what technology to use?

[ljb]

May be a little off topic but I need ideas. I have ASP that provides each
manager with a report of their own employees. I was going to enhance this to
let them maintain the data through another ASP but they are very hesitant to
do this on the web. All of the managers are also civil engineers and like to
use Excel for everything. They have requested something to allow them to get
their employee data into Excel, edit it off-line and return it to the
database later. Excel 2000 can open an html report from my ASP and edit it.
But how do I return the data to the backend Access database?

thanks
LJB

 

[GVaught]

Why execute three or four steps when one will do. I would persuade your
civil engineers they run the risk of corrupting the data by downloading the
data to Excel, making changes, and then uploading back to Access. What
happens if the uploading fails because they introduced bad data in a field
and they will. I will guarantee it. You can code out where the data is
returned in a table like window where they have the opportunity to delete,
add, edit or whatever you allow them to do.

I found a really neat program at www.planet-source-code.com; it allows to
call up data into a table like structure, but with flair. It is simple
enough, even civil engineers can operate........lol. You can even set it up
where they only see their employees and not their fellow engineers, but they
would have to use a login to do so. This can also be maintained inside the
database and the login would bounce what they type to the data in the
database.

If you email me at (e-mail address removed), I will email the folder to you with
the original files; just keep any original author data within the ASP pages.

G. Vaught

 

[dlbjr]

I agree with doing it with out relying on Excel on the client.
You need to resume control of the data and control all business rules on the
server side. The engineers will always change and training will be required
for their duties. You will reduce the expense of training by porting your
solution to a web presence. Most employees today use the internet at home
and self train to using web pages.

I build solutions that automate engineer's mastery everyday.
I push for a work environment without excel and access on the desktop. Most
office personal see this as a threat. I believe these employees use these
tools because the systems they have access to are failing to provide the
information they need.


-dlbjr

invariable unerring alien

 

[ljb]

I agree with everyone's encouragement to keep it a web app. It is really the
only way to have "complete" control over what gets done to the data. Its
difficult to take an end user developed application and wrench control away
from the user to make it an enterprise application. If the application is to
be shared everyone must sing the same tune.

thanks
LJB