Considering using Access

[Joe Rivera]

I own and operate a taxi company in CT and need to computerize my operation. A friend has suggested using access to store our accounts, reservations, print reports, etc. I am currently using Access 2000 and have been studying it alot lately trying to figure whether or not my needs can be met using Access.

I have been plannning this all out ahead of time on paper so that I can look at what my needs are and will be in the future in an attempt to save myself some agrivation when or if I try to make this work.

Basically what I am looking for is an application that can be networked in small office, I have 2 phone operators, one dispatcher, I need the jobs the operators are entering into a form to automatically update in the form the dispatcher is using, so that he will have up to date information. I will also need a variety of reports, including a "snapshot" report, showing jobs in a specific time frame so that he can plan his day more efficiently. This seems to be alot of work, but alot of work in not my problem..

As of right now, it seems as though this can be done with Access, the problem I am having is when I try to determine how the customer records table will work. I am thinking each customer will be assigned a number, which will continuously grow (autonumber), however, my problem is that certain people use our service everyday, some only on Mondays, or Tuesday, etc. Would using a macro be the best way to accomplish that, or would an action query be more effective? Can I have either of those functions automatically insert the information desired by perimeters I set in the query and also change the date to the current date? Also... I need some advise as to how I should plan out my customer table, should each customer using the service have a identifying number? But how will I link alternate trips together, people going certain days, etc

I need help, any suggestions are much appreciated.

Joe

 

[Ken Snell]

I recommend that you purchase a book on ACCESS as a starting point. A book
will give you good start on designing table structures, interacting with
data via forms, printing information via reports, etc.

I congratulate you heartily for taking time with paper and pencil to begin
planning out what the database will contain and what you want it to do. You
indeed will save hours of redesign and aggravation later by taking some
hours now to do this before you ever open a new database file.

May I encourage you to step back from the questions about how will you
update the table (macro / VBA / etc.) and how you'll pass info
along....instead, first focus heavily on designing the tables so that you'll
store the right data in the right format in the right way. From there,
questions about how to do these specific things will easily come and flow.

ACCESS will be a good tool for what you want to do....but do note that,
unlike most other Office software programs, ACCESS will "demand" a lot of
upfront learning time (and frustration) from you as you begin to master
it -- it is not just an "out of the box and set it up" program. As you climb
the mountain of learning, each new idea will become easier, and then, all of
a sudden, you'll be breezing along!

Your note does not give us sufficient details to understand what you want to
"do" with the different days, different people, etc. It sounds as if you are
mixing customers and sales information? May I suggest that your first step
is to fully define the data types that you want to store in ACCESS, such as
- customer number, name, information
- taxi vehicle number, type, location
- taxi ride pickup location, dropoff location, fare amount, day of taxi
ride
- payment amount, payment date

and so on. Consider every possible type of information that you conceivably
would want to capture / know about your business ... and keep in the back of
your mind that you'll think of more things later on, no matter how many you
think of now.

Use these newsgroups to bounce ideas about table design and structure --
about how to interact with the data in order to accomplish / display /
report / update specific things -- and so on. You're embarking on a
challenging, but a rewarding, adventure...one all of us here have begun and
are still on!
--
Ken Snell
<MS ACCESS MVP>

I own and operate a taxi company in CT and need to computerize my

operation. A friend has suggested using access to store our accounts,
reservations, print reports, etc. I am currently using Access 2000 and have
been studying it alot lately trying to figure whether or not my needs can be
met using Access.

I have been plannning this all out ahead of time on paper so that I can

look at what my needs are and will be in the future in an attempt to save
myself some agrivation when or if I try to make this work.

Basically what I am looking for is an application that can be networked in

small office, I have 2 phone operators, one dispatcher, I need the jobs the
operators are entering into a form to automatically update in the form the
dispatcher is using, so that he will have up to date information. I will
also need a variety of reports, including a "snapshot" report, showing jobs
in a specific time frame so that he can plan his day more efficiently. This
seems to be alot of work, but alot of work in not my problem...

As of right now, it seems as though this can be done with Access, the

problem I am having is when I try to determine how the customer records
table will work. I am thinking each customer will be assigned a number,
which will continuously grow (autonumber), however, my problem is that
certain people use our service everyday, some only on Mondays, or Tuesday,
etc. Would using a macro be the best way to accomplish that, or would an
action query be more effective? Can I have either of those functions
automatically insert the information desired by perimeters I set in the
query and also change the date to the current date? Also... I need some
advise as to how I should plan out my customer table, should each customer
using the service have a identifying number? But how will I link alternate
trips together, people going certain days, etc.

 

[tina]

hi Joe. sounds like database you're proposing will be "mission-critical".
Access is an extremely powerful and versatile tool, and I have no doubt it
can handle the tasks you describe, but...

IMHO: unless you have a solid grounding in a programming language (if not
VBA, then another) and/or *previous experience in relational database
design* and/or plenty of experience in using Access - you're setting
yourself quite a task. if you try to "learn as you build", the time
investment alone will be formidable for a busy company owner, never mind the
cost of fixing mistakes. because of the importance of the database to your
company's operation, i would really suggest you hire a professional to do
the job for you. (and no, i'm not trying to drum up work for myself. i'm not
good enough to take on a mission-critical project). if you don't hire
someone initally to build the database, it's likely you'll have to hire
someone later to fix it.

hth

I own and operate a taxi company in CT and need to computerize my

operation. A friend has suggested using access to store our accounts,
reservations, print reports, etc. I am currently using Access 2000 and have
been studying it alot lately trying to figure whether or not my needs can be
met using Access.

I have been plannning this all out ahead of time on paper so that I can

look at what my needs are and will be in the future in an attempt to save
myself some agrivation when or if I try to make this work.

Basically what I am looking for is an application that can be networked in

small office, I have 2 phone operators, one dispatcher, I need the jobs the
operators are entering into a form to automatically update in the form the
dispatcher is using, so that he will have up to date information. I will
also need a variety of reports, including a "snapshot" report, showing jobs
in a specific time frame so that he can plan his day more efficiently. This
seems to be alot of work, but alot of work in not my problem...

As of right now, it seems as though this can be done with Access, the

problem I am having is when I try to determine how the customer records
table will work. I am thinking each customer will be assigned a number,
which will continuously grow (autonumber), however, my problem is that
certain people use our service everyday, some only on Mondays, or Tuesday,
etc. Would using a macro be the best way to accomplish that, or would an
action query be more effective? Can I have either of those functions
automatically insert the information desired by perimeters I set in the
query and also change the date to the current date? Also... I need some
advise as to how I should plan out my customer table, should each customer
using the service have a identifying number? But how will I link alternate
trips together, people going certain days, etc.

 

[Joe Fallon]

Ditto.
You should hire a Pro to do the work for you.
It will pay for itself many times over.
PLUS - you can have all the input into the design that you want and when it
is done you can teach yourself all about Access on a COPY of a working
application that you have a deep understanding of.

And I am not looking for work either so...

 

[TC]

I concur with tina. As a business owner, I imagine you do not have time to
waste. If designing a database was a simple task, you could maybe do it
yourself, to save the expense of getting anyone else, and/or as a learning
exercise. But believe me - there is >no way< you will be able to build an
acceptable system, for your stated need, with no previous experience, by
learning as you go, without disrupting your business along the way!

It's like me, with no qualifications or experience as an architect or
builder, saying: "I think I'll design & build a house!". Sure I could do
that - after going to some trade courses, working as a builders' apprentice,
perhaps taking an architectural college course, & so on. I'd be crazy just
to buy some materials, & get into it!

Cheers,
TC

 

[Lynn Trapp]

Now... if you are all NOT looking for work, how can I find someone who can
do what I want done, prices, etc...? I am only going on what I have learned
and what my knowledgable? employee tells me.
If you are looking for a developer close to you, then you might take the
time to post a message to MVP Dirk Goldgar who lives in New Jersey. If you
don't mind using someone who is farther away, then you could just post a
message in general that you are looking for a developer. Several of the
MVP's are independent contractors and would be happy to have your work. I
have a "day job" myself or I might be sending you a bid..<g>

--
Lynn Trapp
MS Access MVP
www.ltcomputerdesigns.com
Access Security: www.ltcomputerdesigns.com/Security.htm

Thanks everyone, I do have an employee that has a great deal of

programming experience, she has done it for about 16 and has since moved on
from it, it was initially her idea to use Access. She is very good with the
program, so I hear... I do fully understand the points raised, and feel as
though I agree with alot of what you say. It is quite a task to build such a
complicated program using Access with no real experience in it, myself. I
also like the analogy of the builder, that put some things in prospective
for me, thank you.

My time as a business owner is not little as you might think, thats why we

hire managers. They deal with most day to day things, I have concluded one
thing though, our current dispatching practices arent working anymore, my
employees are getting burned out quicker than they should, and I also think
I must be the only taxi service in CT to not work off a computer.

Now... if you are all NOT looking for work, how can I find someone who can

do what I want done, prices, etc...? I am only going on what I have learned
and what my knowledgable? employee tells me.

Also, I have a book called the Access Bible I have been referancing. Its a

hell of alot larger than I though it would be... =)

 

[TC]

Your best role as the business owner, in my opinion, would be to drive the
process of reviewing your current dispatching practices etc. from a business
viewpoint. Why are people burning out? How could the process be improved?, &
so on.

If the programmer your employ for this task is actually a
"programmer/analyst", or (preferably) a "systems analyst" or "business
analyst", they should be able to help you perform those reviews. But if they
are a garden variety "programmer", they might not be able to help you there.
This is not intended as an insult to programmers: been there, done that!
It's simply a recognition of the fact that a programmer needs a fair amount
of experience dealing with business needs, before they start to understand
those needs from a business perpective, not just a technical one. (For
example, an architect may be more able than a carpenter, to help you
understand what kind of house you want to build.)

Whoever you get, a key requirement to develop your system, will be a good
understanding of a critical topic called "database normalization". The
person should clearly recognize & understand the terms "normalize", "primary
key", and "relation", amonst others. If they >don't<, that is a clear sign
that they do not have the full range of skills that will be necessary for
your project.

Good luck with your project!
TC

Thanks everyone, I do have an employee that has a great deal of

programming experience, she has done it for about 16 and has since moved on
from it, it was initially her idea to use Access. She is very good with the
program, so I hear... I do fully understand the points raised, and feel as
though I agree with alot of what you say. It is quite a task to build such a
complicated program using Access with no real experience in it, myself. I
also like the analogy of the builder, that put some things in prospective
for me, thank you.

My time as a business owner is not little as you might think, thats why we

hire managers. They deal with most day to day things, I have concluded one
thing though, our current dispatching practices arent working anymore, my
employees are getting burned out quicker than they should, and I also think
I must be the only taxi service in CT to not work off a computer.

Now... if you are all NOT looking for work, how can I find someone who can

do what I want done, prices, etc...? I am only going on what I have learned
and what my knowledgable? employee tells me.

Also, I have a book called the Access Bible I have been referancing. Its a

hell of alot larger than I though it would be... =)