Spreadsheet, Calendar or Table to control Personnel?

[Mickets]

Hello,

Suddenly I have to keep track of a list of personnel: where they are and what days.

I started by putting their names in my Palm TX Calendar (datebook) app... but it's not very good - I have their names all over my personnal appointments

Then I thought of creating a custom table in Pilot-DB... but not so fast - I'm in a rush..


Then I thought of using an Excel sheet in Documents to Go 7, since I can easily send the Excel file to non-Palm users...


But none of them are good and fast solutions. And I can't find any specific app for sorting this out.

Has anyone done something similar? How did you do it? With what software?

[LupeValenz]

Hmmm I would think Excel is best way to go since you can make tabs for each new day/week/month. You can have the excel sheet preformatted with their names and simply put in the time and location. It will also give you a simple list view :)

[dmccunney]

For what you want to do, an Excel spreadsheet sounds like the simplest solution. People can be rows. Days can be columns. Individual cells can hold locations.

If this is in a corporate environment, the sheet can be shared over the network.

You can dump it to a CSV file and use DB-Editor to create a Pilot-DB database, or view it in Docs to Go.
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Dennis

[Mickets]

Yes, but DTG (Documents To Go) 7 is not soooo good... I actually began to do it in Pilot-DB: created a DB with the names of the workers. Created another DB, with a field named Person, and linked to the Workers DB (so I just select the name of a person from a pull-down list)...

... but maybe Excel (i.e.: DTG) is better...

...what we REALLY need is a better Excel for the Palm, one with more functions and flexibility, closer to the PC version.

[dmccunney]

Yes, but DTG (Documents To Go) 7 is not soooo good... I actually began to do it in Pilot-DB: created a DB with the names of the workers. Created another DB, with a field named Person, and linked to the Workers DB (so I just select the name of a person from a pull-down list)...

... but maybe Excel (i.e.: DTG) is better...

...what we REALLY need is a better Excel for the Palm, one with more functions and flexibility, closer to the PC version.I'm not sure that will happen. Excel is large and complex. There are several other Palm spreadsheet solutions, including QuickOffice, MobiOffice and (I believe it's still about) TinySheet.

I use DTG, which I got back in the v4 days to be able to view spreadsheets on my old Visor Deluxe. It's adequate for my purposes, because I have no interest in creating spreadsheets on the PDA. The ability to view them and make minor edits is quite sufficient. (Even with a 324x480 screen, the viewable area is too small to make spreadsheets a good fit for a PDA. I normally need to see more of the sheet than the PDA screen will display.)

You can do it in Pilot-DB, too (and I run that here as my preferred database app for the Palm.)

I just thought Excel might be a simpler solution, as you could create your tracker on the desktop and use the same file on the PDA.

I have DTG v8 here. I actually still convert files on the desktop for DTG. It has "native" support, but that simply means the conversion must take place on the device when you open the sheet, adding significant time to the opening process, and time to closing it, as it must convert back if you've made changes. Converted files are a lot smaller and open much faster.

I understand Dataviz has removed conversion of the desktop for v9/10, which is a reason for me to not upgrade.
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Dennis

[juggernaut#2]

I do have (had) the very same problem since quite some years. First, let me tell you that there is no usable solution on the market, which is quite astonishing, since it´s a business use which would make for some revenue by selling a functional software if some desktop was included (like with bonsai).

Anyway, I was looking just for a solution to keep track of vacation/sick days of my employees. the only software that I could find was "acapulco 1.53" (it MUST be 1.53), which solves at least this problem, but is a little outdated and needs some getting used to. Furthermore, it´s hard to get hold on and there seems to be no way to register ist, since it seems to be abandoned.

If you need more than just tracking off days, you gotta stick to some excel/dtg/whatever selfmade solution, ´cause you won´t find anything professional (if you do, pls let me know!) - and yes, I know that there are a few programs out there called "DayzOff" and the like, but they´re all designed to keep track of ONE person (the user), not of a lot of them.

If it´s more like project-tracking what you are supposed to do, you might take a look at some outliner / project manager software, i.e. Bonsai or ShadowPlan. Since they allow you to assign different types of ressources to a project - which can be certain employees - this might be what you need. Bonsai does have a very decent windows desktop as well.

[Mickets]

DayzOff 1.4 seems to work with tracking several people http://www.mcintoshusa.com/

I already use Progect as a project manager. I tried Bonsai - very nice, but not free. But their not good for tracking people. Project@Hand, also by Natara may do it, since it`s more like MS Project... but too bulky just for that.

Maybe I`ll upgrade to DTG 10.

Or maybe I'll just track the people in my head.

[dmccunney]

DayzOff 1.4 seems to work with tracking several people http://www.mcintoshusa.com/

I already use Progect as a project manager. I tried Bonsai - very nice, but not free. But their not good for tracking people. Project@Hand, also by Natara may do it, since it`s more like MS Project... but too bulky just for that.I use Progect myself. It's a delightful app.

Another capable free and open source project management app is Projects for Palm OS: http://projects4palmos.sourceforge.net/screenshots.html

However, neither addresses your specific requirement.

Maybe I`ll upgrade to DTG 10.I'm not sure that adds anything that addresses your issue. The existing version can handle a simple matrix of who is where when.

Or maybe I'll just track the people in my head.:)
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Dennis

[juggernaut#2]

The main thing I miss in DayzOff is that it is lacking a graphical overwiew of who´s where - when allowing employees to take a day OFF, you should better know before if there´s anybody IN that day. That is kinda hard to see with DayzOff. It´s free, though, and if it suits your needs, fine.

[Mickets]

I use Progect myself. It's a delightful app.
Yes, it`s great. And it's even better using it full screen (320 x 480), which can be done using CodeDiver!

Another capable free and open source project management app is Projects for Palm OS: http://projects4palmos.sourceforge.net/screenshots.html

Whoa, I'll look in to this one... doesn't look as good as Progect though...

However, neither addresses your specific requirement.
Yes, but I've kind of forgotten that now... I mentioned DTG because if at least the "Excel To Go" is better, then it may be worth it... plus, it reads PDF as well (I use PalmPDF and Picsel Proviewer, but neither have a search tool).

[dmccunney]

Yes, it`s great. And it's even better using it full screen (320 x 480), which can be done using CodeDiver!Well, sorta.

Using Code Diver on it here moves the nav box, but the actual project display screen stays 320x320.

Whoa, I'll look in to this one... doesn't look as good as Progect though...I like Progect better, but I see this as taking a different approach.

Yes, but I've kind of forgotten that now... I mentioned DTG because if at least the "Excel To Go" is better, then it may be worth it... plus, it reads PDF as well (I use PalmPDF and Picsel Proviewer, but neither have a search tool).I looked at the Docs to Go PDF viewer, but prefer PalmPDF.

I have Picsel Proviewer installed here, but mostly to see if I could. While it's an awe inspiring bit of code, the non-standard UI makes using it a bit of a trail.

And PalmPDF does have a search function. (Tap the magnifying glass icon in the middle of the status bar.)
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Dennis

[Mickets]

Well, sorta.

Using Code Diver on it here moves the nav box, but the actual project display screen stays 320x320.
It works fine for me here. Maybe you have the wrong settings?
http://www.michael.lees.oi.com.br/pub/10425.jpg
http://www.michael.lees.oi.com.br/pub/10435.jpg

I have Picsel Proviewer installed here, but mostly to see if I could. While it's an awe inspiring bit of code, the non-standard UI makes using it a bit of a trail.
I got used to it. I just read the documents with one hand (and thumb to flip pages, etc). I suggested them they add this feature (search) and others, and it they may be on their way...

And PalmPDF does have a search function. (Tap the magnifying glass icon in the middle of the status bar.)
You are right: I had forgotten that...
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[dmccunney]

It works fine for me here. Maybe you have the wrong settings?
Nope.. Virtual Silk is Force/Long/Long

Right now it's working. Last night it didn't. <shrug>

The Zodiac defaults to landscape mode, and collapsing the DIA for Progect isn't useful there, but it's handy for portrait orientation.
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Dennis