. PMAPS incorporates one of the fastest, most powerful and efficient document search algorithms available. The vast majority of searches take less than one second to perform, even those involving complex filters.
Data Tier
A Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) and Microsoft® Word documents serve as the repository for all PMAPS data, and is maintained as a separate component from PMAPS business rules. This modular approach allows individual implementations to utilize the best job-specific database server. Support for full backup and recovery of both the data and the application ensure the PMAPS application can be readily maintained in accordance with existing MIS procedures. See Contingency plan.
Desktop or Client/Server Database Option
The PMAPS data layer consists of a local, integrated database engine or, as an implementation option, a backend client/server database such as Windows SQL Server or Oracle. These options provide maximum flexibility: organizations that require a fast, self-contained, low-cost DBMS can use the built-in data layer. For increased robustness, and better scalability, PMAPS utilizes ODBC to communicate with any high-performance back end database server.
Application Framework
Westport application software is built upon our own proprietary Rapid Application Development (RAD) system. Our development environment helps us to not only define applications that are compartmentalized in terms of function tiers but more importantly, to create applications that are modular in definition. The three functional tiers—interface, business rules, data repository—are built upon the same definition core, enabling the delivery of applications that are completed on time and are error-free.
Product Modules
The following diagram depicts how the PMAPS product modules are are configured from the external most point (web access) to internal infrastructure (RDBMS).
Management Screens
The PMAPS Management screens capture all basic information about an RFP. With over 150 proposal management fields, each client can custom define all fields with the further ability to add validation rules for each field. For Example: items such as due dates for all proposal components, sales and consulting individuals involved, and the products to be quoted are all tracked. Fields permitting proposal strategy and competitive information, completion data and a unique section for recording sales results and debriefing feedback complete a comprehensive array of available data capture opportunities.
Note: Documentation supplied with each PMAPS is customized to reflect the proprietary nomenclature of each user organization.
Search Screens
PMAPS provides virtually unlimited ability to store and retrieve multiple sets of answers to the same or related questions or topics. All fields in the database can be used to sort all Q&A database searches. This eliminates the need to ‘code’ answers with key words. Selected answers can be automatically copied into the active proposal-in whole, in part, or in edited form without the need for cutting and pasting. In addition, the Q&A database can be pre-formatted in Microsoft Word, Excel, and/or PowerPoint to streamline proposal assembly.
Administrative Programs
Verification module, Backup/Restore Module, Archiving module, general maintenance module.
Optional Programs
Read Only Program and Synch-Link Program (Synchronization Module)
Relational Database Management System (RDBMS)
A full-featured Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) engine that is optimized for large data sets serves as a data repository for all PMAPS data, and is maintained as a separate component from PMAPS business rules. All tables in the PMAPS data repository are available for external viewing and reporting.
Query Tool, Report Designer, and Viewer
The reporting module is a full-featured database access and analysis tool for creating presentation-quality reports, flexible analysis and formatting capabilities, or advanced interactive Java-based query and reporting over the Web.
Web Access Component
The Web Access component gives organizations the full power of PMAPS—including complete data editing and processing capability—with the ease of enterprise deployment over the web. A Microsoft Active-X control and Netscape plug-in enables zero-touch enterprise deployment by enabling users to launch the server-based PMAPS application from within Internet browsers. Upon visiting a web page featuring the PMAPS application, users can automatically download and install PMAPS client software without requiring any assistance. The application then starts automatically. In future sessions, users can launch PMAPS immediately by just clicking an icon in web pages or on the Windows desktop.
Reporting
PMAPS provides pre-defined business reports that can be viewed on screen, printed to hard copy, exported to a file, or sent via e-mail to involved participants. In addition, it includes a full-featured database access and analysis tool for creating self-defined presentation-quality reports.
Security Features
There are three levels of security within PMAPS in addition to the LAN access rights. The first level is for basic users of the application. This allows all editing and updating of data. The second level gives access to a supervisor for more general maintenance of the PMAPS database files. The highest level is used for the deleting of full proposals in the PMAPS system.
Contingency Planning
This mission critical application has built in procedures in case of network crashes.
Y2K Compliant
PMAPS was totally re-written in 1998 to comply with the year 2000-date standards.
PMAPS is able to accurately process date data (including, but not limited to, calculating, comparing and sequencing) from, into, and between the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, the years 1999 and 2000, and leap year calculations.
PMAPS has undergone extensive testing and is 100% Y2K compliant according to the stringent Microsoft standards.
System Requirements
In preparation for the adoption of PMAPS 6.0 we strongly recommend the following hardware configurations for your everyday proposal writers and your PMAPS database administrator.
The Minimum Technical Specifications for PMAPS are:
Proposal Writer(s)
- Entitlement level = ‘Basic User’
- 350 MHz
- 128 MB RAM
- PMAPS requires less than 1 MB Hard Disk space for temporary files on C: drive
- 15” color SGVA Monitor
- Runs on all Windows Operating Systems (95/98/NT/2000/XP)
- Access to Internet for updates and technical support
- MS Word 7.0 or higher
Database Administrator
- Entitlement level = ‘Supervisor and/or Administrator’
- 800 MHz
- 256 MB RAM
- PMAPS requires 10 MB Hard Drive space for temporary files and report files on C: drive
- 17” color SGVA Monitor
- CD-ROM 24X
- Access to Internet for updates and technical support
- Runs on all Windows Operating Systems (95/98/NT/2000/XP)
- MS Word 7.0 or higher
Server
- NT Server/Window 2000/Windows XP or Novell Server
- PMAPS Requires approx. 100-200 MB Hard Disk space
- PMAPS users need all rights to shared folder on Server excluding Administrative rights
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