Excel in Excel

Why not just keep the info updated on a sharepoint site and link to everyone's excel spreadsheets as needed?

 

Interesting. I think the suggestion would be to use an application designed for this. For instance, use Access to host the information instead of Excel.

Is the data you are tracking somehow specific to Excel (you use the formulas and charting and other things that are native to spreadsheets extensively), or is it just a familar tool to store lists of data in?

 

She already said it has to be local to the desktop. There are 100 ways to do that, but the ideal is a central repository (SQL Server) that replicates the data to a local repository (SQL Server express edition, free), and the clients use Access or Excel or any number of tools to access that. This lets you be sure that when you publish new data, the newest copy is being used. And it allows a disconnected user to still seamlessly use their cached/replicated copy of the data.

You could also just have a Groove workspace to synch the data, but that only solves the problem of replicating the latest version of whatever you're storing the data in to each desktop. You'd still have the Excel workbook/Access DB/etc. issue to decide on.

But there could be regulations against this. When you get into healthcare, things get nutty these days...

 

Ask Superurfolus Nuts. He knows his Excel

 

I think Access could work, I just don't know it. But I can fix that.

If you know healthcare, you know the term JCAHO, and thus the reason this has to be solid every day, no exceptions.

A couple other problems for me specifically.... I'm not really that computer savvy and the staff isn't either. A server might work but it would need to be simple. It really doesn't need to be top secret secure because I wouldn't share patient data on the site.
About it having to be in Excel.... Ya know it really doesn't, it's not about the formulas, it is about needing to have very specific, detailed information in columns. Although I do use many workbooks that use formulas, I don't need them in this case.
Also, no one needs to be able to access the applications in the manuals, it should be a read only type thing to keep me doing the only changes.

Thanks so much.

 

Word. Access it is .
You'll be VERY surprised how easy it is to worth with...creating databases like rows and columns in a spreadsheet is easy, creating forms that let you browse those databases is easy. You can even do searches and such easily.

Then you just distribute a copy of the database as needed.

If you get a real developer on this at some point, you start with a central DB that Access (or something else) front-ends, and have them work on the DB replication so you meet that requirement for "always available".

 

Can you not just have the content linked to a centralized version on the network? When they open they are prompted to update the links.

Is simply emailing them a copy not an option?

 

We have an internal network yes, but it's National and does not apply to my region. So.. I would have to have a buy in from the entire company vs. just doing what I want to do with it in my region. Plus, I've found with other things I've done, someone wants to use my stuff (which is fine, I share well) but then all of the sudden, it doesn't suit them for x,y,z and they want it changed to suit THEIR needs more. Before long, it turns my sharing with them into 'that girl in the Southeast region didn't do this correctly', when it wasn't supposed to be theirs to begin with, ya know?

Emailing them copies to update things just doesn't work. It just doesn't. They don't want to update the information, or they put it in the wrong place, or they want to change it or something. It's hard to hold one person accountable because different people are at the locations frequently.

 

I guess I don't understand. Is there a step that requires taking the Excel and using it to update something else? What keeps you from doing the update yourself and emailing the finished version rather than driving to Charleston to update it there?

Regardless, I doubt you need a database on a central server. It might make things easier in some ways but then you could bind yourself to paying someone to administrate and develop it and then they will make your work hell by slowly taking control of your data away from you. That's going to run you at least 70K a year.

 

I think you're thinking ahead of me, step back, it's plu here

I have around 18 accounts. Each one has a 'manual' that includes certain guidelines for each account. Around 15 tabs in each binder that include- protocols, network info, policies for that particular site, particular guidelines that each doc wants, guidelines the facilty wants etc.. so forth and so on.

Over time I have used several programs to create that data. But most recently excel has been the choice program for me (as you know, my company could pay you a consulting fee over the years ) . When our 'care team' decides something needs to change, or when JCAHO changes a standard, that info has to be updated. It sounds easy, but EACH site will have different standards for how that information is put to practical use.
Yes, I can update it, email it and ask them to put it in the protocol book, but it doesn't happen. The bottom line is, there's no one to take responsibility for it on the other end because the same people aren't always there. I can call them, say... 'put this in the manual', and they don't, or they have a better idea how it should be done, or argue the point (when the company has already been through the what if's, it just needs to be done).
The only way I KNOW that it's done is if I do it. Driving to 18 accounts to update a policy that just changes wording such as always to most often or something like that is extremely counterproductive.

I need a way to have a manual they can access on their pc that incorporates all the data I've put together for years (in many programs, excel included) that will come in all one neat little package.
Does that make sense?

Ie.. if I could use excel in excel I could label the tabs at the bottom to match the tabs in the manuals, however- most the stuff I've done is IN excel, so it won't work.