FileMaker does allow you to export into Excel--I tried it just now to make sure it worked.
The one advantage of Excel--that "everybody" has it--isn't so important in this case. I would be the only one working with the files, because my co-workers don't want to do any of the grunt work--classification of documents, putting the information in a database format, and getting the documents ready to be posted online. (Considering the damage that has been done to my department in the past by people who didn't know what they were doing, it's probably just as well that nobody else will be working on the Excel files.) I have had training in Excel but haven't worked with it much. I would have to find an Excel guru to customize the records for me; not that I mind learning more about apps--it's often the one bright spot of my job. But they want the project done YESTERDAY--no time to learn a bunch of new stuff. Still, it's nice to know that some improvements could be made if I HAD to use Excel instead of a real database. --Constance Dr. Constance Warner PRIMA Information Services 703-253-1271 Fax: 703-739-0200 PRIMA's Information Services provides samples of various materials from public entity risk management programs. The material provided is offered for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Association. The material is not intended as a model, and its distribution does not constitute a PRIMA endorsement of the material. As a matter of ordinary prudence, one should always take anti-virus precautions on all incoming documents from any source. -----Original Message----- From: Computer Guys Announcements and Discussion List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Fred Holmes Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2008 3:57 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [CGUYS] How stable is Excel? Does Filemaker Pro allow for 1) exporting the database to Excel, and 2) updating the database from Excel? A good one certainly would. Do the others just read your database, or do they post to it as well? I would think that Excel would do just fine, although I haven't used one that large. (I'm working on getting there.) The real advantage of Excel, that I have found, is that a lot of people have it on their machine and know how to use it, while most people never or seldom use a database, and struggle with its interface if they want to do anything more than eyeball it. However, the search/filter function of a real database is far superior to that which is built into Excel -- do you need to do searches that only a good database search/filter engine can do? One can build a userform in Excel that will present each record on multiple lines so that an entire record is readily readable without any scrolling. It "emulates" the Access interface. Stability should be mostly dependent upon how much RAM and swap file space you have in the machines that are running the spreadsheet. Fred Holmes ****************************************** ************************************************************************ * ==> QUICK LIST-COMMAND REFERENCE - Put the following commands in <== * ==> the body of an email & send 'em to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <== * Join the list: SUBSCRIBE COMPUTERGUYS-L Your Name * Too much mail? Try Daily Digests command: SET COMPUTERGUYS-L DIGEST * Tired of the List? Unsubscribe command: SIGNOFF COMPUTERGUYS-L * New address? From OLD address send: CHANGE COMPUTERGUYS-L YourNewAddress * Need more help? Send mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ************************************************************************ * List archive from 1/1/2000 is on the MARC http://marc.info/?l=computerguys-l * List archive at www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ * RSS at www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.xml * Messages bearing the header "X-No-Archive: yes" will not be archived ************************************************************************
