We have started using a variant of a bar code reader to
read the serial numbers on parts that we process. The way
it works is that the parts arrive in boxes of 10 in some
particular order. As they are unpacked they are scanned
one by one. The scanning program inserts the serial
number into an Excel spreadsheet, starting at a selected
cell (say A2), then advances to A3. The next part is
scanned, its serial number is inserted into A3, A4 is
selected, another part is scanned, and so forth. There
could be up to 500 parts. Each group of 10 cells would
have a border around it, labeled Box 1, Box 2, etc. Cells
A2 - A11 would be labeled Box 1, A12 - A21 would be Box 2,
and so forth.
As the parts are processed they do not stay in any
particular order. When processing is completed the parts
are again scanned, starting at a selected cell such as
B2. The idea is that as each part is scanned, the
corresponding serial number from column A is highlighted
in some way. If the first serial number scanned at the
end of processing is 123456, and 123456 is in A15 from the
original scan, Excel will either highlight A15 or will
indicate in B2 that its match is in A15 (or maybe even
show something in B2 such as "Box 2, Compartment 4").
One final point is that if highlighting is used, it would
have to be canceled as each new part is scanned, or it
could become difficult to see which new cell was
highlighted. In other words, only one highlighted cell at
a time.
I am open to suggestion. I don't even know if VBA is the
best approach. I do know that this needs to happen in
Excel.