Is it possible to use a web application for an intensive data entry system?

Question

We are looking for opinions on this, we are working on a project that is essentially a data entry system for the production line. Hard data entry by users who usually work in Excel or other powerful client data systems.

We were told (as a result) that we should develop this as a thick client using .NET. Our argument was to grow as a web application, as it solves many problems and will be easier to write and maintain.

Their argument against the Internet is that (presumably) the web is not yet ready to use a data-loading system with heavy loads and that the web browser in the browser does not offer the speed, responsiveness and fluidity for the end user that a fat client can (referring to such things like drag and drop, fast automatic data entry and navigation, etc.).

Personally, I believe that with a good form design and jQuery / AJAX web application can do whatever the fat client does, and they just don’t know what they are talking about.

The irony is that a fat client needs to do a lot more to manage the deployment and connection to a central data server than a web application needs to do, so in terms of speed, I would expect a web application Faster.

What are the thoughts of those there? Are there any technologies currently used in production that modern data entry systems are developed as web applications?

Appreciate any feedback.

Answer 1

I think that with good form design and jQuery / AJAX, a web application can do whatever a fat client does.

You will also need a fast / loose network, server, and database.

Heavy data entry by users who usually work in Excel

What would bother me, I would review in my web application those functions that end users are already used to (for example, everything that is already implemented in Excel).

much more effort to manage deployment and connectivity

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Answer 2

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Answer 3

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My experience with the actual person doing the data entry is that they honestly do not care about the technology, that they are afraid, this is another “improved” system that actually reduces their effectiveness. If they can make sure that the software we build will make them work faster and better, they will be on board.

Of course, we just need to make sure that we really understand what the user really wants in the user interface and the system as a whole.