Form with multiple drop boxes

[Keefay78]

Hi there, new member to the group AND Access but looking to become a regular member the more I learn about this great program!.

I'm looking for something for my work, I work in a corridor with 4 departments, each department each has 3 or 4 of their own role types, every day a sheet of paper with staff members in each role in each department for on call/nightshift goes from one end to the other and it is filled in by pencil..

I would like to create a access page that would have all depts and roles on it where a head from each dept could click a drop down menu and fill in each role. We all have a shared folder across departments and this would then be available as a quick source of contact details rather than trying to find "the sheet".
I can supply a photo of the current paper set up if this would be helpful in describing what I mean.
There is currently an excel database of all roles and contact details I could transfer over to access to make this work.
Any help in this would be greatly appreciated

 

[plog]

You didn't ask for specific help, so here's the general rule for starting out in Access:

1. Read up on normalization (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Database_normalization). That's the process of setting up your tables and fields properly. Work through a few tutorials then give your data a shot. Post back here with a screenshot of the relationship tool and we can help you with any issues.

2. Work on reports/queries. The next step is being able to get the data out of your database like you want it. Work on generating reports and the queries that feed them next.

3. Work on Forms. Yes, they are the most sexy and the first thing people want to work on, but they are the last things to focus on. After you have your tables set up properly and are able to generate the reports you want, then and only then you focus on the way users will interact with your database.

 

[Keefay78]

Absolutely. I have been doing some tutorials, enjoying the experience. I will look up normalization, will do some more tutorials too.

I don't expect to know all this straight away, far from it, would just like to know if what I am thinking CAN be done.. and that maybe someone could say Ah what your looking for is blah..

Of course, getting the database nailed down correctly is the first step, I'll get on that.. currently we have an excel sheet with the contact details with a sheet for each department, can that kind of thing be done inside Access? or would it take multiple tables?

 

[plog]

can that kind of thing be done inside Access? or would it take multiple tables?

That's exactly what normalization is and answers. You can do all sorts of wonderfully horrible things in Access, just like Excel. You most likely will have multiple tables, however you will not have a table for each department.

 

[Keefay78]

I could easily put ever member of staff into 1 table and seperate them with text boxes, it is really only me thats going to see that side of it., that wouldnt be a problem,

I have attached a rar of my database, it is still very small only a few names for test purposes, I have gotten as far as creating a form with comboboxes.

Each department has access to a shared drive where I would like to keep this DB, the lead in each dept would open it and add whoever is on that day.

I think I have got a decent form set up but I cant make it save the selections from each combobox.. I'm reading that this data cannot be saved on a form but perhaps saved to a report.. this is step 2

 

[isladogs]

I think I have got a decent form set up but I cant make it save the selections from each combobox.. I'm reading that this data cannot be saved on a form but perhaps saved to a report.. this is step 2

Neither is true.
The data is saved to a table using a form.
You use a form to enter /edit data or just display data.
Reports are also used to display data but in a format that can be printed.

 

[Keefay78]

I appreciate your answer.

How would I go about making a report from my form selections?

Would I make a report with text boxes and (somehow) send info from selections within the form to these text boxes, if this can be done this way would that be by generating some link between the 2 or running a macro.