Following policies is a difficult thing because it is open to interpretation. I was wondering if it is possible to create a prompt instruction file.
For instance: Warranty policy
Select: 1) direct method 2) indirect
Let's say I select number 1
You could get the following prompts:
Enter: auditor name, date, company code
Run OBI report located at #### paste output on the tab called unit count
A macros is ran an the pivot table is automatically updated
etc.
I am working on putting my file together and defining the steps. I would really appreciate any help.
Are you attempting to create a business process in excel? That will not scale well. I would suggest a database instead. Link the task tables to the methods.
Yes, that is exactly what I am trying to do. When you say database, do you mean access? I am preparing the analysis for someone else to audit. Seven people are supposed to do the exact same thing. So I want to have consistency on how we do it. In addition, we are supposed to forecast 5 years out so a database wouldn't work for the whole process.
We already have a warehouse called Oracle Business Intelligence. My hope was to get people to run the same reports and paste in the exact same tabs. Pivot tables would consolidate the data and vlookup would help with the calculations. People still need to do few steps on their own. Step by step directions should help standardize.
Well, yes like access. As for scaling of access, I have a business process built in access that has been used/modified, tweaked, and altered for over 10 years! As for the process of things, it is simple to build a table of task, and make them true or false. Think of this as the controller. Then you just have to query "What is true?" to find your step in the process. I simplified my building projects down to material lists based on what process was being worked. At a time, I could run a report for more than 50 projects, and because steps were marked as true up to a portion, I could then scrape out the next step process and get the materials in the future, based on what was already completed. As for reporting, access report builder is freindly, and very fast as for speed to market for custom reports! I hope you read this with an open mind, as excel does not scale well, and is not very "Relative Friendly" when it comes to variables and such.
I might even suggest an intranet web front end, and not a client log into the DB. Then the tabs and what is available to the user, can really be modified based on business rules.
If you need any help, or do not understand any one component, let me know. I love automated business process, and have had no problem duplicating myself (through automated deployment), out of a job!
