Import Data from Practically Any Source
You can either enter your directory data manually into CatBase's database, or you can import it from another source – for example, a delimited text file, an XML file, DBF file or (Data Chameleon edition) an ODBC-complaint data source such as a MySql or Microsoft SqlServer database. Find out more about importing data here.
Publish your directory with InDesign, Quark, FrameMaker, XML ...
You're in control when it comes to publishing your directory. CatBase works with all the most popular page layout software (QuarkXPress, InDesign, FrameMaker, PageMaker) and also with Microsoft Word. Your data can also be published as an XML file, a delimited text file, or (Data Chameleon Edition) it can directly update an ODBC database such as MySql or Sql Server.
When you publish with a page layout program you have complete control over the formatting of the data. You simply create Style Sheets which tell CatBase what data you want to publish, how you want it sorted, and how each part of it should be styled. CatBase can make intelligent choices about what to publish, or how to style it, based on criteria that you set. For example, directory entries can be formatted differently according to whether they have paid for an entry or not. Boxed "semi-display" style entries can be automatically created; include comapny logos if you wish; choose the style for each listing type. You can see an example of a directory published with InDesign here, or a directory published with QuarkXPress here. Find out more about Publishing Styles.
Click here to see a brief movie that gives a quick overview of publishing with InDesign. Or if you'd like to see the process in a little more detail, take a look at this Tutorial.
Automatically update published data ... or update the database FROM published data
"Roundtripping" is what we call it! Does this sound familiar: You've published your directory using InDesign or QuarkXPress. You've checked the layouts, fiddled with the placement of graphics, made sure there are no widows and orphans, inserted fillers and placed ads, and you think you're ready to go. But then you find out that some of the phone numbers have changed. You wouldn't want to update them all manually, and neither would you want to re-publish all the data! No worries ... with CatBase and a little forward planning you can simply update the numbers in the database and then publish them to a specially formatted text file. That text file is then applied to your document and all the phone numbers are updated automatically. It's also possible to update the other way round: if you've made changes in the document you can update the database. Find out more about roundtripping.
Keep in touch through letters and emails
Letters
With the "Quick Letter" word processor (included with the single-user versions; an optional extra for the multi-user versions) you can send letters to your contacts if you've got their names and addresses in one of the tables. Merge data from the database to customise and personalise each letter.
Emails
If you've got contact names and email addresses in the database you can send emails to them. Include attachments; format emails as plain text of HTML; merge data from the database; automatically create a Memo when each email is sent. You can also RECEIVE emails that are sent to a specified email address and save them in the database. See more information about emails.
Labels
Print mailing labels - you can easily set up the label format to fit any laser or inkjet label format.
Reminders (Memos)
You can attach a Memo to any record and use that to keep notes or reminders of things that need to be done ... for example, if you're talking to a company about their listing and they've indicated that they may be interested in advertising, you can set a Memo to remind yourself to check back with them in a few days .. or a week ... or whatever.
Automate Repetitive Tasks
The Event Scheduler enables you to set up Events that can automatically occur every hour ... once day ... on a certain day of the week or month ... or pretty much whatever schedule you want! You can use these Events, for example, too import updated data at the end of each day; publish updated data at the end of each day; check for emails; run a script (we can create scripts to perform all sorts of tasks). Find out more about the Event Scheduler.
Create Reports
You can quickly create columnar reports and graphs in various formats.
CatBase may well be the only software you need to manage your directory!
What do do next ...
