Converting from paper records 1

[thefourthwall]

Hello,

I posted the following question earlier today in the Access Forms forum; I can say in advance that I really don't know just which forum is most appropriate for the following question. If not here, please so advise, thanks.
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Our tech support department uses a paper-based notebook to record users dropping off and/or picking up computers & equipment. The manager has decided that since we support technology we should use technology more also, and have a self-service "kiosk" pc running Access for users to record the information currently captured on paper.

I am anxious to hear of successful implementations of this type, and hope to discuss further.

Thank you,

-thefourthwall

 

[JPaules]

Oh yuck!! Why do they want to use paper? I assume someone ends up with the task of transferring the handwritten information into some sort of database?

--
JP

 

[SkipVought]

You might also check to see if your equipment has tags with barcode. Might want to include a barcode reader at the kiosk

Skip,
[sup]Don't let the Diatribe...
talk you to death![/sup][sub]
Just traded in my old subtlety...
for a NUANCE![/sub]

 

[thefourthwall]

SkipVought: Right - we'll be discussing that this afternoon. Since nobody here has much working knowledge of scanners etc, can you recommend any useful software/hardware products?

JPaules: That would be me, in addition to acually building the database, which I'm having trouble with already ... fun.

 

[mintjulep]

A Google search for "it help desk software" returns 43,400,000 hits.

I bet there is an off-the-shelf package that would work for you.

 

[thefourthwall]

Except they want to spend little-to-no money on this.

 

[JPaules]

You have a long, thankless job ahead of you - and no easy way to do this.

--
JP

 

[thefourthwall]

Agreed. Will be hitting the Access books at Barnes & Noble on the way home ...

 

[petrosky]

Should be pretty easy to implement IMO.

table Users:

UserID Primary Key - Autonumber
First_Name
Last_Name
Phone
etc.

One to many relationship with

Table Hardware

HardwareID Primary Key - Autonumber
Device_Type
Serial_Number
etc.
UserID - Foreign Key to Users table.

One to many relationship with

Table Faults

FaultID
Fault_Description
etc.
HardwareID - Foreign Key to Hardware table.


These relationships will help when it comes time to set up the data entry forms and to provide reports etc.

It will take a while to nut out if it is your first DB.

Good luck.

Peter






Remember- It's nice to be important,
but it's important to be nice

 

[thefourthwall]

Petrosky:

Thank you very much. Your suggestions re: tables and their relationships to each other is exactly what was needed to build this application.

I know much less about relationships and how to organize the relevant data than realized; and, as JPaules wrote, it is becoming a long and thankless task.

However, without your suggestions, I would not even bee this far . . .

Thanks again! I am grateful for the help.