In relation to HM forces stock control there is a few big stores all over the world with lots of bits in them with a NatoStock Number (NSN). They are all linked and should work. Have to add that as they keep changing the NSN they do lose stuff. They also have a few store men/women to administer this process.

We are using a simple excel spread sheet for our stock control. Developing a Infopath program so it can be used by all on the server.(alternative is the access database with a few macro's)

Billy

Now that the NHS is much larger than HM Forces ... there can be "no excuses", then, Billy.

I hate to disagree ... but I doubt that you can find too many examples of NSN's that "keep changing". Badly categorised (classified) in the first place, perhaps (especially the medical kit ... which, in my day at least, was catalogued by idjits).

Meanwhile ... there's not much wrong with a simple approach using Excel. "Do something simple, rather than do nothing complicated".

* Other spreadsheets (but not too many) are available.

If only everyone had that adage KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid).

The other thing that a simple approach to this problem means that anyone with basic knowledge can administrate it.

(and there are many more where that one came from)!

In the hope that I shall be "flamed" for resurrecting* "old threads" ... ... and with regards to the opening page of this topic ...

The latest version of TaskMaster is available, and I shall be posting it to Huw for him to tack up in the Downloads section shortly (tomorrow, Monday, I should imagine).

As usual there have been a number of incremental improvements and bug fixes. But I want to get it published before embarking upon the next planned change (which is the addition of an Invoicing feature).

As always, if you download it and give it a go, I shall be looking forward to receiving feedback, bug reports, and suggestions for further development, etc.

* But it is, after all, yet another "Slow News Sunday"!

Just a quick note to anyone who has downloaded the latest revision of TM that Huw kindly tacked up the other day:- I have noticed a snafu (now corrected) that will prevent the sending of Job and/or Service Reports to output.

As many will know, this is one of the problems with "development":- something gets changed way over here, with "unexpected consequences" hiding way over there, patiently waiting to laugh out loud when you least expect it (if you see what I’m saying). In short, one bad call is all it takes, unfortunately.

More waffle (for those fans of waffle who I just know are out there) ... other phrases that come to mind include:-

1) One step forward then two steps back.
2) Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
3) If you're not seeking perfection, why carry on experimenting?
4) No progress without the pain.
5) Our policy is one of continuous improvement.
6) Just one more tweak.
7) Can we make it do this? etc., etc.

... you know, stuff like that!

Apologies to anyone affected by this. I shall ask Huw to replace the download with a corrected file shortly. But in the meantime, if anyone needs the fix, feel free to get in touch by email, PM, whatever.

Done and dusted now.

Thanks Huw.

You're welcome

I'm spending some time on my database projects at the moment, and (harping back to the original posts to this thread) I'm wondering if anyone has had any joy with the Captions look-up table (datafile)?

Then later on, if I've still got the Will to Live, I really must put the Perfect PM issue to bed, once and for all!

OK ... after two months of pretty intensive coding sessions (and having had the thing very much "open, and on the table" so to speak), I hope I am getting near the stage of asking Huw to tack up revision 11.05 of the famous (?) TaskMaster program.

But before I do that, and in order to (hopefully) spare myself the embarrassment of howling* bugs becoming immediately apparent, it would be nice if someone out there would be willing to take a look at the beta.

PM or email if you're interested, and I'll zip up an email attachment for you.

Meanwhile, I would discourage anyone from downloading (what is now) the earlier version from the Downloads section of this forum until 11.05 is lodged there. There have been many detailed improvements (and, yes, bug fixes) since 11.03.

That's all for now.

* Do bugs howl? They're usually a bit more sneaky than that, I find. Like when they wait a few months (or more) to make their presence known.