I haven't used Access in years and my logic abilities aren't what they used to be. I've volunteered to take over a scheduling job at my church, thinking I could easily make a db to handle it. But there are so many elements and exceptions, I'm not sure that it's within my abilities to create a system that works. I would greatly appreciate it if someone could look at the scenario and tell me "Easy peasy" or "Forget about it."
Here's the situation:
Each weekend there are 3 church services, each service has 3 duties that need to be scheduled. Two of the duties are done by 2 people; the other just one.
I have a list of people for each duty. Some people volunteer at 2 of the duties, but I am only to assign them to 1 duty per service. (So one person is not to do 2 things per service.) That means 5 different people at each service.
Here are the twists (other than the one above): not available, wants a specific service (so not random), husband and wife team who want to serve at the same service at the same duty, husband and wife team who want to serve together--but at different duties. Then of course new people get added, some drop out.
I've made an Excel spreadsheet with a page for each duty. My biggest difficulty is with those who have 2 duties: I'll forget and schedule them for 2 duties at the same service and then have to go back and readjust.
The other difficulty is at the most popular duty at the most popular service: trying to keep it fair while dealing with a lot of absences. Hard to keep track, even visually on Excel. This one duty can take me over an hour while the rest of the scheduling is fairly quick once I log in all the absences.
Appreciate any help/advice!
Here's the situation:
Each weekend there are 3 church services, each service has 3 duties that need to be scheduled. Two of the duties are done by 2 people; the other just one.
I have a list of people for each duty. Some people volunteer at 2 of the duties, but I am only to assign them to 1 duty per service. (So one person is not to do 2 things per service.) That means 5 different people at each service.
Here are the twists (other than the one above): not available, wants a specific service (so not random), husband and wife team who want to serve at the same service at the same duty, husband and wife team who want to serve together--but at different duties. Then of course new people get added, some drop out.
I've made an Excel spreadsheet with a page for each duty. My biggest difficulty is with those who have 2 duties: I'll forget and schedule them for 2 duties at the same service and then have to go back and readjust.
The other difficulty is at the most popular duty at the most popular service: trying to keep it fair while dealing with a lot of absences. Hard to keep track, even visually on Excel. This one duty can take me over an hour while the rest of the scheduling is fairly quick once I log in all the absences.
Appreciate any help/advice!