How to do it...

[Ken McLennan]

G'day there One & All,

I have a question that is perhaps not directly related to XL
Programming, nor to Word Programming either I guess, but I still wish to
draw on the expertise of those more practiced in the Art of VBA.

I work for a Government organisation with about 10,000 employees.
The Dept makes use of a central forms delivery package via its statewide
network. These forms derive from both Word & Excel depending on which is
more appropriate.

As with many such organizations however, the forms are designed in
such a way as to deploy our computers merely as glorified electronic
typewriters. For instance, none enter the day or date when opened. You
always need to enter your own department, office, section, whatever.
I've found only one form that enters your name & employee number from
network information. The data is all there in the network stuff. I have
no idea why it's not used to save everyone re-entering the same data
over & over. I thought that's what 'pooters were for!!!

Still, to my question. I'm working on a smallish subset (about 12
- 15 forms) of the larger forms package (about 670 forms) for local use
in my section. Many of my users are competent computer operators. Some
are hobbyists and have more knowledge/expertise, there are possibly
about 3 or 4 programmers or technicians. The other side of the coin is
that there are still quite a few dinosaurs that can't even spell
"computer", let alone use one.

I hope to complete my forms and offer a menu for selection of the
desired one. I can easily make a list of hyperlinks in an Excel
worksheet, or do the same on a Word document. I suppose I could even do
the same on a web page to call what was needed (all of our systems as as
close to identical as you can get - Win NT, Office 2003 Professional -
I'm writing this from home, so I'd have to confirm that later, but I
think that's what we had).

Which would be the more efficient launch mechanism? I don't know
what the overheads are with each application. I could even set up links
for a task bar menu I suppose. Has anyone delved into this type of set
up before? If so, what were your conclusions? Has any one found pitfalls
either in usage or deployment across the network? Any observations or
information (especially past experience) will be welcomed.

See ya, thanks in advance,
Ken McLennan
Qld, Australia

 

[Bob Phillips]

Ken,

Just read your post and you don't say what happens once the form is
selected, other than filled in, but I would have thought the simplest
deployment is a web page over your intranet. This could then easily launch
the Word/Excel form.

--

HTH

RP
(remove nothere from the email address if mailing direct)

 

[Ken McLennan]

G'day there Bob,

Just read your post and you don't say what happens once the form is
selected, other than filled in, but I would have thought the simplest

That's exactly it. All of these forms are simply filled in printed
out and then become snail mail, albeit with our internal mail system.
However even though it's smaller than the national system, it still
loses stuff =).

Occasionally, some of the forms will be emailed under the "FYI"
concept, but that's about it.

deployment is a web page over your intranet. This could then easily launch
the Word/Excel form.

Nod nod nod. I think that's well within my capabilities. Now
trying to get management to listen and allow me to introduce it might be
something else again =).


Thanks for your advice,
Ken McLennan
Qld, Australia