form advise

  • Thread starter Thread starter marta
  • Start date Start date
M

marta

Hello,
I have a database to which a number of people contribute
data. Because I am the only one in the group that has
Access, they submit the data to me in Excel form and then
I transfer it using the Paste Append method. It would be
a great time saver to be able to automate this process.
Do you have any advise on how to best automate the data
entry process?
My limitations are these:
-I will be the only one with access to Access
-People contributing data will have access to excel as
their data entry interface
-The data entry form has to be simple and easy to
understand
-I will need to review the data before it is saved in its
final destination table

I really appreciate your advise
thanks in advance
Marta
 
Hi

A quick generic answer would be *structure*. In your situation where you're
moving data between two applications where one (Access) is more structured
than the other (Excel), you would impose more structure on the less
structured application. I would put structure on the format of the different
excel spreadsheets, maybe even use a consistent naming scheme, so they can
be processed easily in Access.

Just an example,
- I would link each excel spreadsheet as a table to the Access database.
This linking to Excel spreadsheets highlights the importance of structure. I
would make sure the name and location of the excel spreadsheets stay the
same and the data within them are consistent (i.e. columnar). Essentially,
the more structure the better.
- I would use append queries to append records from the linked spreadsheets
to the Access table.
- Forms can be built to create user friendly interface (i.e. form to review
each linked spreadsheet to make sure they're okay, form to automate the
execution of the Append queries, etc.)

Again the above is simply a general idea.

HTH
Immanuel Sibero
 
Back
Top