Just a comment.. on usefullness of Access...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Fred Boer
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Fred Boer

Tomorrow is field day at my school. Before computers, it used to take the
two Phys. Ed. teachers about week to create the schedules, tally sheets and
result sheets for the events. Now they use an Access database which I
created (with lots of help from Jeff Conrad for the reports and Sandra
Daigle for the multi-select list boxes). Using a laptop, the Phys. Ed. staff
can easily enter their own data. Today they brought me a diskette, and
within 30 seconds the printer was spitting out all the necessary forms.

Now, please believe me, my point isn't "Oh, look how clever Fred is.."; far
from it! It just really struck me when I was watching those reports
printing out after a few mouse clicks, how useful and powerful Access is,
and how neat it is that a non-programmer can use it to create something that
can save so much time.

Anyway, I.m sure many of you have felt the same way! <g>


Cheers!
Fred

P.S. Yea, I know, soon I'll be posting again after pulling my hair out over
some Access problem or other... <g>
 
And, yes..your story of someone with determination and wanting to improving
things for people around you is a familiar story that goes with ms-access. I
have heard your story often.

I actually think that database stuff is perhaps the MOST useful thing you
can do with a computer.

Sure, writing letters is really cool with word, and I can't imagine going
back to a typewriter. However, data systems have the potential to save the
most time.

And, yes..access is remarkable tool (despite some of its quirks!)......you
just have to be patient and spend some time learning the tool. With some
honest effort, and some sweat...over time it all comes together. It
obviously did for you!

That is a great story Fred. Thanks for sharing that with us.
 
Yes, I think the time-saving thing is really what hit me the most...

BTW, Albert... shouldn't you be watching the Calgary game? ;)

Fred
 
Fred Boer said:
Yes, I think the time-saving thing is really what hit me the most...

BTW, Albert... shouldn't you be watching the Calgary game? ;)

Fred
Click to expand...

On my notebook...wireless wifi....and the TV is on!.....

Tampa is up 1 to 0 over Calgary...and TB just got a power play....
 
Fred Boer said:
Yes, I think the time-saving thing is really what hit me the most...

BTW, Albert... shouldn't you be watching the Calgary game? ;)
Click to expand...

Calgary game? Football's started already?

Seriously I think I've seen the headlines in the newspaper sports
section as I flip by it mention something about Calgary being in the
Stanley Cup finals.

Ah, you mean that's why there's been a few cars with some kinda
stupid, red flag waving from their windows.

Tony (who also doesn't have a TV.)

--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
 
falling well into the non-programmer category myself, i know exactly what
you mean, Fred. there's nothing more satisfying that building a db to
support somebody's manual, labor-intensive process - and then seeing the
delight in their face when that process-time is cut down 40%, 60%, 80% or
more. it's sure not "instant" gratification, but it's the best i've found.
and it's way cool to see people using a db you designed and built -
especially when it works right! <g> sometimes you just say "man, i really
did that..." and you realize again that it's just so amazing that this
software makes it possible for a non-programmer to build these things!
 
Thanks Fred for the surprise praise; that was very nice!
Were these the reports we did last year? That's very good
to hear how much time you saved everyone on this task.
More time with the students and less time at the computer.

I sure hope you removed me from the shot put list. You
know I would not even be able to throw that thing outside
the starting circle!

I'll have to share my own Access success story. We had
restaurants in Oregon, Washington, Montana, Colorado,
Arizona, New Mexico, and California at one time. Each
night the closing manager was supposed to call or fax in
their daily numbers to their Regional Manager. Each
Regional Manager would send their store's numbers to the
office by fax where someone in the office would put them
all together on a spreadsheet. This complete list would
then be given to each of the *important people* in the
office as well as back to the Regional Managers. Of
course, every night several store's would forget to send
their numbers and a telephone tag would commence the next
morning. Keep in mind EVERY one of these calls/faxes was a
long distance charge.

I knew there had to be a better way to do this so I took
it upon myself to create a very simpe database program for
the stores to enter their daily numbers. No one asked me
to do this and quite frankly no one even considered that
this COULD be done.

I created the program, rolled it out to each store
remotely through PcAnywhere and trained the managers
before even discussing it with the higher ranks. Each
store's database had linked tables to a backend on a VPN
server which we already had. So each store connected to
their ISP, then to the VPN, and entered their numbers.
(And yes, Albert this was a WAN setup! ;-))

I then remotely set up each Regional Manager's home
computer to pull up daily/weekly/monthly reports on the
numbers. They could sit at home and see how everyone did
before going to bed. The big wigs in the office could come
in the morning and pull up the same reports. So we saved
the Regional Manager's time, the time for the person in
the office who used to compile all this info, and lots of
money on long distance charges!! And since all this info
was in a database we could easily run reports comparing
various periods and/or years. Total cost: just a little
bit of my time and some setup long distance charges.
That's it!

And what still amazes me is that I did this when I was
first starting out with Access!! I had only a fraction of
the knowledge I have now! Access truly is a powerful
program for the beginner and the advanced!
 
Right on, Fred.

You have hit the proverbial nail on the head when it comes to what Access
means to the non-professional developer. Access is used by more people than
all other databases combined. Stories like yours occur literally millions of
times, and folks like you are what make it happen. You're too modest. We've
seen how much help you've given to others as well. And don't forget your
contributions to the Ten Commandments:

http://www.mvps.org/access/tencommandments.htm

Like you, I am in awe of the power that Access gives me. My earlier
experiences are documented at:

http://www.microsoft.com/Office/previous/access/10years/meyer.asp
--
Arvin Meyer, MCP, MVP
Microsoft Access
Free Access downloads:
http://www.datastrat.com
http://www.mvps.org/access
 
Yes, Jeff.. those were the reports I was referring to...

As you recall, I was frantically trying to implement this application last
year, and you responded to my SOS with the modified reports. The stress of
the situation meant that I didn't really appreciate how much time the
application would save. This year, things were done on time, and I was
thrilled at how well it went...

Nice to hear your success story as well!

Cheers!
Fred
 
Well, thanks Arvin <blush>... I enjoyed reading your article as well. You
did a great job of conveying your enthusiasm and the excitement you felt!

Cheers!
Fred
 
The authorities have been notified... A large screen television with a 24/7
hockey feed, a two-four of beer, and 10 kilograms of back bacon will be
delivered to Mr. Toews' home shortly, at which point his re-education will
begin....
 
I am happy you feel the same way! Now, in my experience, I don't get the
"delighted faces" - more normally it's the "blank, disinterested stares" <g>
That's why I like hanging around in these Newsgroups so much. This is the
only place I've found where I can find other people who share an enthusiasm
for Access and its possibilities. It's like a little "secret society"... ;)

Fred

P.S. Now all we need are t-shirts and secret decoder rings....
 
Fred Boer said:
The authorities have been notified... A large screen television with a 24/7
hockey feed, a two-four of beer, and 10 kilograms of back bacon will be
delivered to Mr. Toews' home shortly, at which point his re-education will
begin....
Click to expand...

<shudder> My next purchase though will be a projector for watching
DVD movies.

I don't want the two-four because my favourite beer only comes in six
or maybe 12 packs. Traditional Ale from
http://www.bigrockbeer.com/03brands/03beers.html to be specific.

Back bacon has much less fat than most bacons, it's almost ham, so
that'd be fine.

Oh yeah, take off you hoser, eh.

(Inside joke for those of us who watched Bob & Doug McKenzie in the
Great White North. And yes I did go see the Adventures of Bob & Doug
McKenzie: Strange Brew movie when it played.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086373/)

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
 
LOL, eh!

Fred


Tony Toews said:
<shudder> My next purchase though will be a projector for watching
DVD movies.

I don't want the two-four because my favourite beer only comes in six
or maybe 12 packs. Traditional Ale from
http://www.bigrockbeer.com/03brands/03beers.html to be specific.

Back bacon has much less fat than most bacons, it's almost ham, so
that'd be fine.

Oh yeah, take off you hoser, eh.

(Inside joke for those of us who watched Bob & Doug McKenzie in the
Great White North. And yes I did go see the Adventures of Bob & Doug
McKenzie: Strange Brew movie when it played.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086373/)

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Click to expand...
 
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