Hello,

I am a new assistant in my company. We are trying to organize information
for easy access to employees. I currently have the Office 2007 Ultimate
Suite. My sales department and fabrication manager only have Excel 2003,
Word 2003, Power Point 2003, and Outlook 2003. My designer does not have any
of these, (perhaps only Outlook 2000?). I would like to put information in
one open accessible document per work order. My thought is to have all the
information needed displayable in a browser. As in collecting and storing
data, my team believes Excel should be the master file. (I am almost
convinced that Access is more promising for our needs, yet I am the only one
with the program which I think makes it difficult for others to view.) At
this time we run a LAN with a mapped drive on each PC to a base folder on a
desktop PC running Windows XP. We are researching a server and software
within a tight budget but with the future in mind. Before we go further with
purchasing this technology I must be able to have our current system function
somewhat efficiently to persuade accounts payable how a server based system
with whatever software will increase work flow. In the attempt to create
this system I have been using the Online training. The Online training
covers processes I am familiar with using and I am mathematically educated
but connecting all my information has left me in a haze of data. So I ask
you Microsoft , before sending me off to sales, what do I need to understand
to have excel work in the following;

Workbook A = [1 sheet total] Contacts €“ contains first, last, addy, city,
st, zip, ph., fax, mobile, email, category, & notes (?is it possible to make
this some other database, outlook or access?)

Workbook B = [##sheets total] €“ work order project

[Sheet1] €“ Fields (same as contacts in workbook A) sales
associate is allowed to enter first and/or last, then [query] button to
workbook A = results~ if true then auto-fill remaining fields, if false
:statement €œcontact not listed in directory, please enter details€�
[submit]button

There are 4 contacts per order the remaining three would function as above
with the option to check box €“ same as #1

End = [Next] button



[Sheet2] €“ Number of objects , this is one cell for input,
this qty creates # of additional cells below that drop down select [Object
names] where each object name creates additional sheets

Then master fields with drop down selection makes default for addition
pages and qty is qty based on input from added sheets

[Sheet3 (or 3+n)]- Printed document , where I link most
previous data and need help with formula that =###.yy €œr€�## where ### =number
+1 of previous workbooks (work orders) during year and r## = number resaves
of workbook

[Sheet4(or 4+n)] - time sheet totals that links to
workbookC (daily time sheets) and workbookD (current and closed workorders)



FINISH





As you see I think I really need a better understanding of FORMS? And how to
link input to finalization via open workbook or web input. I also think if
I can make sense of this in Excel I will have a better understanding in
Access later. Please guide me in the right direction. My knowledge is
limited but not obstructed. Thank you.



Sincerely,

Andrew

You are not really talking directly to Microsoft on this connection, although
they do monitor it periodically.

As a matter of opinion, Access makes a better database file, but Excel can
be used for limited database functions and has more flexibility in
applications. With a little planning, you can create a very efficient Excel
database and reduce your learning curve time for other employees, since most
of them have probably used Excel enough to readily make inputs and execute
procedures.

In regards to your server project, have one of your buyers contact some of
the LAN equipment companies. They will probably give you demonstrations for
nothing if you can give them an idea of how you plan to use it. Let them
convince your accounting folks of the advantages. Sounds like you are in
Jerassic Park.





"andypi" wrote:



Hello,

I am a new assistant in my company. We are trying to organize information
for easy access to employees. I currently have the Office 2007 Ultimate
Suite. My sales department and fabrication manager only have Excel 2003,
Word 2003, Power Point 2003, and Outlook 2003. My designer does not have any
of these, (perhaps only Outlook 2000?). I would like to put information in
one open accessible document per work order. My thought is to have all the
information needed displayable in a browser. As in collecting and storing
data, my team believes Excel should be the master file. (I am almost
convinced that Access is more promising for our needs, yet I am the only one
with the program which I think makes it difficult for others to view.) At
this time we run a LAN with a mapped drive on each PC to a base folder on a
desktop PC running Windows XP. We are researching a server and software
within a tight budget but with the future in mind. Before we go further with
purchasing this technology I must be able to have our current system function
somewhat efficiently to persuade accounts payable how a server based system
with whatever software will increase work flow. In the attempt to create
this system I have been using the Online training. The Online training
covers processes I am familiar with using and I am mathematically educated
but connecting all my information has left me in a haze of data. So I ask
you Microsoft , before sending me off to sales, what do I need to understand
to have excel work in the following;

Workbook A = [1 sheet total] Contacts €“ contains first, last, addy, city,
st, zip, ph., fax, mobile, email, category, & notes (?is it possible to make
this some other database, outlook or access?)

Workbook B = [##sheets total] €“ work order project

[Sheet1] €“ Fields (same as contacts in workbook A) sales
associate is allowed to enter first and/or last, then [query] button to
workbook A = results~ if true then auto-fill remaining fields, if false
:statement €œcontact not listed in directory, please enter details€�
[submit]button

There are 4 contacts per order the remaining three would function as above
with the option to check box €“ same as #1

End = [Next] button



[Sheet2] €“ Number of objects , this is one cell for input,
this qty creates # of additional cells below that drop down select [Object
names] where each object name creates additional sheets

Then master fields with drop down selection makes default for addition
pages and qty is qty based on input from added sheets

[Sheet3 (or 3+n)]- Printed document , where I link most
previous data and need help with formula that =###.yy €œr€�## where ### =number
+1 of previous workbooks (work orders) during year and r## = number resaves
of workbook

[Sheet4(or 4+n)] - time sheet totals that links to
workbookC (daily time sheets) and workbookD (current and closed workorders)



FINISH





As you see I think I really need a better understanding of FORMS? And how to
link input to finalization via open workbook or web input. I also think if
I can make sense of this in Excel I will have a better understanding in
Access later. Please guide me in the right direction. My knowledge is
limited but not obstructed. Thank you.



Sincerely,

Andrew

Although I can't answer all your questions I had a problem where not all
users have "Access" on their computer but had excel 2003.

I created a database on mine, and used SQL statements with Excel VBA to do
things with records/data such as reading, updating, deleting records. This
was done with an ADODB connection (something you might want to read up) and
has enabled excel to act as a front end with a database stored on the
network.



"andypi" wrote:



Hello,

I am a new assistant in my company. We are trying to organize information
for easy access to employees. I currently have the Office 2007 Ultimate
Suite. My sales department and fabrication manager only have Excel 2003,
Word 2003, Power Point 2003, and Outlook 2003. My designer does not have any
of these, (perhaps only Outlook 2000?). I would like to put information in
one open accessible document per work order. My thought is to have all the
information needed displayable in a browser. As in collecting and storing
data, my team believes Excel should be the master file. (I am almost
convinced that Access is more promising for our needs, yet I am the only one
with the program which I think makes it difficult for others to view.) At
this time we run a LAN with a mapped drive on each PC to a base folder on a
desktop PC running Windows XP. We are researching a server and software
within a tight budget but with the future in mind. Before we go further with
purchasing this technology I must be able to have our current system function
somewhat efficiently to persuade accounts payable how a server based system
with whatever software will increase work flow. In the attempt to create
this system I have been using the Online training. The Online training
covers processes I am familiar with using and I am mathematically educated
but connecting all my information has left me in a haze of data. So I ask
you Microsoft , before sending me off to sales, what do I need to understand
to have excel work in the following;

Workbook A = [1 sheet total] Contacts €“ contains first, last, addy, city,
st, zip, ph., fax, mobile, email, category, & notes (?is it possible to make
this some other database, outlook or access?)

Workbook B = [##sheets total] €“ work order project

[Sheet1] €“ Fields (same as contacts in workbook A) sales
associate is allowed to enter first and/or last, then [query] button to
workbook A = results~ if true then auto-fill remaining fields, if false
:statement €œcontact not listed in directory, please enter details€�
[submit]button

There are 4 contacts per order the remaining three would function as above
with the option to check box €“ same as #1

End = [Next] button



[Sheet2] €“ Number of objects , this is one cell for input,
this qty creates # of additional cells below that drop down select [Object
names] where each object name creates additional sheets

Then master fields with drop down selection makes default for addition
pages and qty is qty based on input from added sheets

[Sheet3 (or 3+n)]- Printed document , where I link most
previous data and need help with formula that =###.yy €œr€�## where ### =number
+1 of previous workbooks (work orders) during year and r## = number resaves
of workbook

[Sheet4(or 4+n)] - time sheet totals that links to
workbookC (daily time sheets) and workbookD (current and closed workorders)



FINISH





As you see I think I really need a better understanding of FORMS? And how to
link input to finalization via open workbook or web input. I also think if
I can make sense of this in Excel I will have a better understanding in
Access later. Please guide me in the right direction. My knowledge is
limited but not obstructed. Thank you.



Sincerely,

Andrew