new ms access user

[jaiye]

tryin to create a database to track project variance..cant seem to be able to
import the existing function from excel cos when i try to use the access
metrics list it only shows results for something else...any help in importing
functions from excel would be appreciated

 

[Golfinray]

File/get external data/import
Then change the file type to excel

 

[akphidelt]

What do you mean by functions? Because all access will take from excel is
data. Access uses its own "functions" to manipulate that data. Completely
different from excel.

 

[jaiye]

would i have to re-write the functions in access, cos the variance function
doesnt seem to be the same thing access uses. gives me totally different
results

 

[akphidelt]

What do you mean by functions? Are you adding data to this access sheet
within access or are you just going to import data from excel all the time?
If you do that, then just do all your excel functions and import that data in
to access. If you want to manipulate the data in access you are going to have
to learn a whole new bag of tricks to get that done.

You might have to manipulate it through queries or if you are going to have
input forms, run the functions from the form submittal. But if you are asking
if excel maintains its formulas within access, then no, it doesn't.

 

[jaiye]

guess i ll have to learn a new bag of tricks because company is trying to do
away with the excel database and work solely in access. any ideas as to a
quick tricks learning solution

 

[akphidelt]

Well the first question is what are you trying to do? You say track project
variance. Is that as simple as estimates vs actuals or what are you tracking.
Otherwise creating reports and queries can easily do just about any function
you would need to track the variance.

 

[jaiye]

seems like you know my job better than i do...yes estimates vs actuals is
what i'm tryin to measue. but the reports or queies give me something totally
dfferent...not sure what am doing wrong

 

[akphidelt]

Not going to lie, I couldn't really explain everything you will have to know
to pull this off... and access has a fairly steep learning curve. And
depending on how in depth and how you generate these numbers, it could be a
really long process.

Are you planning on having people input data from access forms? If so what
kind of data is it? Are the actuals generated from timesheets or do you just
plug in large sum numbers? Things like this you need to figure out before
starting in access, then you need to figure out how relational databases
work, then once you get to the point of being comfortable with dealing with
the tables you will need to figure out everything dealing with form inputs to
edits.

Once you get a hang of this then you can get in to creating queries and
reports which creates a whole new learning curve.

So it depends on how extreme you want to take it. If it is as simple as 2
tables in which you just go in to the table and manually put in the numbers
and you don't have to much inputs, then you can just work on building basic
queries and reports.

Best of luck to ya!

 

[jaiye]

thanks for all your help...hopefully i can work with all the info.

thanks again

 

[a a r o n . k e m p f]

excel is not a database.

consider yourself lucky- that they're having you do it- instead of
outsourcing it to china