[Web4lib] custom form and web app development with wordpress

[c]

I have to develop several custom forms, some basic web apps and at least one
custom data type which tracks multiple pieces of information for each entry
for our new sites and I was wondering if there are any plugins or tools out
there that help with this sort of development with Wordpress. Or do people
pretty much universally just write them in php and interact with a custom
table in the WP db?

The forms will mostly be pretty basic requesting borrower proxies and things
like acquisitions request forms with 15 or so fields that I would need to
mail the submissions to our acquisitions department and to store all entries
in a table so I can run reports on requests later.

The basic web apps would be things like a leave request application for a
small group (25 or less). This would allow someone to submit a request for
time off with a begin date, end date, type of leave, number of days of
different types of leave and would automatically notify the supervisor of
the person who submitted the request. The supervisor would then need to be
able to approve or disapprove the leave request. If leave requests are
approved then it would need to generate an email to another person and for
the pie in the sky moment, if it could create entries on an outlook web
calendar, I would be filled with joy.

I also need to create a database of library databases (online access to full
text and other journals and resources). I need to track the db name, url,
brief description, long description, what searching methods use that
resource, related subject categories, tutorial links and the like. I need to
be able to allow a user to search for a given database and update its
information or add new entries. I will generate alphabetical and subject
listings based off of the content of the table.

So am I pretty much looking at fun with mysql, php, my favorite editor and
some custom templates for pages on sites, or are there any tools out there
that take some of the drudge work out of the experience?

Thanks,
Purcell