Can your business survive AI?

For many Small and Mid-size Enterprises (SMEs), Big Tech's business solutions are literally overkill. Large corporations are Big Tech's natural target, but for SMEs their endless line-up of subscription modules and user fees are prohibitively expensive and overly complex.

SMEs get the leftovers, dumbed-down big business solutions, but without an IT department to sort out the ridiculous.

But why isn't it simple? SME managers are experts in their field. They already model their businesses with forms and reports, and they can represent their entire business in spreadsheets. Why not use this knowledge to allow managers to build their own custom management systems?

Without AI and without knowledge of IT:

Sumer enables managers to apply their existing knowledge to build their own integrated management systems.

It seems odd to realize that all information required to model a business has been sitting in every SME's forms, reports, and spreadsheets for decades. And yet, seriously, no one in Big Tech ever thought about this?

Fact is, Big Tech could have delivered something like Sumer 20 years ago, but they didn't want to.

Three appropriate technologies

Money is no object

If you have deep pockets, and if you think maybe you will be the next big thing, going with a subscription module system like SalesForce, NetSuite, or Odoo could be easy. Add modules as you go. Of course, this can get expensive after a while as you pay for each new module and new user.

And keep in mind that despite the ads, your software supplier is not "your business partner" out to solve your management problems. Unless you are a high-roller, their mission is to solve only enough of your problem that they can repeatedly tempt you back to buy their next module.

Technology is no object

If you are tech-savvy and understand how to structure a relational database, you can use AI, no-code and low-code platforms, and vibe-coding to build your own system.

Some people do this for a hobby. If you are already managing a business full-time, however, becoming an IT pro could be like serious overtime.

Inexpensive, simple, functional

But if all you really want to do is run your business, if you already have forms and reports, and you can use spreadsheets, and you want to cause the least disruption to you systems, think about Sumer.

It about HI, not AI

HI is Human Intelligence, and SME managers have lots of it. You know what your business should do; there is no reason to let some programmers—who have never run a business in their lives—dictate how you should do things.

The essential technology that gives programmers the advantage is the relational database*. Programmers know how to build them and SME managers don't. The unequal relationship creates a cartel forcing managers to buy back their own systems that they created in the first place.

But SME managers could build a complete management system for themselves—if they had a tool like Sumer.

* What is a relational database?

How it works

Never mind the database; Sumer builds that automatially behind the scenes. (And yes, Big Tech knows exactly how to do it, they just don't want to let you do it.)

So let's concentrate on your existing forms and reports. We need to get our existing data into Sumer. Here is an example. The template behind this Price List is almost self-explanatory.

• Column names across the top, parameters down the left side. You probably recognize most of them.
• Add new columns—anything you want—with the 'AddColumn' button.
• Set DataType, Width, Alignment and so on. You can even add Filters and Formulas.

You can fill the data with Copy and Paste if you already have it in a form or spreadsheet.

This price list can be recalled and used automatically in sales entry forms and reports.

Other forms for purchasing, production, sales, scheduling, and more have additional parameters, but all work the same way.