Try To Excel, and Get Hampered by Mediocrity
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Situation: Our users have been using an Access database to analyze financial data. For various reasons unimportant to this rant, we have to stop allowing them to do this. The solution is to replace the functionality of the macros in the Access database with one or more asp.net web pages. I was tasked with this implementation. Existing "Code" So the menu structure looks something like this:
Summary Report
Special Report 1
Special Report 2
Suspense Reports
Sorted by SSAN
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 days
Sorted by Suspense Dates
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 daysSince we can't display the ssan with any other private info (like the name of the person), I had to add "Sorted by Name" as an option for the user under "suspense reports" in my solution. I started with the suspense reports because I figured that would get the largest number of reports out of the way, right up front. My solution was to provide a single menu item ("Suspense Reports"), and a single web page with the following controls: 0) combo box for a distribution code 1) combo box for the site name 2) combo box for the "column info" (name or ssan) 3) combo box for the sort mode (by the "selected info column" or "suspense date") 4) combo box for the suspense range (0-30 days, etc) 5) a "Go" button Once the user got to the page, he could select any combination of combo box settings, and click the Go button, without ever leaving the page. Simple, and efficient in my humbo opinion. Once I was finished (yesterday at around 2pm), I called the customer in to look at it. As you might guess, he wasn't pleased - at all. He wanted to know "what the hell 'selected info column' means", and he raised hell because he didn't want to train the users- he wanted to give them what they had before so they wouldn't need to be trained. Now, changing the code wasn't hard at all, and I'm already done with it, but now we have a chain of menu items five levels deep that the user has to navigate just to select a different range of days and/or sort mode and/or info (ssan/name). Mediocrity (not to mention a massive fail o the part of the customer).
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming -
Situation: Our users have been using an Access database to analyze financial data. For various reasons unimportant to this rant, we have to stop allowing them to do this. The solution is to replace the functionality of the macros in the Access database with one or more asp.net web pages. I was tasked with this implementation. Existing "Code" So the menu structure looks something like this:
Summary Report
Special Report 1
Special Report 2
Suspense Reports
Sorted by SSAN
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 days
Sorted by Suspense Dates
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 daysSince we can't display the ssan with any other private info (like the name of the person), I had to add "Sorted by Name" as an option for the user under "suspense reports" in my solution. I started with the suspense reports because I figured that would get the largest number of reports out of the way, right up front. My solution was to provide a single menu item ("Suspense Reports"), and a single web page with the following controls: 0) combo box for a distribution code 1) combo box for the site name 2) combo box for the "column info" (name or ssan) 3) combo box for the sort mode (by the "selected info column" or "suspense date") 4) combo box for the suspense range (0-30 days, etc) 5) a "Go" button Once the user got to the page, he could select any combination of combo box settings, and click the Go button, without ever leaving the page. Simple, and efficient in my humbo opinion. Once I was finished (yesterday at around 2pm), I called the customer in to look at it. As you might guess, he wasn't pleased - at all. He wanted to know "what the hell 'selected info column' means", and he raised hell because he didn't want to train the users- he wanted to give them what they had before so they wouldn't need to be trained. Now, changing the code wasn't hard at all, and I'm already done with it, but now we have a chain of menu items five levels deep that the user has to navigate just to select a different range of days and/or sort mode and/or info (ssan/name). Mediocrity (not to mention a massive fail o the part of the customer).
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimmingJohn Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
Mediocrity
Yes. Mediocre client == Mediocre software. (9 out of 10 dentists agree)
-- ** You don't hire a handyman to build a house, you hire a carpenter. ** Jack of all trades and master of none.
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Situation: Our users have been using an Access database to analyze financial data. For various reasons unimportant to this rant, we have to stop allowing them to do this. The solution is to replace the functionality of the macros in the Access database with one or more asp.net web pages. I was tasked with this implementation. Existing "Code" So the menu structure looks something like this:
Summary Report
Special Report 1
Special Report 2
Suspense Reports
Sorted by SSAN
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 days
Sorted by Suspense Dates
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 daysSince we can't display the ssan with any other private info (like the name of the person), I had to add "Sorted by Name" as an option for the user under "suspense reports" in my solution. I started with the suspense reports because I figured that would get the largest number of reports out of the way, right up front. My solution was to provide a single menu item ("Suspense Reports"), and a single web page with the following controls: 0) combo box for a distribution code 1) combo box for the site name 2) combo box for the "column info" (name or ssan) 3) combo box for the sort mode (by the "selected info column" or "suspense date") 4) combo box for the suspense range (0-30 days, etc) 5) a "Go" button Once the user got to the page, he could select any combination of combo box settings, and click the Go button, without ever leaving the page. Simple, and efficient in my humbo opinion. Once I was finished (yesterday at around 2pm), I called the customer in to look at it. As you might guess, he wasn't pleased - at all. He wanted to know "what the hell 'selected info column' means", and he raised hell because he didn't want to train the users- he wanted to give them what they had before so they wouldn't need to be trained. Now, changing the code wasn't hard at all, and I'm already done with it, but now we have a chain of menu items five levels deep that the user has to navigate just to select a different range of days and/or sort mode and/or info (ssan/name). Mediocrity (not to mention a massive fail o the part of the customer).
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimmingJohn Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
he didn't want to train the users
I think that is an important consideration. Training users is a massive undertaking especially if there are lot of users. Having work directly with the users, I can appreciate this problem. Most people prefer to do things the old way, no matter how imperfect the old way may be, rather than learn a new better way.
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Situation: Our users have been using an Access database to analyze financial data. For various reasons unimportant to this rant, we have to stop allowing them to do this. The solution is to replace the functionality of the macros in the Access database with one or more asp.net web pages. I was tasked with this implementation. Existing "Code" So the menu structure looks something like this:
Summary Report
Special Report 1
Special Report 2
Suspense Reports
Sorted by SSAN
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 days
Sorted by Suspense Dates
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 daysSince we can't display the ssan with any other private info (like the name of the person), I had to add "Sorted by Name" as an option for the user under "suspense reports" in my solution. I started with the suspense reports because I figured that would get the largest number of reports out of the way, right up front. My solution was to provide a single menu item ("Suspense Reports"), and a single web page with the following controls: 0) combo box for a distribution code 1) combo box for the site name 2) combo box for the "column info" (name or ssan) 3) combo box for the sort mode (by the "selected info column" or "suspense date") 4) combo box for the suspense range (0-30 days, etc) 5) a "Go" button Once the user got to the page, he could select any combination of combo box settings, and click the Go button, without ever leaving the page. Simple, and efficient in my humbo opinion. Once I was finished (yesterday at around 2pm), I called the customer in to look at it. As you might guess, he wasn't pleased - at all. He wanted to know "what the hell 'selected info column' means", and he raised hell because he didn't want to train the users- he wanted to give them what they had before so they wouldn't need to be trained. Now, changing the code wasn't hard at all, and I'm already done with it, but now we have a chain of menu items five levels deep that the user has to navigate just to select a different range of days and/or sort mode and/or info (ssan/name). Mediocrity (not to mention a massive fail o the part of the customer).
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimmingAnd let me guess, at the beginning of the project the client said " This should be an easy project". :-D Well, I guess if they are used to going the " long " route.....
///////////////// Groucho Marx Those are my principles, if you don't like them… I have others.
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Situation: Our users have been using an Access database to analyze financial data. For various reasons unimportant to this rant, we have to stop allowing them to do this. The solution is to replace the functionality of the macros in the Access database with one or more asp.net web pages. I was tasked with this implementation. Existing "Code" So the menu structure looks something like this:
Summary Report
Special Report 1
Special Report 2
Suspense Reports
Sorted by SSAN
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 days
Sorted by Suspense Dates
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 daysSince we can't display the ssan with any other private info (like the name of the person), I had to add "Sorted by Name" as an option for the user under "suspense reports" in my solution. I started with the suspense reports because I figured that would get the largest number of reports out of the way, right up front. My solution was to provide a single menu item ("Suspense Reports"), and a single web page with the following controls: 0) combo box for a distribution code 1) combo box for the site name 2) combo box for the "column info" (name or ssan) 3) combo box for the sort mode (by the "selected info column" or "suspense date") 4) combo box for the suspense range (0-30 days, etc) 5) a "Go" button Once the user got to the page, he could select any combination of combo box settings, and click the Go button, without ever leaving the page. Simple, and efficient in my humbo opinion. Once I was finished (yesterday at around 2pm), I called the customer in to look at it. As you might guess, he wasn't pleased - at all. He wanted to know "what the hell 'selected info column' means", and he raised hell because he didn't want to train the users- he wanted to give them what they had before so they wouldn't need to be trained. Now, changing the code wasn't hard at all, and I'm already done with it, but now we have a chain of menu items five levels deep that the user has to navigate just to select a different range of days and/or sort mode and/or info (ssan/name). Mediocrity (not to mention a massive fail o the part of the customer).
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimmingJohn Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
efficient in my humbo opinion
I never realized you are Ethiopian.
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And let me guess, at the beginning of the project the client said " This should be an easy project". :-D Well, I guess if they are used to going the " long " route.....
///////////////// Groucho Marx Those are my principles, if you don't like them… I have others.
No, that was never brought up, but over the course of me working on the task, the customer was brought in several times so he could see what I was doing. Not one time did he say, "That's not what I had in mind". Nope. Instead, he waited until I was done and essentially delivering that chunk of the task.
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997 -
John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
efficient in my humbo opinion
I never realized you are Ethiopian.
Only on Wednesdays.
¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! Personal 3D projects Just Say No to Web 2 Point Blow
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John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
efficient in my humbo opinion
I never realized you are Ethiopian.
He's actually distantly Nigerian and will soon be rich, like myself!
Craigslist Troll: litaly@comcast.net "I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
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Situation: Our users have been using an Access database to analyze financial data. For various reasons unimportant to this rant, we have to stop allowing them to do this. The solution is to replace the functionality of the macros in the Access database with one or more asp.net web pages. I was tasked with this implementation. Existing "Code" So the menu structure looks something like this:
Summary Report
Special Report 1
Special Report 2
Suspense Reports
Sorted by SSAN
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 days
Sorted by Suspense Dates
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 daysSince we can't display the ssan with any other private info (like the name of the person), I had to add "Sorted by Name" as an option for the user under "suspense reports" in my solution. I started with the suspense reports because I figured that would get the largest number of reports out of the way, right up front. My solution was to provide a single menu item ("Suspense Reports"), and a single web page with the following controls: 0) combo box for a distribution code 1) combo box for the site name 2) combo box for the "column info" (name or ssan) 3) combo box for the sort mode (by the "selected info column" or "suspense date") 4) combo box for the suspense range (0-30 days, etc) 5) a "Go" button Once the user got to the page, he could select any combination of combo box settings, and click the Go button, without ever leaving the page. Simple, and efficient in my humbo opinion. Once I was finished (yesterday at around 2pm), I called the customer in to look at it. As you might guess, he wasn't pleased - at all. He wanted to know "what the hell 'selected info column' means", and he raised hell because he didn't want to train the users- he wanted to give them what they had before so they wouldn't need to be trained. Now, changing the code wasn't hard at all, and I'm already done with it, but now we have a chain of menu items five levels deep that the user has to navigate just to select a different range of days and/or sort mode and/or info (ssan/name). Mediocrity (not to mention a massive fail o the part of the customer).
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimmingEasy man, put down the guns slowly...that's it... Are you the one using the system everyday? No? Fine then, if customer asks for BS you give him BS, that's it....ask the people who use farsebook :laugh:
John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
"Suspense Reports",
They belong to the "Hitchcock" table, isn't it? :)
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--either way, you are right." — Henry Ford
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Easy man, put down the guns slowly...that's it... Are you the one using the system everyday? No? Fine then, if customer asks for BS you give him BS, that's it....ask the people who use farsebook :laugh:
John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
"Suspense Reports",
They belong to the "Hitchcock" table, isn't it? :)
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--either way, you are right." — Henry Ford
Soulus83 wrote:
if customer asks for BS you give him BS, that's it
You are right and that is what he did and what most of us have to do now and then I'm sure. But that does not take away the sting of having to do crappy work when the person doing the work is one that takes great pride in quality and what they do, as JSOP seems to be one of those. I know personally that I take a lot of personal pride in my work and when forced to do something crappy that I know I could do better, it rankles regardless of why it has to be done.
Programming is a race between programmers trying to build bigger and better idiot proof programs, and the universe trying to build bigger and better idiots, so far... the universe is winning.
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Situation: Our users have been using an Access database to analyze financial data. For various reasons unimportant to this rant, we have to stop allowing them to do this. The solution is to replace the functionality of the macros in the Access database with one or more asp.net web pages. I was tasked with this implementation. Existing "Code" So the menu structure looks something like this:
Summary Report
Special Report 1
Special Report 2
Suspense Reports
Sorted by SSAN
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 days
Sorted by Suspense Dates
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 daysSince we can't display the ssan with any other private info (like the name of the person), I had to add "Sorted by Name" as an option for the user under "suspense reports" in my solution. I started with the suspense reports because I figured that would get the largest number of reports out of the way, right up front. My solution was to provide a single menu item ("Suspense Reports"), and a single web page with the following controls: 0) combo box for a distribution code 1) combo box for the site name 2) combo box for the "column info" (name or ssan) 3) combo box for the sort mode (by the "selected info column" or "suspense date") 4) combo box for the suspense range (0-30 days, etc) 5) a "Go" button Once the user got to the page, he could select any combination of combo box settings, and click the Go button, without ever leaving the page. Simple, and efficient in my humbo opinion. Once I was finished (yesterday at around 2pm), I called the customer in to look at it. As you might guess, he wasn't pleased - at all. He wanted to know "what the hell 'selected info column' means", and he raised hell because he didn't want to train the users- he wanted to give them what they had before so they wouldn't need to be trained. Now, changing the code wasn't hard at all, and I'm already done with it, but now we have a chain of menu items five levels deep that the user has to navigate just to select a different range of days and/or sort mode and/or info (ssan/name). Mediocrity (not to mention a massive fail o the part of the customer).
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming -
John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
he didn't want to train the users
I think that is an important consideration. Training users is a massive undertaking especially if there are lot of users. Having work directly with the users, I can appreciate this problem. Most people prefer to do things the old way, no matter how imperfect the old way may be, rather than learn a new better way.
Oh, I know that story well. My company bills clients for a type of financial help called "advisory services." It used to be a very small part of our business but has grown to become a major revenue stream. When I started with my company 16 years ago, we had one woman doing the billings. All of the data was maintained in about 40 Lotus spreadsheets, one per client. Every month, she manually entered data into the spreadsheets, calculated the fees, and typed up the invoices. It took most of a month to do the process. I offered to help streamline her work; she adamantly refused, saying that she knew what she was doing and didn't have the time to learn anything new. She got married and quit, and the job fell to her boss. The boss had no clue as to what the other woman's workflow was, so she was delighted to have me streamline it. The new process used an Access database to keep track of the data, a MS Word form letter to generate the statements, and a bit of code to retrieve the client data from the mutual funds. She was then able to do the monthly billings for about 110 clients in a week and a half. Things were revised and now it takes three days and a bit to do between 250 and 600 client billings every month. The only time I've been able to upgrade the system, however, was when the job got handed off to someone else: once the routine was fixed no one "had the time" to learn a new system.
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Situation: Our users have been using an Access database to analyze financial data. For various reasons unimportant to this rant, we have to stop allowing them to do this. The solution is to replace the functionality of the macros in the Access database with one or more asp.net web pages. I was tasked with this implementation. Existing "Code" So the menu structure looks something like this:
Summary Report
Special Report 1
Special Report 2
Suspense Reports
Sorted by SSAN
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 days
Sorted by Suspense Dates
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 daysSince we can't display the ssan with any other private info (like the name of the person), I had to add "Sorted by Name" as an option for the user under "suspense reports" in my solution. I started with the suspense reports because I figured that would get the largest number of reports out of the way, right up front. My solution was to provide a single menu item ("Suspense Reports"), and a single web page with the following controls: 0) combo box for a distribution code 1) combo box for the site name 2) combo box for the "column info" (name or ssan) 3) combo box for the sort mode (by the "selected info column" or "suspense date") 4) combo box for the suspense range (0-30 days, etc) 5) a "Go" button Once the user got to the page, he could select any combination of combo box settings, and click the Go button, without ever leaving the page. Simple, and efficient in my humbo opinion. Once I was finished (yesterday at around 2pm), I called the customer in to look at it. As you might guess, he wasn't pleased - at all. He wanted to know "what the hell 'selected info column' means", and he raised hell because he didn't want to train the users- he wanted to give them what they had before so they wouldn't need to be trained. Now, changing the code wasn't hard at all, and I'm already done with it, but now we have a chain of menu items five levels deep that the user has to navigate just to select a different range of days and/or sort mode and/or info (ssan/name). Mediocrity (not to mention a massive fail o the part of the customer).
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimmingwhen you are sorrounded by turkeys. :) That used to hang on my office wall at a previous employer from many, many years ago.
Chris Meech I am Canadian. [heard in a local bar] In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is. [Yogi Berra] posting about Crystal Reports here is like discussing gay marriage on a catholic church’s website.[Nishant Sivakumar]
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Situation: Our users have been using an Access database to analyze financial data. For various reasons unimportant to this rant, we have to stop allowing them to do this. The solution is to replace the functionality of the macros in the Access database with one or more asp.net web pages. I was tasked with this implementation. Existing "Code" So the menu structure looks something like this:
Summary Report
Special Report 1
Special Report 2
Suspense Reports
Sorted by SSAN
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 days
Sorted by Suspense Dates
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 daysSince we can't display the ssan with any other private info (like the name of the person), I had to add "Sorted by Name" as an option for the user under "suspense reports" in my solution. I started with the suspense reports because I figured that would get the largest number of reports out of the way, right up front. My solution was to provide a single menu item ("Suspense Reports"), and a single web page with the following controls: 0) combo box for a distribution code 1) combo box for the site name 2) combo box for the "column info" (name or ssan) 3) combo box for the sort mode (by the "selected info column" or "suspense date") 4) combo box for the suspense range (0-30 days, etc) 5) a "Go" button Once the user got to the page, he could select any combination of combo box settings, and click the Go button, without ever leaving the page. Simple, and efficient in my humbo opinion. Once I was finished (yesterday at around 2pm), I called the customer in to look at it. As you might guess, he wasn't pleased - at all. He wanted to know "what the hell 'selected info column' means", and he raised hell because he didn't want to train the users- he wanted to give them what they had before so they wouldn't need to be trained. Now, changing the code wasn't hard at all, and I'm already done with it, but now we have a chain of menu items five levels deep that the user has to navigate just to select a different range of days and/or sort mode and/or info (ssan/name). Mediocrity (not to mention a massive fail o the part of the customer).
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimmingJohn Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
The solution is to replace the functionality of the macros in the Access database with
Given the post subject, I really thought you were going to say that you were tasked to replace Access with Excel. Wouldn't be unheard of. :doh: Marc
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John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
The solution is to replace the functionality of the macros in the Access database with
Given the post subject, I really thought you were going to say that you were tasked to replace Access with Excel. Wouldn't be unheard of. :doh: Marc
Hell, in some cases it might even be an improvement!
¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! Personal 3D projects Just Say No to Web 2 Point Blow
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Situation: Our users have been using an Access database to analyze financial data. For various reasons unimportant to this rant, we have to stop allowing them to do this. The solution is to replace the functionality of the macros in the Access database with one or more asp.net web pages. I was tasked with this implementation. Existing "Code" So the menu structure looks something like this:
Summary Report
Special Report 1
Special Report 2
Suspense Reports
Sorted by SSAN
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 days
Sorted by Suspense Dates
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 daysSince we can't display the ssan with any other private info (like the name of the person), I had to add "Sorted by Name" as an option for the user under "suspense reports" in my solution. I started with the suspense reports because I figured that would get the largest number of reports out of the way, right up front. My solution was to provide a single menu item ("Suspense Reports"), and a single web page with the following controls: 0) combo box for a distribution code 1) combo box for the site name 2) combo box for the "column info" (name or ssan) 3) combo box for the sort mode (by the "selected info column" or "suspense date") 4) combo box for the suspense range (0-30 days, etc) 5) a "Go" button Once the user got to the page, he could select any combination of combo box settings, and click the Go button, without ever leaving the page. Simple, and efficient in my humbo opinion. Once I was finished (yesterday at around 2pm), I called the customer in to look at it. As you might guess, he wasn't pleased - at all. He wanted to know "what the hell 'selected info column' means", and he raised hell because he didn't want to train the users- he wanted to give them what they had before so they wouldn't need to be trained. Now, changing the code wasn't hard at all, and I'm already done with it, but now we have a chain of menu items five levels deep that the user has to navigate just to select a different range of days and/or sort mode and/or info (ssan/name). Mediocrity (not to mention a massive fail o the part of the customer).
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimmingYou work for the government right? So whats the problem! I've worked for the DoD for almost 8 years and functionality and efficiency are two words that don't exist anywhere. We have crappy old COBOL apps that are getting ported to the web and instead of updating the damn things we are making the new apps look like the existing COBOL screens. One app was redone in Flash and ColdFusion not because it was cool but because Flash was the only way for the developer to get the GUI to look like the existing app. Same thing with another app upsized to Java Applet, looks just like the shitty old app ... no new added functionality. :wtf: And what really sucks is that they same old crappy Oracle database is driving these apps. :sigh:
The environment that nurtures creative programmers kills management and marketing types - and vice versa. - Orson Scott Card
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Situation: Our users have been using an Access database to analyze financial data. For various reasons unimportant to this rant, we have to stop allowing them to do this. The solution is to replace the functionality of the macros in the Access database with one or more asp.net web pages. I was tasked with this implementation. Existing "Code" So the menu structure looks something like this:
Summary Report
Special Report 1
Special Report 2
Suspense Reports
Sorted by SSAN
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 days
Sorted by Suspense Dates
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 daysSince we can't display the ssan with any other private info (like the name of the person), I had to add "Sorted by Name" as an option for the user under "suspense reports" in my solution. I started with the suspense reports because I figured that would get the largest number of reports out of the way, right up front. My solution was to provide a single menu item ("Suspense Reports"), and a single web page with the following controls: 0) combo box for a distribution code 1) combo box for the site name 2) combo box for the "column info" (name or ssan) 3) combo box for the sort mode (by the "selected info column" or "suspense date") 4) combo box for the suspense range (0-30 days, etc) 5) a "Go" button Once the user got to the page, he could select any combination of combo box settings, and click the Go button, without ever leaving the page. Simple, and efficient in my humbo opinion. Once I was finished (yesterday at around 2pm), I called the customer in to look at it. As you might guess, he wasn't pleased - at all. He wanted to know "what the hell 'selected info column' means", and he raised hell because he didn't want to train the users- he wanted to give them what they had before so they wouldn't need to be trained. Now, changing the code wasn't hard at all, and I'm already done with it, but now we have a chain of menu items five levels deep that the user has to navigate just to select a different range of days and/or sort mode and/or info (ssan/name). Mediocrity (not to mention a massive fail o the part of the customer).
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimmingThis reminds me of Me, Microsoft and the ribbon toolbars in the Office 2010…I WANT MY MENUS BACK, YOU BUNCH OF DYSLEXIC BA@#@DS!!!! *breathing deep, trying to cool down*
There is only one Ashley Judd and Salma Hayek is her prophet! Advertise here – minimum three posts per day are guaranteed.
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Situation: Our users have been using an Access database to analyze financial data. For various reasons unimportant to this rant, we have to stop allowing them to do this. The solution is to replace the functionality of the macros in the Access database with one or more asp.net web pages. I was tasked with this implementation. Existing "Code" So the menu structure looks something like this:
Summary Report
Special Report 1
Special Report 2
Suspense Reports
Sorted by SSAN
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 days
Sorted by Suspense Dates
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 daysSince we can't display the ssan with any other private info (like the name of the person), I had to add "Sorted by Name" as an option for the user under "suspense reports" in my solution. I started with the suspense reports because I figured that would get the largest number of reports out of the way, right up front. My solution was to provide a single menu item ("Suspense Reports"), and a single web page with the following controls: 0) combo box for a distribution code 1) combo box for the site name 2) combo box for the "column info" (name or ssan) 3) combo box for the sort mode (by the "selected info column" or "suspense date") 4) combo box for the suspense range (0-30 days, etc) 5) a "Go" button Once the user got to the page, he could select any combination of combo box settings, and click the Go button, without ever leaving the page. Simple, and efficient in my humbo opinion. Once I was finished (yesterday at around 2pm), I called the customer in to look at it. As you might guess, he wasn't pleased - at all. He wanted to know "what the hell 'selected info column' means", and he raised hell because he didn't want to train the users- he wanted to give them what they had before so they wouldn't need to be trained. Now, changing the code wasn't hard at all, and I'm already done with it, but now we have a chain of menu items five levels deep that the user has to navigate just to select a different range of days and/or sort mode and/or info (ssan/name). Mediocrity (not to mention a massive fail o the part of the customer).
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming:rolleyes:
If the Lord God Almighty had consulted me before embarking upon the Creation, I would have recommended something simpler. -- Alfonso the Wise, 13th Century King of Castile.
This is going on my arrogant assumptions. You may have a superb reason why I'm completely wrong. -- Iain Clarke
[My articles] -
Situation: Our users have been using an Access database to analyze financial data. For various reasons unimportant to this rant, we have to stop allowing them to do this. The solution is to replace the functionality of the macros in the Access database with one or more asp.net web pages. I was tasked with this implementation. Existing "Code" So the menu structure looks something like this:
Summary Report
Special Report 1
Special Report 2
Suspense Reports
Sorted by SSAN
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 days
Sorted by Suspense Dates
0-30 days
31-60 days
...
More than 150 daysSince we can't display the ssan with any other private info (like the name of the person), I had to add "Sorted by Name" as an option for the user under "suspense reports" in my solution. I started with the suspense reports because I figured that would get the largest number of reports out of the way, right up front. My solution was to provide a single menu item ("Suspense Reports"), and a single web page with the following controls: 0) combo box for a distribution code 1) combo box for the site name 2) combo box for the "column info" (name or ssan) 3) combo box for the sort mode (by the "selected info column" or "suspense date") 4) combo box for the suspense range (0-30 days, etc) 5) a "Go" button Once the user got to the page, he could select any combination of combo box settings, and click the Go button, without ever leaving the page. Simple, and efficient in my humbo opinion. Once I was finished (yesterday at around 2pm), I called the customer in to look at it. As you might guess, he wasn't pleased - at all. He wanted to know "what the hell 'selected info column' means", and he raised hell because he didn't want to train the users- he wanted to give them what they had before so they wouldn't need to be trained. Now, changing the code wasn't hard at all, and I'm already done with it, but now we have a chain of menu items five levels deep that the user has to navigate just to select a different range of days and/or sort mode and/or info (ssan/name). Mediocrity (not to mention a massive fail o the part of the customer).
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimmingAnyone who designs a new UI without creating a mock up and having it approved by the user before writing any code, is asking for heartbreak. Unfortunately they seem to think that the software we write is supposed to suit them, not the other way around.
The 3-legged stool of understanding is held up by history, languages, and mathematics. Equipped with these three you can learn anything you want to learn. But if you lack any one of them you are just another ignorant peasant with dung on your boots. R. A. H.
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John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
The solution is to replace the functionality of the macros in the Access database with
Given the post subject, I really thought you were going to say that you were tasked to replace Access with Excel. Wouldn't be unheard of. :doh: Marc
Marc Clifton wrote:
Wouldn't be unheard of.
Not entirely, Excel 2010 has way more data analytic features available than Access when connected to SSAS. This past week I just put an end to a project the users wanted that surrounded an access db. Doing it in Excel meant they could create it all them selves. :)
Common sense is admitting there is cause and effect and that you can exert some control over what you understand.