what's the best way....

[Lhuffst]

I am documenting reports for multiple groups.
Currently it is in excel but I'm not sure that is the best place and am looking for suggestions.

The info I'm collecting is
Report Title
Page Filter
Report Filter 1...3
Page Displays (table, graph, both)
Where does data come from (what database or person)
Who is responsible for updating the data
Date the reports must be completed (posted) by
Report Criteria for report (includes specific information such as dates, divisions etc)

On the intranet page, there is a tab for each group (currently we have 4 groups but more coming online) and with each tab there are subgroups

Group Name 1 (main tab)
  Overview (subtab 1)
  Completed projects (subtab 2)
  Overdue projects (subtab 3)....

Group Name 1 (main tab)
  Overview (subtab 1)
  Completed projects (subtab 2)
  Overdue projects (subtab 3)....

etc.

Currently I have the group name as the sheet name but would like to add the subtabs on the left hand column so if they want to see what is on overview, you jump there; if they want to see completed proejcts you jump there.

Right now, I have a cell on the left that lists each subtab name but this is clunky and hard to read. Is there a way to have a left handed sub tab that you would click on and that shows the report information? The above layout is going to be the standard information and with more than 100 reports so far, I need something that will be easy to read for us and the customer (so they can tell what tab the reports are on)
OR
does anyone have any other suggestions?

thanks
lhuffst

 

[LaurieHamlin]

It depends on what software you have access to. I work for local government so we have just the basics.
I have a preference for databases. I would put in Access with dropdowns for groups, etc.

 

[Lhuffst]

Thanks LaurieHamlin, I'll see if they let me do it that way. I work for local government as well

 

[SkipVought]

How does each of these 100 reports get into these 100 sheets?

Skip,
[sub]
Just traded in my OLD subtlety...
for a NUance![/sub]

 

[Lhuffst]

Skip, I'm manually typing them in at this point

 

[SkipVought]

Really! Wow!

Well how does any particular report get into your mind so that you can type them into a sheet?

Skip,
[sub]
Just traded in my OLD subtlety...
for a NUance![/sub]

 

[Lhuffst]

Skip,
As each group is coming on line, they had a series of reports that they needed to have created. We created them and had them approved and now I'm playing catchup on the documentation. I know this is backwards but given the timelines we had, this was the best that we could do. Some of the reports were very similar so it was quick to switch to the correct datasets. This "new" method is really a compilation of old legacy systems that are being retired and we are recreating some of those reports (updated criteria of course)

We have 2 major groups online and 2 groups coming online so now that we have a breather, I'd like to straighten out the documentation and hopefully, have a better plan in place.

 

[SkipVought]

Okay, I understand.

What are sub tabs? There's no such thing in Excel. You might be able to logically designate some sub tab arrangement that's really just a tab.

If you do this in some other application, it will take more effort but it has the possibility of being a better application.

Skip,
[sub]
Just traded in my OLD subtlety...
for a NUance![/sub]

 

[Lhuffst]

Skip,
Thanks for the info. I'm going to see about a database because I know I can make a command button for each of the groups to list their reports.
Thanks for all the tips everyone.