Accept/Reject Report via Outlook

[kvar]

I'm guessing that this is possible, but it's not something I've seen implemented, so let me know if I'm way off base!

I have a Db that is used to track Agent Stats. Once a week, Supervisors have a coaching session with each of their agents. Prior to the coaching, the Sup opens a Form, reviews the Agents Stats, and enters their Comments in a Comment Box.

Basically, what I want, is after they enter the comments (and scores for the Agent), they can click a "Send Report" button, and it will automatically email the report/form(?whichever is necessary) to the agent. Then, via Outlook, the agent would just click "Accept" or "Reject". Having that response then sent back to the Sup. Big bonus if the Agent has the ability to add their own comments and those would be updated in the Db---but that's really not mandatory.

I've tried searching for examples of anything similar, but I'm not having any luck. I know how to just email a report from a button click, but can't find anything more suited to my needs.

Another option would be a "Accept" and a "Reject" button on the form itself in the Agent View. And the email would just be formatted to say "you have comments to review" or something like that. Then they would open the database and review their record manually.

But I would prefer the prior option if it's possible!
Thanks in advance for any tips/advice.

 

[HiTechCoach]

If it were me, I would only email a notice that they need to log into the data and review the data. I would not even send the report via email. I would handle it all with the database as much as possible.

To do it with email like you have described, it would help to have some important details:

What Version of Access are you using?

What Email Client software and version (i.e. Outlook 2007)?

Are you using Exchange server? Is yes, also what version?

Do you have an internal Web server (intranet)?

 

[kvar]

We're using 2003 in both Access and Outlook.
I have no idea what the Exchange Server is, but yes, we use one.
We do have an internal Web Server, that's a possibility that I hadn't thought of.

The important thing is that the Agent has to manually Accept or Reject the information. It really doesn't matter where or how, other than it should of course be as "user friendly" and automated as possible!

I think your suggestion of keeping it all in the Db is probably the way to go.

I can create the button that sends the email easy enough.

But how do I go about getting something along the Accept/Reject lines in Access? I suppose I could just use checkboxes or radio buttons, but i was looking for something a bit more....?...eye appealing? Official? Not sure what word I'm looking for here!

 

[darbid]

If I were you I too would try to get it all done in Access.

I am not aware that Outlook natively is going to offer you any help. You could create a form in Outlook with your magic accept/reject/change button and have the contents of the report on this form as well. To do this you would need to have your database tables on a centrally based server so that the person with the current outlook client has access to the tables.

You also talk about "eye appealing" I think I am the eye candy master.

Lets assume you have a bound checkbox on your access form called myCHK

Create two images - I make my own but you can get them from the internet.

Put your two images on your form. call them img_accept, img_reject put them on top of each other

In your OPEN/LOAD event of your form you need to check myCHK. You also need to do this in the onCurrent event if users are able to move between records

If Me.myCHK then
  Me.img_accept.Visible = True
  Me.img_reject.Visible = False
else
  Me.img_accept.Visible = False
  Me.img_reject.Visible = True
end if

Then Put a button over the top of your images and make it transparent. Then in the onClick event of this button which is on top of the two images.

If Me.myCHK.Value = True Then
    Me.myCHK.Value = False
    Me.img_reject.Visible = True
    Me.img_accept.Visible = False
Else
    Me.myCHK.Value = True
    Me.img_reject.Visible = False
    Me.img_accept.Visible = True
End If

Once you have finished testing make your myCHK not visible so people do not see it.