Warning

 

Close
Confirm Action

Are you sure you wish to do this?

Cancel Confirm
AR15.COM
4/23/2013 11:05:33 AM EDT
Getting tired of going down Google rabbit holes so I'll ask you guys.

The scenario is this; my company is "paper-less" and we need a way to keep track of client files when there is not a physical file in our face. At any given time we can have 7 different hands involved in the file, each person owning separate responsibility to said file.  It was decided to use an excel work book, with different columns showing each responsibility. From there the person would date when completed. Simple enough, right?

The problem is, the changes need to be live and this is where Microsoft is poop. A shared workbook over a network / exchange server was awful, trust me.  Now for the last few months we have been using SkyDrive which is Microsoft's cloud.  The last month or so, it has been very unreliable to the point we were not able to access it for 24 hours. Ideally, we'd like something we can control and not be bound to cloud servers.

Please, name me some programs where I can keep track of multiple clients, where updates are live, that is remotely user friendly.  Also, I need to show a complete "snap shot" of active files. Thanks.
4/23/2013 11:34:35 AM EDT
[#1]
so not exactly sure what you are trying to do.

it sounds like you are tracking tasks, not the file itself?

ms project?

bugzilla for free, clearquest or quality center paid,  if you actually have to move the file around and notify people automatically

ms project might be more complex than you need.

the defect tracking type software will be more helpful I think.

project will let you create tasks with durations. if you use MS server, people can update their task via the web instead of the specific application.
4/23/2013 12:22:00 PM EDT
[#2]
I appreciate the response but it looks like I over complicated what we are needing.  Below is the simple spreadsheet example, information removed for privacy.  But ya, that's it, simple I know.

http://i.imgur.com/cM2yWxjl.jpg
4/23/2013 12:26:08 PM EDT
[#3]



Quoted:


so not exactly sure what you are trying to do.






He wants multiple simultaneous readers/writers to a file.



SQL.



 





4/23/2013 12:32:51 PM EDT
[#4]
Microsoft Onenote may or may not be the answer.
4/23/2013 1:30:16 PM EDT
[#5]
Microsoft sharepoint will allow you all to share the file and update simultaneous versions.
4/23/2013 1:34:41 PM EDT
[#6]
We've been working with Sharepoint for an Oracle project at work, it's been interesting.  Good for the most part.
4/23/2013 4:46:43 PM EDT
[#7]
Sounds like you need a database and not an excel file.
4/23/2013 8:21:44 PM EDT
[#8]
Sharepoint for a generic solution.

MSProject for a specific one.

SQL if you want to custom program everything and code a front end.

I suggest Sharepoint.  I use all three at work managing healthcare projects and Sharepoint is the most user friendly and intuitive.  If you are a small business MS has a program where they will give you a product for up to 3y to use until your business becomes profitable.
4/23/2013 11:40:02 PM EDT
[#9]
yeah excel is a bad idea for the number of people you are dealing with...

either:
MS Sharepoint
or
atlassian confluence


basically you need some sort of collaboration support product
4/24/2013 4:24:18 AM EDT
[#10]
We use SharePoint at NASA.  Works for our needs.
4/24/2013 6:49:30 AM EDT
[#11]
Sharepoint is a good bet.  It is fairly intuitive, and fields for comments or actions or dropdown menus can be added at will.
4/24/2013 9:40:02 AM EDT
[#12]
If the spreadsheet is just as simple as the one you posted, try using Google Docs. The spreadsheets on there can't do all of the super duper fancy things Excel can do, but it does handle basic spreadsheets very well and just like Excel. Any document created in Google Docs will have an "owner" and then the owner can share it with as many people as you want, and can set what each viewer can do (i.e. view only, or view and edit). Each person will just log in to the spreadsheet from wherever they are and edit the items that are their responsibility. Also, unlike an Excel doc on a server, the Google Docs spreadsheet can be opened/edited by multiple users at the same time.