Data Entry Forms

Management Tracker Screens serve as data entry, editing and retrieval forms. In many regards they look like and act more like paper forms than computer screens. One of these forms - the Quick List - resembles a spreadsheet to allow users an easy transition from lists on a spreadsheet to a database. Most users will spend the majority of their time entering and retrieving information on two or three of the forms. Following is a brief description of the common forms used in the Tracker

>Quick List - This form looks like a really well designed spreadsheet used to track project tasks and other issue lists. This allows a beginner or individual who just wants to enter basic information to use a familiar format containing multiple records on the screen at one time. It is superior to a spreadsheet in several ways
  • Compact design allows 14 fields to be viewed and/or printed
  • Appropriate titles - Subject, Committee, Due Date, Responsible Person, Priority, etc. - are on the screen
  • Many selections are made from drop down list
  • Most importantly - when data is entered into the Quick List all the reports from the Tracker are immediately available for these entries

>Select Form - This form contains most of the fields available for each record in the database. In addition to the 14 fields on the Quick List, it contains
  • Buttons to open hyperlinked documents, place the subject on a meeting agenda and review notes from previous meetings
  • Fields to identify additional participants - 3rd parties, approval "signatures" and dates, author committees, etc.
  • Additional details such as Resolution (for questions or decisions), classification of problems for items dealing with vendor or client issues
The forms are designed to minimize wasted key strokes. There are no complex menus to navigate to get to the right form. A single mouse click opens a dialog box where the user may select values for fields such as project name or committee to limit the data on the form. A second click brings up the form where all data entry and search functions are executed.

>Event/Project Form - This form is identical in appearance to the Select Form which makes training very easy. The major difference is that when this form is opened, the user selects an event or project to work on. The form displays only items associated with that event or project and new records have information about the event or project entered in as defaults. Since events and projects have a start date and due date as a major focal points, the Tracker allows - but does not require - that individual task due dates can be entered as a number of days from the Project Due Date or Project Start Date. For example, a new task may be scheduled as 30 days before the Project Due Date or 7 days after the Project Start Date. This is particularly valuable when a project is repeated periodically - the Tracker will update task due dates accordingly.
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