Re: I have no idea how to phrase this
- From: hbinc <j.van.gils@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:48:59 -0700 (PDT)
On Jun 26, 10:59 am, The Frog <Mr.Frog.to....@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Everyone,
Recent threads have prompted me to renew a line of investigation into
a design methodology that I am hoping would make considerable
difference to the experience and efficiency of my end users. I am
hoping to get some thoughts on this line of thinking, if you would be
so kind.
The scenario is as follows:
-Large amounts of data, stored in enterprise databases (Oracle and SAP
mostly).
-Heirarchical data model for dimensional modelling purposes exists as
a series of tables layed out in a star schema
-Analyses and user insights are performed (in Excel much to my disdain
in this case) and are 'chained' together in 'processes' to produce
desired series of standardised end results.
What I am considering, and am finding quite a challenge actually, is
to find a way whereby the end user can define the 'flow' of the
process, thereby in turn creating their own work methodologies to
produce the desired results.
I am trying to figure out what might and might not be possible in
Access to try and achieve this. It would certainly be a test of my
skills to produce it, but I am for now grappling with finding a
suitable methodology to build such a beast.
The issues that I am coming across are (apart from the obvious 'what
colour should the background be?' type of question):
- How to enable 'flow' in the first place? I was thinking of having a
two table system, one with the process name, and the second with the
steps the process uses in order of execution.
- How to enable a user to create custom queries and custom reports and
use them as 'process components'
- How to manage the data 'standards' between the different components
so that they can be successfully chained together? I was thinking of a
meta-data approach whereby the users design environment effectively
doesnt actually design a query or report but 'simply' ( I am not sure
thats the right word here!) appears to do such a thing and the code
behind the design environment actually generates the query from the
meta-data and can as such control the 'input' and 'output'
specifications of the process component.
I understand that this is one hell of a design project, but the
preliminary research into this area of though done by my business
leads me to believe that the operational payback on the work the end
users do is significant enough to warrant some 'toying' on my behalf.
(For those interested it would potentially mean that approx man-years
worth of work could be reduced to approximately 5 man-days (one normal
40 hour work week). Thats a massive productivity increase by any
standard I have seen! You can see why 'they' are intereted).
The key here is to keep the tool under developmental control inside
the company, and not to try and hodge-podge it with commercial 'near-
fit' tool combinations. So far we have been unable to find anything
that actually meets the target as described above - some claim it but
none have been able to back it up (so far).
I am curious for any feedback that might drift my way :-)
Cheers
The Frog
Hi The Frog,
I assume that the users have no control over the gathering of the
data, but only on the analysis and reporting part of the process.
I have no ready-to-use solution, but I can try to explain how my users
can play with their reporting.
Instead of specific forms per entity, I use one generalized form to
show multiple records. The definition-data for the controls on a
specific form is stored in a definition table (meta data). This table
also includes per control authorization levels for read, write or
delete, aliasses, primary sortorder-information, check-information for
uniqueness, information on relations, etc.
With the general routines that work on the general form, an user can
make his own selection, can search in any combination of controls, can
sort on any combination of controls, can include other relations.
All this is done - through VBA - by composing a Select-string, a Where-
string, and an Order-string, resulting in a new Recordsource.
I do not use Querydefs, because they modify the database, resulting in
bloating and multiuser conflicts.
The second part of the user flexibility is the reporting. I do not use
any Access-report, because "you can only print it", and it is based on
one - mostly very complex - query.
Instead of that I generate RTF-code, that can be read in almost any
textprocessing program.
Users can make different reports on their "own" recordsets (forms).
What they want is stored in another definition table. In this way also
(super)reports can be generated, in which on many different subject
can be reported, by looping through the definition tabel, and adding a
new Section in the RTF-file instead of closing.
Mayby my approach can be an inspiration for your solution.
HBInc.
.
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