Lite at the end of the tunnel
It’s always a bit risky to tell people about your plans in advance, and many’s the promise about future software that’s been made and later regretted.
Even 2000 years ago someone mentioned that before you build something (a barn, a piece of software?), you should count the cost before you start.
But we’re more foolhardy than most, and we like a challenge. So here goes!
We’re hard at work on mSupply Lite Mobile. (We used to call it mSupply Lite )
- It’s a web app. It runs on a tablet (The Apple/Android kind, not the Paracetamol kind, silly!)
- It’s not mSupply as you know it.
- All your data is stored on an mSupply server back at the warehouse you’re supplying, or even in a big safe datacentre somewhere. So there’s no need
- We know what internet is like in developing countries. We’re putting super duper effort into making it use as little bandwidth as we can- means it will work quickly, and not cost you an arm and a leg in bandwidth charges. It will work fine over a mobile network.
- It’s going to be simple. Simple enough to use in a medium or small store. If you’re in a large warehouse, the full mSupply will still be the way to go.
What does it actually do? Here’s pretty diagram:
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Diagrammatically speaking....
Got that? The important points
- You can run a small store using and ipad and an internet connection.
- All the data is stored back at the warehouse that supplies you.
- The main warehouse will use mSupply Server and desktop applications “as normal”
- To send stock to a remote store, it involves a stock transfer, which is done at the warehouse.
More stuff you most likely aren’t that interested in:
- You’ll be able to run it on a desktop, or on a phone, but we’re designing it to work well on a tablet.
- We’re writing a public API. A what? The way mSupply mobile connects to mSupply will be publicly documented- entirely open. If you want to write your own app that connects to mSupply, go for it!
- Here’s a PDF version of the graphic below if you want to print it in high resolution:
Where is mSupply?
mSupply is primarily used in low- and middle-income countries around the world. You can find us in more than 35 countries.