"How-to" question from an Access novice

[El Marko]

I am just acquainting myself with Microsoft Access. I am trying to create a
way to keep track of the ink and toner used by the printers at my company. I
was using an Excel spreadsheet, but we have too many different printers and
associated inks or toners.

The duplications are killing me. Different locations use the same print
device model. Different models of printers use the same inkjet or toner
cartridge. I thought this would be simple. Ha!

Twice a month, I need to get a report to the purchasing department informing
them of how many of each cartridge we have. They also need to know how many
print devices are affected by each supply so they can order an appropriate
quantity. For me, it's also handy to know the physical location of each
print device.

Anybody here done this?

 

[Joseph Meehan]

I am just acquainting myself with Microsoft Access. I am trying to
create a way to keep track of the ink and toner used by the printers
at my company. I was using an Excel spreadsheet, but we have too many
different printers and associated inks or toners.

The duplications are killing me. Different locations use the same
print device model. Different models of printers use the same inkjet
or toner cartridge. I thought this would be simple. Ha!

Twice a month, I need to get a report to the purchasing department
informing them of how many of each cartridge we have. They also need
to know how many print devices are affected by each supply so they
can order an appropriate quantity. For me, it's also handy to know
the physical location of each print device.

Anybody here done this?

I have not done this, but it sounds like a good Access project and a
good one for you to start learning on.

I would start with a table listing each printer.

A second table would have each printer type and the type(s) of toner -
ink it might need.

A third table would be the toner - ink used by each printer

You will need to link the tables #1 to #2 and #1 to #3 to #2

You can set up drop down list to help with data entry and a variety of
reports.

I know this is likely to sound a little complex, but if you take some
time to look at the Northwind example database that should have come with
Access and maybe a little reading of the help files and an Access book it
will be a great learning experience.

It is not something that I believe lends itself to a step by step
instructions on a newsgroup, but it is the kind of project that you can come
back and ask specific questions as you go.

Think NORMALIZE, which means when you start seeing repeated entries of
the same data, it likely should exist only once in a related table.

Have fun.

 

[El Marko]

Thanks for the quick reply!

Normalize is tough. Bobby, Betty, and Billy use the same model 880cse
printer, just not the same particular device.

The 3 inkjet models xx12 in Accounting use the same black ink as the 2
inkjet models xx13 in Purchasing. But the xx13 uses the same color ink as
the xx22 in Manufacturing.

And so on......

 

[Joseph Meehan]

Thanks for the quick reply!

Normalize is tough. Bobby, Betty, and Billy use the same model 880cse
printer, just not the same particular device.

The 3 inkjet models xx12 in Accounting use the same black ink as the 2
inkjet models xx13 in Purchasing. But the xx13 uses the same color
ink as the xx22 in Manufacturing.

And so on......

Yea. Consider it a challenge. I consider it both a science and an art.
Once you understand the idea, then your knowledge of the specific situation
comes into play along with your ability to forecast and foresee the future.