Help out your US Air Force

[TwoTimes22]

Im a command post controller for the US Air Force and I am trying to figure
out a way to use Access to automate a large number of our quick reaction and
emergency notification checklists. Right now our checklists are in word
document format, but I would like them to be in an interactive form based in
Access. The checklist are basically printed out and sit in a book with a
document protector over them and when used the controller reads the step,
acts on the instructions, makes a phone call to a particular individual and
we mark the stpe with a dry-erase marker. I would like the checklist to have
bubbles that could be clicked on, maybe with a time stamp for when it was
checked. I have so many requirements but Access is not my area of expertise.
If anyone is interested in taking a crack at this let me know, you would be
helping out the Air Force, and it would be great!

 

[David F Cox]

Am I right in guessing that life / death decisions are based on this
process?

"but Access is not my area of expertise. " ? :-<

bits of paper do not all go blank when the power goes out, or when one bug
strikes.

A properly constructed system should be quicker and more reliable, but a
properly constructed system goes beyond paper or PC. You don't back millions
of dollars of planes and pilots with $1000 dollar mish-mash.

I expect you to have known this, but gave the lecture, just in case.I hope
this group can help you create a demo system that you can take further.

 

[Jeff Boyce]

There are so many ways you could end up with a product that apparently does
what you want, ... but unless you have a trusted-reviewer (or a
vetted-developer), who knows what "extras" may be included?!

If you don't have experience designing relational database applications, be
aware that the learning curve on Access is a bit steep. And if you want to
end up with an "easy-to-use-for-any-user" application, it will take even
more ("Easy ... is HARD!").

Consider finding someone to collaborate with or have do this (i.e., hire a
trained professional), and then checking them out thoroughly.

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP

 

[Larry Daugherty]

Hi TwoTimes22,

If there is no classified material involved you can send me the Word
document(s) and an overview of what you're doing. I'll have a look.
No promises.

Just decode my address and drop a line with your contact info and with
the requested documents attached.

Regards,

 

[Craig Hornish]

This is to comment on Dave and Jeff's post:

Come on - The milion dollars of equipment is currently being backed up
by a binder and Word. And for a trusted reviewer they must have (not
really) done it for the Word documents.
Reading a little bit between the lines - this doesn't seem to be as
critical as you both make it out to be. If the Air Force is not hiring
someone to reasearch it, progam it, and it is up to the "controller" to come
up with someting, then this is like an Admin assistant creating a log-in
book for the company. (Ok probably a little bit more but this is not a
enterprise application)
Besides you are going to have a backup - the access program should also
print out the pages of the binder so that in case of power failure you have
that backup.

If Larry doesn't wish to take on the projects I would be willing to look
at it.
--
Craig Hornish

Visit weekly Access conferences
Tuesday, 11:00am-12:30pm (Eastern US)
Thursday, 3:30pm- 5:00pm (Eastern US)

http://community.compuserve.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?webtag=ws-msdevapps

"Think outside the box, because anything is possible."
"How long it will take or whether it requires divine intervention is another
issue"

 

[David F Cox]

All I was saying is there is a lot to be said for a sheet of paper and a
magic marker.