Using excel to manage event - ANY input deeply appreciated! :-)

[Guest]

Hello!

I am an event manager currently working to set up a system that can handle
the planning process of a sporting event.

Background: I am one of three people left in the run for an event director
job for one of the largest soccer clubs in Scandinavia. I received the
following task for next interview:

Next week I have to present an efficient management system, that can
systematize the processes of planning, coordinating and managing the club's
sporting event (soccer match). There are generally 20.000 people visiting the
game, and there 600 people (including volunteers) working the game. I need to
be able to put all the logistics and people in their right place. This must
be done in Excel, since they have used this for years in the managing
process.

I have the event management skills, and know excel medium well, but have
never used excel like this...! How could this be done?

I TRULY APPRECIATE ANY INPUT THAT CAN HELP ME GET THIS JOB!!

Best regards,
Ole J. Belboe

 

[Guest]

The thought of using Excel to manage 600 some people at multiple events (over
time) would scare the hell outta me. Sure it's not a trick question and they
really want you to build an Access system?

 

[Andrew Houghton]

Excel has extensive VBA functionality, although I would agree with Ricter
but would not opt for Access, rather Sequel. However...

You do not specify what the final output(s) need to be, what the decisions
are that excel needs to make and based on what criteria. I suppose that if I
were given this task then I would simply break it down into it's various
tasks and code them up using VBA.

I always add a sheet for lookups and constants etc and then write a series
of routines which work their way through the data and have successfully
managed to write large management systems in Excel when required.

Not sure if this helps but good luck anyway.

Andy

 

[Bill Martin]

Hello!

I am an event manager currently working to set up a system that can handle
the planning process of a sporting event.

Background: I am one of three people left in the run for an event director
job for one of the largest soccer clubs in Scandinavia. I received the
following task for next interview:

Next week I have to present an efficient management system, that can
systematize the processes of planning, coordinating and managing the club's
sporting event (soccer match). There are generally 20.000 people visiting the
game, and there 600 people (including volunteers) working the game. I need to
be able to put all the logistics and people in their right place. This must
be done in Excel, since they have used this for years in the managing
process.

I have the event management skills, and know excel medium well, but have
never used excel like this...! How could this be done?

I TRULY APPRECIATE ANY INPUT THAT CAN HELP ME GET THIS JOB!!

Best regards,
Ole J. Belboe

---------------------------

Go to Google and search with the words Excel and "Pert Chart" and you'll find
lots of project management stuff. Or tell it to do the search only on the
Microsoft.com web site and you'll still find a lot.

The thing is do they want one computer that you're watching to coordinate
things, or somehow to link together 100 machines? Very different problems.

Bill