single form with 4 users (1 Viewer)

Is it possible to create a single form that can be used by 4 users, one after another with each filling out the form but not able to change a previous entry or do I need to create 4 separate forms for a single record?

Is there another way that may be better?

Making my first database and a new user with 2 years in computers but 1 semester in MS access for reference. No Visual Basic experience.

... not able to change a previous entry...for a single record?

Click to expand...

A little confused. Are they editing the same record, or is each user making a new one? Can you explain the process a little better? And by 'process' I mean the real world activity you are trying to model in your database. Don't walk me through your database, walk me through what your business does.

On a single paper report, there are 4 sections.
First, the paper is stamped with a unique report number.
Then the next section is completed by one person and signed/dated.
Then it is handed to the next person who responds and initials/dates.
Then a third person responds and signs it and dates it.
Lastly, I check it over to mark dates, times and if it is completed. Once completed I input all that information into an excel file and save it.

Sometimes these papers get lost, forgotten or whatever. I decided to try Access to see if I could create a form for them to fill out online and save me the time of chasing down lost reports, missing signatures/dates and entering it into excel.

This does sound like something that Access would be better at than Excel. However, given your skill level its going to take some time to get up to speed on the things that need to be done to achieve what you envision.

My advice, would be to give it a go, and then post back here with specific questions when you reach an issue. To answer the original question--Yes, this can probably be done with 1 form, but it will most likely require some beginner-level VBA coding.

Shadowsedge,

So, in overview, you have some sort of business that is broken into steps. The flow of the business work is managed by filling in a separate paper-based form, and have reviews and check off with signature at completion of each step. Seems the management of the paper, and thus the business, is a little less than optimal.

You are looking for a way to improve management of the business, possibly through some level of database and automation.

Please adjust to reflect the task/job/project you envision.

Just saw plog had responded:

I would add:
work through this tutorial from RogersAccess Library to get a handle on the concepts and process for designing a database.

OK, you have what the Navy calls a "chop chain" or "approvals list."

For each paper report, you need a record in your DB, which implies a table to track reports by some sort of sequence number or other UNIQUE identifier.

For each RECORD in that implied table, you need a record of each stage of approvals, but you will have multiple approvals for a single document so you might want to have a separate "approvals" table that is a child of the document table.

Then when you have a form to be approved by the next person in sequence, you need a table that identifies the next person, which implies a separate list of approval officers and their approval order, and you would track the stage of approvals with each document.

Now, the SIMPLE way to keep that straight is if you have a domain-oriented in-house network you can use the Environ function to get the USERNAME of the person logged in and use that as part of the signature process - rather than asking someone who they are. Because of course they could lie, and you want to properly track stuff and prevent improper erasure of other stuff. (Note the highly technical jargon here...)

The last part of this is that if you don't want users to be able to erase "stuff" then they can't be allowed to see "stuff." So you need to have a form that ALWAYS stands between your users and the underlying data tables. I.e. they can never be allowed to see the navigation pane of the database; nor can they ever be allowed to see the menu bar or ribbon, depending on version number of Access that you are using.

This will give you a direction to think about. I'm not giving you details because you have to decide whether you even want to go this way.

Thank you plog. Time to look into VBA in my own time. It is good to know that it is possible but will require additional experience. I love learning new things.

Yes, Jdraw, it is less than optimal but works...for the time being. I just know from my class that a better way exists and thought I would try it out.

I'll get back once I start putting in test records and see how it goes.

Thanks!

There is an excellent series on vba programming by Steve Bishop.
There are over 70 videos - but the starting point is here.

You can see all the videos at this link.