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  1. #1
    Trucker is offline Novice
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    Old truck driver needs advice!!!

    I'm a 72 year old truck driver that needs some advice. I was a Computer Science major at San Francisco State University from 1984-1988. Coded in Pascal, FORTRAN, COBOL and some assembly languages. Of course, that's all pretty hazy now. I need to brush up my programming skills so that I can write the simplest of programs. Not for me but for my fellow drivers who, like me, are career drivers. They are barely capable of answering their phones. I have created a pay sheet for entering their hours (military time) into a MS Word table. I need to create a simple program, the simpler the better, that prompts the driver for his start time, break time, and end of shift time. The results would be displayed in a daily total and then a weekly total. I know for virtually all of you this is a program on par with "Hello world." I'm thinking Access VBA. I'm just hoping for a solid lead for a path to pursue. If anyone could help, it would sure be appreciated.



    Thank you

  2. #2
    ranman256's Avatar
    ranman256 is offline VIP
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    Dont use Word, use Excel. Its a good starting app where the data can be transfered to other databases.
    (note: enter time into a cell as DATE/TIME : 6/1/21 13:00) this helps calculate elapsed time.

    You can also use excel to learn programming. visual basic.
    Or you can jump right into Access, but this has a learning curve on how database tables /queries work. A lot more study here.

  3. #3
    orange's Avatar
    orange is offline Moderator
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    I recommend the tutorials from RogersAccessLibrary in this link as a refresher for Database design (tables and relationships).
    Work through one or two of those tutorials (~ 45 min - 1 hr) to experience a procedure for design.
    Also at that link are several articles for various Access/vba topics and examples.

    Do you have a paper form as a template for your proposed automation?
    If so, can you post a copy?

    Sample driver log forms
    Last edited by orange; 07-10-2021 at 06:13 AM. Reason: spelling

  4. #4
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    As your requirement is reasonably simple, I would go for Excel.
    Then they can have their sheets on their phones, and enter when they start, take a break and finish.

    Create a template for them to use, and formulae for week, month, year etc.

    A lot easier than Access, unless of course you want to use Access only.?
    Please use # icon on toolbar when posting code snippets.
    Cross Posting: https://www.excelguru.ca/content.php?184
    Debugging Access: https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...bug+access+vba

  5. #5
    Micron is offline Virtually Inert Person
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    You didn't say how/where they'd be entering info. If when back at the office they will enter data from paper sheets or a logbook that they use on the road, then Excel presents a problem in that it doesn't support simultaneous users but Access will. I agree with Access having a somewhat steep learning curve, especially if you want to do it right and avoid common pitfalls. More so if you get involved in VBA code. However, there's lots of help available on-line. If you are not familiar with db normalization, you must start with that.
    The more we hear silence, the more we begin to think about our value in this universe.
    Paraphrase of Professor Brian Cox.

  6. #6
    June7's Avatar
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    Excel will require more code to build 'prompts' for user input and saving those inputs to worksheet cells and transfer to Access db. Excel can have forms and again, the coding for them is complicated.

    However, with Access, input forms can be built with little to no code. The learning curve with Access is associated with understanding relational database structure but that is hurdle to get through even if Excel is used for the data entry GUI.

    Might check out this template https://access.microsofttemplates.or...-template.html
    How to attach file: http://www.accessforums.net/showthread.php?t=70301 To provide db: copy, remove confidential data, run compact & repair, zip w/Windows Compression.

  7. #7
    Blings's Avatar
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    I've read through the suggestions, however, an Excel spreadsheet on your phone isn't ideal either considering you and your colleagues will most likely want to capture data whilst on the road. You and your colleagues don't want to be formatting cells and ensuring you are putting the data in the correct cell. What you want to use is Google Drive, create yourself a Google Form whereby you have a form for the capturing of data then you have a link to view statistics.

    The form should have a checkbox to select the driver then that driver simply picks the date of his shift, the shift start time and defines the shift end date and time, break time in minutes or hours might be more suitable on a separate form which can tally up the break time vs shift time.

    My colleagues and I run a similar functioned Google Form system for Auxiliary Law Enforcement Officers which works beautifully, see example below I made for you:-

    https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...Omd1A/viewform

    Then you can use Google Data Studio to display your statistics, look at this!

    We can literally set this up for you in minutes using Google Forms, no programming needed.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails LE STATS.PNG  

  8. #8
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    And hopefully FOC ?
    Please use # icon on toolbar when posting code snippets.
    Cross Posting: https://www.excelguru.ca/content.php?184
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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by June7 View Post
    Excel will require more code to build 'prompts' for user input and saving those inputs to worksheet cells and transfer to Access db. Excel can have forms and again, the coding for them is complicated.

    However, with Access, input forms can be built with little to no code. The learning curve with Access is associated with understanding relational database structure but that is hurdle to get through even if Excel is used for the data entry GUI.

    Might check out this template https://access.microsofttemplates.or...-template.html
    Well I was thinking of a simple row by row entry, just as you would on paper?, no fancy data entry form.
    If you can change gears, even a truck driver should be able to cope with that? :-)
    Please use # icon on toolbar when posting code snippets.
    Cross Posting: https://www.excelguru.ca/content.php?184
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  10. #10
    Trucker is offline Novice
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    What a beautiful solution. Thank you, so much. This will be so useful in the future and for my immediate needs.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Welshgasman View Post
    And hopefully FOC ?
    Definitely! I've received so much help here and in return I want to share and assist the community where possible.

  12. #12
    Trucker is offline Novice
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    Payroll record

    This is the form we use to turn in our hours. Much of the formatting didn't upload but the table is the heart of the form. The problem we are facing right now is a newly hired manager who is a great guy but terribly overloaded. He is, with no help, managing three branches, each in a different time zone no less. He is in Norwell MA, we are in Newark CA and he also manages branches in Wichita KS and Metairie LA. Among his duties is payroll and some serious errors are the result. We drive oil tanker trucks and regularly work 14 hr shifts, 60-70 hrs per week. We are paid every two weeks. I happened to notice I took home $627 for two weeks. So it was obviously out of whack. I was paid for 36 hours (should have been 123 hours) and received no Per Diem when I should have received 5 days ($55/day). I later found other drivers have been experiencing the same problems. Our drivers are, like myself, older drivers. In the past we have just assumed our checks were correct and they generally were. They are generally lacking in the most rudimentary skills. It is for that reason that I felt I needed to step up and do what I could to help them have the means to stay on top of their pay. To be honest, after 70 hrs on the road, sleeping in a tight sleeper berth we often let things slide. Let me say, our manager is a great guy and tries to look out for us. These are honest mistakes.

    I want to thank all of you for your suggestions, it is much appreciated.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by OwenMedia View Post
    Definitely! I've received so much help here and in return I want to share and assist the community where possible.
    That is refreshingly good to hear.
    Please use # icon on toolbar when posting code snippets.
    Cross Posting: https://www.excelguru.ca/content.php?184
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  14. #14
    Blings's Avatar
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    I would be happy to build something for you to take a look at, it'll be really simple using Google Forms to capture your hours driven and Google Data Studio to view your hours driven.

    If you can please provide three examples of your last three journeys as an example I'll chip away at something for you.

    See example:-

    Name Shift Start Date & Time Shift End Date & Time Total Break HH:MM
    G Owen 10/07/2021 08:00 10/07/2021 16:30 01:30

  15. #15
    Trucker is offline Novice
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    Well, I certainly appreciate the offer. There have been quite a few payroll errors, lately. Some time ago I created a pay sheet which was printed out, entries were hand written, photographed, and sent by text or email. I have tried reepeatedly to upload the form and haver been unable to do so. Basically, it's simply a MS Word Table. Shift_Start, Lunch_Start, Lunch_End, Shift_End, Per_Diem, Total_Hrs. So, a single day would look like this: Shift_Start: 0800, Lunch_Start: 1230 Lunch_End 1300 Shift_End: 2100 Per_Diem: $55 Total_Hrs (minus lunch): 13.00.
    Extremely simple. But, these calculations are generally done in a driver's head after a 14 or 15 hour shift and therefore generally unreliable. We need this simple app so that the manager and the driver have a reliable reference.

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