running total problem - non unique date

[Guest]

Hi,
I am trying to get access 97 to do a running total query without much success.
I posted an earlier question on the subject, but the solution still did not
work:

http://support.microsoft.com/newsgr...-4d78-9fce-4349995d05cf&sloc=en-us&sloc=en-us

I believe the problem is that i am trying to calculate a running total field
ordered by date, but there is more than one value for activity for each date.
This is the result that i need :

Date Activity running total of activity
12/02/04 5 5
13/02/04 6 11
13/02/04 3 14
13/02/04 11 25
21/03/04 1 26
etc.
Please could someone advise me of the best way to achieve this?
Thanks,
Ed.

 

[Guest]

running totals, I'm sure are possible in a query, but could be very tricky..

I'd suggest downloading the query to Excel.. It would be MUCH easier to
implement a running total in excel.

*** Also a pretty common practice to use Access and Excel in tandem. Access
for storing the data, Excel for analysis and reporting

 

[Guest]

Tom,
I was beginning to come to that conclusion myself!!
Trouble is that i want to be able to add a link to the database switchboard
eventually, so that future users can easily view reports on the project. I
need to do several graphs from the results of these queries for the report.
Do you know if it is relatively simple to open a particular excel worksheet
from access, and whether a worksheet can be continously updated from access
data?
Thanks,
Ed

 

[Guest]

yes and yes, BUT..
It very easy to open an excel workbook from a button in access
AND pretty easy to keep data continuously updated.

BUT it's probably something you should read in a book..

basically one way you can do it is (in code) set a reference to Microsoft
Excel (x.0) library. Then use object variables to open it..

 

[John Vinson]

Hi,
I am trying to get access 97 to do a running total query without much success.
I posted an earlier question on the subject, but the solution still did not
work:

http://support.microsoft.com/newsgr...-4d78-9fce-4349995d05cf&sloc=en-us&sloc=en-us

I believe the problem is that i am trying to calculate a running total field
ordered by date, but there is more than one value for activity for each date.
This is the result that i need :

Date Activity running total of activity
12/02/04 5 5
13/02/04 6 11
13/02/04 3 14
13/02/04 11 25
21/03/04 1 26
etc.
Please could someone advise me of the best way to achieve this?
Thanks,
Ed.

Only by having SOME field which defines an unambiguous order on the
records. You could use the Date/Time (Now() ) rather than the date, or
use a sequential Autonumber, or some other field which is unique and
strictly ascending.

If you have three records on the same date - then Access has no way to
decide which "you" want first and which last; they're all tied.

John W. Vinson[MVP]