Employee directory for Windows Phone is a source code package that builds a contact management app for Microsoft’s discontinued mobile platform. It ships as a complete Visual Studio solution containing C# code, a SQLite or Compact Database storage layer, and XAML interface files, priced at $28 on ThemeForest under the Database Abstractions category. It suits developers who need a working CRUD reference project for Windows Phone, or who maintain legacy handsets and want a ready-made staff lookup tool they can compile and modify themselves.
The listing comes from a developer using the handle citkar, who also provides a direct support address. No sales figures are published on the marketplace page, so there is no purchase history to weigh when judging adoption or community feedback.
What the Employee Directory for Windows Phone Database Abstractions Package Actually Contains
The deliverable is source code, not a compiled app. Buyers receive the full C# and XAML for the application, a Compact Database 3.5 file, and a user manual with annotated screenshots. That combination matters because it means the project can be opened, rebuilt and extended rather than merely installed.
The core capability is record management. An administrator can create a new employee entry, revise any stored field, and remove records that are no longer needed. This is standard create, read, update and delete behaviour — often abbreviated CRUD — implemented against a local database that lives on the device rather than on a server.
Search is the second pillar. Records can be located by name or by contact details, which turns a flat list of staff into something usable once the directory grows past a few dozen entries. The vendor does not state whether search runs against indexed columns or performs a simple string match, so performance at scale is unverified.
Communication actions are wired directly into each record. From an employee entry the app can place a phone call, compose an SMS, or open an email draft. This is the practical payoff of a directory app: the user finds a colleague and reaches them without copying a number into another application.
Because the storage layer is a Compact Database 3.5 file, the data model is portable in principle. A developer comfortable with SQLite or SQL Server Compact can inspect the schema, add fields such as department or job title, and adjust the XAML views to match. The vendor notes that modifying the Compact Database 3.5 component specifically requires Visual Studio 2010, which is an important constraint covered below.
Where This Employee Directory for Windows Phone Database Abstractions Project Fits
The strongest fit is a developer or agency that has inherited a Windows Phone codebase and needs a clean, small example of local database access with a navigable UI. The project is small enough to read end to end, which makes it useful as a teaching artefact for XAML data binding, page navigation and isolated storage patterns on the platform.
A second fit is an organisation still running Windows Phone 8 or 8.1 handsets in the field — warehouse scanners, delivery devices, or a locked-down internal fleet — that wants a lightweight staff lookup tool without commissioning custom development. At $28 the cost of trying it is negligible against the cost of writing the same screens from scratch.
A third scenario is prototyping. A freelancer demonstrating a directory concept to a client can use the working app as a starting point and rebrand the interface rather than building a throwaway proof of concept.
Where this is the wrong choice is any project targeting a current mobile platform. Windows Phone was discontinued by Microsoft, and the store that distributed these apps no longer accepts new submissions. A team building for iOS or Android today would be buying code it cannot ship. The same applies to anyone who needs cloud sync, multi-user permissions, or a backend API — none of that is present here, and adding it would mean writing a server layer that the package does not include.
Setting Up the Project in Practice
The prerequisites are specific and worth checking before purchase. Development requires Visual Studio 2012 Express for Windows Phone, or Visual Studio 2013. Editing the Compact Database 3.5 portion requires Visual Studio 2010, which means a developer may need two installations on the same machine depending on how deep the schema changes go.
The target platforms listed are Windows Phone 8.1, Windows Phone 8, and Windows Phone 7.5. Note that the opening description references 8.0 and 8.1 while the compatibility list adds 7.5; the vendor does not reconcile this, so a buyer targeting 7.5 should confirm with support before relying on it.
In practice the setup sequence is: install the matching Visual Studio edition and the Windows Phone SDK, open the supplied solution, restore or attach the Compact Database file, then build and deploy to an emulator or a registered developer-unlocked device. Deployment to a physical handset requires a developer account, which is a Microsoft-side step the package cannot bypass.
Realistically, a developer already familiar with Visual Studio can have the project compiling and running on an emulator within an hour or two. Customising fields, adjusting the interface, and localising labels is a longer job measured in days, and depends entirely on how far the buyer wants to move from the stock screens. The included user manual with screenshots shortens the orientation phase but is documentation for the app, not a development guide.
Strengths and Limitations of the Employee Directory for Windows Phone Database Abstractions Code
Strengths
- Complete, readable source code in C# and XAML, so the project can be modified rather than merely used.
- Local database storage with no server dependency, which keeps the app simple to deploy and run offline.
- Call, SMS and email actions built into each record, removing the usual copy-and-paste step between apps.
- Search by name and contact detail, which keeps larger directories navigable.
- Low entry price relative to the cost of writing equivalent screens and data access from scratch.
- A documented support contact is provided directly by the developer.
Limitations
- Windows Phone is a discontinued platform. The code cannot be published to a current app store and has no path to iOS or Android without a full rewrite.
- Modifying the Compact Database 3.5 layer requires Visual Studio 2010, a separate and dated installation from the 2012 or 2013 editions needed for the rest of the project.
- There is no backend, no synchronisation and no multi-user access control. Every device holds its own isolated copy of the data.
- The vendor does not publish sales figures, ratings, or a changelog, so there is no evidence of ongoing maintenance or how recently the code was updated.
- Platform support is stated inconsistently across the listing — 8.0 and 8.1 in one place, 7.5 through 8.1 in another — which requires clarification before purchase.
- No information is given about database encryption, so storing personal staff data on a device should be treated as a security consideration the buyer must resolve.
How It Compares With Other Database Abstraction and Directory Scripts
Most directory scripts sold on marketplaces today are web applications: PHP or JavaScript front ends backed by MySQL, with browser-based admin panels, user roles and cloud hosting. Those packages solve a different problem. They scale to hundreds of users, support remote access, and integrate with existing intranets, but they require a server and a hosting arrangement.
This package sits at the opposite end. It is a native, offline, single-device application. Its advantage is simplicity — no hosting bill, no network dependency, no server hardening — and its disadvantage is that the data does not travel. For a small team with a handful of shared handsets, that trade-off is acceptable. For a distributed workforce, it is disqualifying.
Against generic CRUD templates for other mobile frameworks, the comparison is about platform relevance rather than code quality. A Flutter or React Native template would offer a live ecosystem, current tooling and an active plugin market. This project offers a narrower, older stack. Buyers should choose based on which platform they actually need to ship to, not on which code is more elegant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can this employee directory app still be installed on a Windows Phone today?
Yes, if the handset is developer-unlocked. The app is deployed through Visual Studio rather than an app store, so it can be side-loaded onto a compatible device. Microsoft’s store no longer accepts new Windows Phone submissions, which means distribution is limited to direct installation on hardware the buyer controls.
Does the package include a backend or cloud database?
No. All data is stored locally in a Compact Database 3.5 file on the device itself. There is no server component, no API and no synchronisation between handsets. Each installation holds its own separate copy of the employee records, and merging data across devices would require custom development.
What development tools are needed to modify the source code?
Visual Studio 2012 Express for Windows Phone or Visual Studio 2013 handles the main project. Changing the Compact Database 3.5 schema additionally requires Visual Studio 2010, according to the vendor. The Windows Phone SDK must also be installed, and deploying to a physical handset needs a registered Microsoft developer account.
Is the employee data encrypted or password protected?
The vendor does not state that any encryption or access control is applied to the stored records. Buyers handling personal staff information should assume the database file is readable on an unlocked device and add their own protection, or treat the app as suitable only for non-sensitive directory data.
Verdict
This is a sensible purchase for a developer who needs a compact, working example of a Windows Phone app with local database storage, or for an organisation still operating Windows Phone hardware that wants a functional staff directory it can compile and adjust. The price is low enough that the source code alone justifies the cost as a learning or reference asset. It is the wrong purchase for anyone building for current mobile platforms, for teams needing shared or synchronised data, and for projects with strict data protection requirements, since encryption is not addressed. The absence of published sales figures and the inconsistent platform support statement are reasons to contact the developer before buying rather than after.
