Inexperienced VBA coder and netowrk files 1

[mbowles]

I am not the greatest at VBA, but we have some guys in our company tinkering with VBA in excel. These are sales guys and not tech's. What are the chances of them ding something stupid and causing big problems if another user uses that excel file. Assume the sales guy will not purposely write virule code, but may not have any VB experience/knowledge at all.

Also, would a virus scan software hiccup at those files?

 

[fumei]

This can only get a vague response.

What are the chances of them doing something stupid? Pretty good.

What are the chances of them doing something stupid that will cause big problems when some one else uses the file? Who knows - it depends on how stupid things are.

Virus code? If they are sales, not tech, they COULD do something stupid, but I doubt they will write "virus" code. Stupid - say, deleting a folder by mistake....sure they could do that; virus? unlikely.

As for a a virus scan hiccup at those files. Again, not likely. Although it depends. Are they likely to be making changes to the Registry, or Operating System Services? Possible, but again, unlikely.

Gerry

 

[mbowles]

Thanks. Just wanted to get another opinion. Was not happy when I found out that a sales guy is tinkering when he has admitted he has no clue what he is doing.

 

[fumei]

Oh I am certainly not disagreeing with the idea that you could (and maybe should) be unhappy with them "tinkering". They CAN do stupid things. Depending on how your network is set up, and your security is set up, the chances of them doing something truly dangerous to your network is reasonably low. Hopefully none of them have full administrative access. If they do....stop them now.

Except for them deleting data files they should not - which is certainly not a trivial thing - if they do not have system admin access you should be OK. Your question seemed to be concerning, hmmm, structural damage, system damage. If they are clever they can do stuff, but it is likely to screw up just their local machine. A reasonable thing would be:

1. have them write a business case for actions they are taking;

2. have them do ALL development, testing (hahahahahaha....fat chance) on machines preferably off the network;

3. submit files with actioning code for review by someone who DOES know what they are doing.

4. tell them - and enforce it - that if they screw up their machines, THEY are responsible. Go ahead and play, but if you do, you are big kids now and any consequences are yours.

Good luck!


Gerry