Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Customized Business Services, LLC (928) 580-6352 Dennis Schuette Primary: [email protected] 49 NW 130th Avenue Alternate: [email protected] Great Bend, KS 67530 Please notice new address as of 4/1/2015 -----Original Message----- From: ProfoxTech [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ted Roche Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2015 10:31 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Best way to gather data But if you use an Excel spreadsheet, be prepared to receive pretty much anything in return. My clients routinely save it in weird formats, add columns to it to use it in-house, etc. If you have the political leverage, kick these back to them. If not, look up the instructions on locking down a spreadsheet to limit the damage they can do. On Tue, Apr 28, 2015 at 10:53 AM, Dennis Schuette <[email protected]> wrote: > I was hoping to avoid having to install and maintain an app on their computer. > > Customized Business Services, LLC (928) 580-6352 > Dennis Schuette Primary: > [email protected] > 49 NW 130th Avenue Alternate: > [email protected] > Great Bend, KS 67530 > Please notice new address as of 4/1/2015 > > -----Original Message----- > From: ProfoxTech [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of > Richard Quilhot > Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2015 9:32 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: Best way to gather data > > I would create a small app/form in vfp and have it sent you the data. > > Rick Q > [email protected] > > > On Tue, Apr 28, 2015 at 10:27 AM, Dennis Schuette <[email protected]> wrote: > >> At this time, they have nothing. It will be up to me to send them >> something to fill in, and I need to make it as easy as possible for them. >> >> Customized Business Services, LLC (928) 580-6352 >> Dennis Schuette Primary: >> [email protected] >> 49 NW 130th Avenue Alternate: >> [email protected] >> Great Bend, KS 67530 >> Please notice new address as of 4/1/2015 >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: ProfoxTech [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of >> Richard Quilhot >> Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2015 9:23 AM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: Best way to gather data >> >> What are the customers source documents? >> >> Rick Q >> [email protected] >> >> >> On Tue, Apr 28, 2015 at 10:18 AM, Dennis Schuette <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >> > It is not coming from VFP, although my VFP app can generate a >> > document and email it to them to fill in. My issue is how to make >> > it easy for the customer to fill in and return the data without >> > having to save an attachment, fill in the data, attach the file, etc. >> > >> > Customized Business Services, LLC (928) 580-6352 >> > Dennis Schuette Primary: >> > [email protected] >> > 49 NW 130th Avenue Alternate: >> > [email protected] >> > Great Bend, KS 67530 >> > Please notice new address as of 4/1/2015 >> > >> > -----Original Message----- >> > From: ProfoxTech [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of >> > Richard Quilhot >> > Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2015 9:12 AM >> > To: [email protected] >> > Subject: Re: Best way to gather data >> > >> > If the data is coming from VFP create a button that emails you the >> > data from within the app. >> > >> > Rick Q >> > [email protected] >> > >> > >> > On Tue, Apr 28, 2015 at 10:05 AM, Dennis Schuette >> > <[email protected]> >> > wrote: >> > >> > > My main concern is to make it slam dunk easy for the customer so >> > > that they will do it in a timely manner. I'll do whatever it >> > > takes on my side once I get the data. >> > > I've thought about PDF forms but don't know how easy they are for >> > > the customer. >> > > >> > > Customized Business Services, LLC (928) 580-6352 >> > > Dennis Schuette Primary: >> > > [email protected] >> > > 49 NW 130th Avenue Alternate: >> > > [email protected] >> > > Great Bend, KS 67530 >> > > Please notice new address as of 4/1/2015 >> > > >> > > -----Original Message----- >> > > From: ProfoxTech [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf >> > > Of Kurt Wendt >> > > Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2015 8:57 AM >> > > To: [email protected] >> > > Subject: RE: Best way to gather data >> > > >> > > 1st question - are you able to tell your sources to stick with a >> > > standard file layout? Say, they also send a CSV - and the fields >> > > are all in a specific order. Or - must you change YOUR Program to >> > > take in Different formats? If so - that can be More complicated - >> > > Especially if they change the formats at any point in time - >> > > making >> Imports fail. >> > > >> > > -K- >> > > >> > > -----Original Message----- >> > > From: ProfoxTech [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf >> > > Of Dennis Schuette >> > > Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2015 9:47 AM >> > > To: [email protected] >> > > Subject: Best way to gather data >> > > >> > > I manage a VFP database for a customer on my servers and I gather >> > > data from a variety of sources, including: files through ftp >> > > sites, files in Dropbox and PDF files, text files, and Excel >> > > spreadsheets as email attachments, etc. >> > > >> > > My main tools are VFP 9 SP2 (fully patched) and Outlook 2013 and >> > > I have no web programming experience. >> > > >> > > I now have a need to gather about 10 pieces of data monthly from >> > > 50+ customers that may include numbers, dates, and some text fields. >> > > Some of these customers have RDP connections, but most do not. >> > > >> > > I am looking on suggestions as how to best gather this data so >> > > that the parsing can be automated through a VFP program. >> > > >> > > Thanks. >> > > >> > > Customized Business Services, LLC (928) 580-6352 >> > > Dennis Schuette Primary: >> > > [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> >> > > 49 NW 130th Avenue Alternate: >> > > [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> >> > > Great Bend, KS 67530 >> > > Please notice new address as of 4/1/2015 >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > --- StripMime Report -- processed MIME parts --- multipart/alternative >> > > text/plain (text body -- kept) >> > > text/html >> > > --- >> > > [excessive quoting removed by server] _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: [email protected] Subscription Maintenance: http://mail.leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://mail.leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech Searchable Archive: http://leafe.com/archives/search/profox This message: http://leafe.com/archives/byMID/profox/[email protected] ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. 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