LOL!
Don’t worry my friend… all that is normal😊 :Your project made too much sense…
Besides, I’m sure toying with the ideas contributed to your technical
betterment…
Cheers,
Jean-Claude Provost
From: program-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <program-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf
Of pablocmd2014@xxxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, April 2, 2021 7:38 AM
To: program-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [program-l] Re: How to proceed, please I need some advice
Hi Jean,
According with what I have found about this matter, Microsoft Forms is able to
hold the data. I don’t know for how long or how much Data is Microsoft Forms
able to hold. Yes, you are able to transfer the data to an excel file. However,
it is a process that should be done by someone. In contrast with Microsoft
Forms, Excel Online forms transferred the data from the form automatically to
the excel sheet as soon as the submit button has been click or in the way we
prefer on excel. No body has to go to Microsoft Forms and with a couple of
clicks transfer the data to excel.
However, not knowing how much data or for how long this data is going to be
keep in the Microsoft Forms, it sounds a little bit ambiguous and it might be a
problem in the future since there would need to be someone keeping an eye on
the Microsoft Forms. With the training and with the correct levels of access
to be able to update the excel files with the information from the Microsoft
Forms platform.
Nevertheless, yesterday, I had a meeting with my supervisor and they want to
stop the project since just to change a simple PDF form is a process that could
take several years. So, they told me to stop with this idea.
My apologies to all for this transit of emails for nothing.
Very respectfully,
Pablo Morales
From: program-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:program-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
<program-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:program-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > On
Behalf Of Jean-Claude Provost
Sent: Friday, April 2, 2021 5:49 AM
To: program-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:program-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [program-l] Re: How to proceed, please I need some advice
Hi Pablo,
I have never used Microsoft forms but, if it doesn’t want to convert the data
to Excel (which sounds really weird to me), can you save the data in an
intermediate format? By that, I mean some sort of delimited data file such as
.csv. Then, you could import that in Excel & be on your way… Granted, it’s an
additional step but, once automated, it shouldn’t hurt anybody😊
Cheers,
Jean-Claude Provost
From: program-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:program-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
<program-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:program-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > On
Behalf Of pablocmd2014@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:pablocmd2014@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2021 11:21 PM
To: program-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:program-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [program-l] Re: How to proceed, please I need some advice
Hi Jean,
Yes, we agree that PDF are the enemies. They have been using the PDF files sent
by email forever. This is one of the reasons why the process are so slow.
Sometimes these PDF are going to be missing essential information, so the
sender has to correct the PDF and send it again. This duplication of
information of files has catastrophic consequences to the data reliability.
So we want to stop the use of the PDF.
We have Share Point and I don’t think that would be difficult to create an
Excel form, and add it to Share Point. I guess that the users would be able to
add the information on the form and this information is going to be saved on
the excel sheet. However, I am not sure if I would be able to control how the
data is going to be store. I would like to have the data in a table of records
since we need to create statistical reports.
I need to learn more about the Excel Forms. Unfortunately, Microsoft is
discontinuing Excel Online forms and wants everybody to use Microsoft Forms.
Microsoft Forms is not able to add the information on the forms in an excel
sheet. I think that Microsoft’s decision is a step back for users.
Also, I haven’t talked about accessibility yet. Let us see.
Thank you,
Pablo
From: program-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:program-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
<program-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:program-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > On
Behalf Of Jean-Claude Provost
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2021 2:55 PM
To: program-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:program-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [program-l] Re: How to proceed, please I need some advice
Hi There,
Let me share some ideas. They may not solve all your issues but I hope they
help…
1. As some have said, I believe Excel is your friend & I don’t see the
need to complicate the matters with Access
2. PDF is your enemy here. The sooner you can get your data out of it,
the better… I don’t know how you can convert your data in a predictable text
format (.csv or with other delimiters), but to me, that is your biggest problem
since from what you say, your input is not controllable…
3. You are right in worrying about concurrent access to your data. But
actually, SharePoint might be a good ally in this respect. If I’m not
mistaken, if you have, say a spreadsheet, stored on SharePoint, you can control
what kind of access your users will have (read only or read write).
Furthermore, for those users who have read write access, SharePoint can handle
that in that there is a versioning mechanism. If someone needs to change the
master spreadsheet, he/she will download it & the document can be “checked out”
until it’s updated & “checked in” again.
To summarize, the SharePoint support person is one of your best ally here.
Finally, you may realize that a slight change in the whole process may be in
order & it should be accepted if you conceive it (& document it) right…
Remember, clarity is of the essence!
HTH
Good luck.
Jean-Claude Provost
From: program-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:program-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
<program-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:program-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > On
Behalf Of pablocmd2014@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:pablocmd2014@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, March 29, 2021 10:51 PM
To: 'Tony Malykh' <anton.malykh@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:anton.malykh@xxxxxxxxx> >;
program-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:program-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [program-l] Re: How to proceed, please I need some advice
Tony and all,
My apologies for my confusing email.
I am taking an internship in the federal government. However, this internship
is in a division that is not related in any way with my education or either
with my previous work experience. My supervisor is not on the position to
decide to use an Access database since it is not her area of expertise. She
wants to organize the information that her office managed. This office manage
the award for the employees of this federal entity. Supervisors and managers
submit to this office PDF files with the information of employees that they are
nominating for an specific award. Sometimes these PDF has to be return to the
senders because the PDF has the information uncomplete or with typing mistakes.
Moreover, the location of data on separate PDF files makes extremely difficult
for her employees to verify or take the information in an organized and
accurate fashion.
So, she knows that I had some experience coding years ago. Additionally, in my
area of education I know a little bit about quantifiable information that she
needs as outcomes from this project.
She asked me to develop a system that would let supervisors and managers to
submit the information with an automized way that will verify that all data on
the form is complete and accurate. Additionally, she doesn’t want anybody
copying and pasting information from the PDF since there are also a lot of
human errors.
Lastly, she also wants to get some statistical reports that are the less
complex part of this project.
What is the problem. I am looking for a way to collect this information in a
automize way from the supervisors and managers directly to a database.
During the day I found 3 or 4 possible paths to take.
1. Is Developing an Access database and putting it in a share folder.
However, it might not be the best choice since the number of people accessing
the database is unknown. Moreover, it will require some coding, testing and I
only have 3 months to finish this project.
2. Using Share point and using a share point survey form. It will be able
to create reports and even transfer the data to another platforms. However, I
am not sure which are those platforms and how accessible it could be.
3. Using Microsoft Excel online forms. This is the ideal choice because, I
will be able to create the data reports on excel without mayor problem.
However, Microsoft will be taking this software away very soon.
4. Using Microsoft Forms. This is the solution that will replace Microsoft
Excel forms and it appear to be much better than the previous solution.
Nevertheless, Microsoft Forms is not able to transfer the data automatically to
an excel file. It will be something that should be done manually. Nevertheless,
I have no idea about the accessibility of this platform.
She doesn’t want to expend a penny, and the resources available are very
limited. I don’t have any development platform or database management platform
available. Request it could take weeks and time is a scared resource now.
Additionally, I might lack experience on those platforms. So, learning is
something that also is going to require time and testing.
If you have any additional idea, or which of these previous options could be
the best solution?
Thanks to all,
Pablo
5.
6. A
From: Tony Malykh <anton.malykh@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:anton.malykh@xxxxxxxxx> >
Sent: Monday, March 29, 2021 9:06 PM
To: program-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:program-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> ;
pablocmd2014@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:pablocmd2014@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [program-l] How to proceed, please I need some advise
I don't see a clear question in your email, so let me try to answer your "I am
not sure" questions:
I am not sure what type of database to use,Since this is your internship, I would expect your manager to figure out this
I am not sure if Access will allow me to use a database of a type with theseAgain, this should be your manager's responsibility to pick the right tools.
limited resources.
I am not sure if the creation of Access forms is going to be accessible,Accessibility is a tricky point. Did you discuss your accessibility needs with
I am not sure if using the access database I would be able to pull out theThat's again your manager's responsibility. Typically for internship projects
data to create statistical reports with excel or if access is able to create
this type of reports.