excel job sheet database

Hobbsie · 8 Dec 2014 at 13:45

Hi im currently making a basic job sheet for my dad's business.
Basically its making light fittings, when he gets an order he can use the drop down to select cable length/color/ceiling plate etc etc.
All seems to be good in excel now is there any software that i can export the data into a UI friendly database?
Or if theirs a cheap/free piece of database software out there that can turn the data into a nice looking UI?
hopefully i have not confused you :confused:

Thanks

hargi · 8 Dec 2014 at 15:03

May have got confused but would google forms work?

Hobbsie · 8 Dec 2014 at 15:10

sorry you might of got a tad confused sorry my fault.
basically i have made an excel database with drop down menus, so if i select a product it auto fills in cells with relevant info.
Its very messy and was wondering if i can input the excel data into a nice looking database, so all you see is 5 drop down bars (for example) and the relevant info below them, not all the individual cells.
I see excel do VBA so i might look into that and see if that's what im after.

GravyMonster · 8 Dec 2014 at 15:35

Access sounds perfect for this. No coding required as you can build the tables and joins graphically.

Hobbsie · 8 Dec 2014 at 15:35

looks like excel VBA is a winner maybe anyone else used it before it kinda looks simple?

Hobbsie · 8 Dec 2014 at 15:36

sorry spunkey i posted as you did

i didnt think of access tbh i will take a look.

dazzerd · 8 Dec 2014 at 20:59

You can use forms in both Access and Excel, Access is better and more powerful, but if you simply want to make it look nice and not really use the features of a database then you may as well just build an Excel form.

You could actually just use form controls on a worksheet if you really wanted as well.

You can actually make it look quite nice and hide all dependent sheets if you spend time in learning VBA.

Regarding how hard VBA is. Well if you have any programming experience you should be able to pick it up. Excel VBA though has a huge Object Model so you can never learn it all, but once you know the basics of how things fit together you can do pretty much what you want. Like with any languages though you can write rubbish code which will do the job or you can write decent code which will do the job better, and I have written plenty of rubbish code and still do especially if I cba.

It's addictive though so you may get hooked!

Hobbsie · 8 Dec 2014 at 21:38

yes been having a play for a bit today im getting there bit of you tubing if i get stuck

but yeah looks like i might be fine with vba thanks for your input.

Jakedapeguk · 11 Dec 2014 at 09:54

Failing that, they do a cut down free version of sql, coupled with reporting services, (which is very easy to use), you could make a very easy to use system.

The technical side however will fall firmly on your shoulders, might be worth a look though.

Hobbsie · 12 Dec 2014 at 17:26

thankyou for the advise

AHarvey · 14 Dec 2014 at 10:03

Not considered going with a web based system? sql + web forms, this would allow people to place orders themselves online, your dad can still add orders too.

Tie in a stock control system too and it can be used for reporting.