Need Software Suggestions

[Beverly]

As some of you may know, I am a Police Officer in the big City of Windcrest. I also happen to be the Fire Inspector and Code Enforcement Officer.

I have been trying to manage my reports on Excel. I barely know my way around a typewriter, let alone a computer. The City, not going to purchase a software program.

I need to enter items such as address, date, violation, reinspection, status, etc. I also will need to be able to organize, like on a month basis and be able to look up addresses at a later date.

Any suggestions or is Excel the best I have to work with?

[erikharrison]

You should ask Trey Hall... He works for City of Windcrest doing all of the emergency management! I replaced him after he left Altex for your precious little city! Excel is pretty managable, but if you have someone there that could help you build an Access database you should be "good to go". Granted there will be headaches, and inputting thes things into the system will be laborious and cumbersome, you should like the outcome...

[Beverly]

Yeah, I know Trey....he took my office! >_<

To be perfectly honest, they, (City Management) have him doing more than one man is capable of...in my opinion. Getting him to help little ol' me is not going to happen. I have asked and asked (everyone).....this is why I have decided to do it myself, or try to anyway. I was hoping it was going to be alittle bit easier than Access as I am the only one in my departments to enter stuff.


I was hoping to add as I go.

[erikharrison]

Well you could start fresh and just keep two copies, 1 new and 1 of the old stuff in excel. That's what I would do. It'll benefit you in the future. I never met Trey, but everyone at Altex likes him.

[SaltyJim]

Take a look at some of the free pre-made templates on microsoft.com. You might be able to find some data-entry type databases that can be easily modified to fit your needs...and most of the work is done for you.

Here's the link office templates

[brewercm]

You could use Access if it's available to create a small database to keep your information in. It would be much easier to deal with than excell once it is up and going. It's fairly simple to use and with what you are doing even easier it sounds like since it will be a simple database. Then you can create nice little reports to put out in whatever layout you prefer.

[moneytank]

As some of you may know, I am a Police Officer in the big City of Windcrest. I also happen to be the Fire Inspector and Code Enforcement Officer.

forgot to mention you also keep your complex quite so i dont have to make as many calls there......some nights i think you just toss the problem people over the fence to the complex up front though

[Beverly]

AAHHH! That took me a minute. Your funny...but, if I could toss them anywhere it wouldn't be over a fence!

[z28pwr]

Access would be a better solution since you could build queries and such.