form view?

[The Data Rat]

Hi all,

I am not a techie by any means so please excuse my unprofessional terms.

I have a spreadsheet that I more or less use as a cash register/database.
It is 150 rows and 10 columns across. Each row represents 1 transaction.
Each column l represents data that is entered, name, date, dollar amounts, a
self computing tax cell and a self computing total figure for cell J.

The problem is I have the most computer illiterate employee. She will start
entering data for Joe Blow in row 125 and enter his name in 125 A then
somehow get down to row 130 to enter taxable sales and go back up to row 126
and enter non-taxable sales. Sometimes she will lean on the keyboard and
fill a cell with garbage. Her way of correcting mistakes is to exit the
program and click "No" for save changes? because she doesn't want to save
her mistakes.

I am taking care of the latter by moving the computer to a high counter
where we will stand to enter the info. I thought it would be less confusing
for her if she just had 1 form to fill out instead of 150 columns and rows
to see. Is this possible? Something like

NAME:
DATE:
Non Tax Sale:
Taxed sale:
tax:
Total


I am considering going to a cash register but then I will lose my data, (as
far as the customer's name) or should I switch to a data bas? I find Access
TOTALLY intimidating. Right now, I have her writing everything on a piece
of paper then I enter it at the end of the day.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[A.W.J. Ales]

Data Rat,

I'm not sure whether this will be sufficient help, but - provided you have
labeled your "database" with the names you gave ( Name, Date , Non Tax sale
etc.) on the first row try Data ; Form.

This will provide an automatic form. However : there are still choices to
be made : Enter a new "record" or change an existing one etc.

--
Regards,
Auk Ales

* Please reply to this newsgroup only *
* I will not react on unsolicited e-mails *

 

[Otto Moehrbach]

There are a number of ways to do what you want. A.W. gave you one.
Another way is for her to click on a button whenever she wants to enter a
transaction. This would present her with a blank sheet, except for headers,
and her job would be to enter data in the first row. Or the row could be
colored. She would have two buttons on this sheet labeled something like
Reject and Accept.
If entering data in a straight horizontal row is a problem, this sheet
could have the headers placed vertically or in any other positions on the
sheet. The data cells (the cells into which she must enter data) can be
colored. Also when she hits Enter the focus would move to the next data
cell only.
Another way is to automate the whole thing and leave her no choice about
where to enter data. A box would appear on the screen asking for the name.
She types the name and clicks OK. That box disappears. Another box appears
immediately asking for the date, and so on and so on. All the data would be
placed where you want it and she would have no input about where it goes..
Error traps can be built-in also. For instance, is the "date" she entered a
valid date? If not, a box would appear telling her it isn't and give her
another chance to enter the date. Same thing for dollar amounts. The
number entered must be a number (12a6 and 12.6.2 are not numbers). The
magnitude of the number can also be checked. For instance, if you know that
the number will never be over 300, that can be used in a validity check.
Post back if any of this sounds good to you. HTH Otto

 

[The Data Rat]

The latter sounds like exactly what I need. How do I go about doing this?
If I sent it to you could you do it?

 

[Otto Moehrbach]

Send it via email direct to me. Remove "hello" from my email address.

Do not attach files to a newsgroup posting.

I am also sending you an email with some questions on the details. If the
posted email address for you is not a valid address, you won't get it. In
that case I'll wait for your response and file. HTH Otto