Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!snorkelwacker!usc!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!mcdphx!varese.UUCP!kjj From: kjj@varese.UUCP (Kevin Johnson) Newsgroups: comp.sources.wanted Subject: Re: Time reporting tools (automated timesheets!) Message-ID: <13369@mcdphx.phx.mcd.mot.com> Date: 9 Aug 90 00:13:17 GMT References: Sender: listen@mcdphx.phx.mcd.mot.com Reply-To: kjj@varese.UUCP (Kevin Johnson) Organization: Motorola Microcomputer Division, Tempe, Az. Lines: 42 In article larry@focsys.uucp (Larry Williamson) writes: >I want to automate our archaic, manual timesheet system. > >It does not much matter how we enter the data, it would be nice simply >to be able to type it in every day and have the results posted to the >proper authorities each week. > >It may be based on >. a database (informix for example) >. a spreadsheet (sco professional (lotus look-a-like) for example) >. flat ascii files created by shell scripts and processed by awk or > perl or ?? >. ?? IMHO.. Especially if you want historical analysis, you might find that a database package is the only package of the ones listed above designed to handle a non-trivial amount of information. That is, unless you're talking about 3 men in a tub :-) If one is in a multi-machine environment, it might be handy to build it under a client-server model. The idea here being: a. The server accepts a simple predefined format for transactions. b. The client can any form that provides the required format to the server. c. The transmission could be performed via email or via a network socket. This would be especially handy in a programming environment because the transactions could easily be built into the environment as a programmer/department saw fit. Some examples: a. a new emacs mode/window (sorta like buffer-menu ?) b. shell scripts/aliases c. an Motif radio-button window Me - I work in one department as sysadm so I only work under one 'project'. :-) #include .-----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Kevin Johnson ...!mcdphx!QIS1!kjj | | QIS System Administrator Motorola MCD kjj@phx.mcd.mot.com |