Need some reporting help
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Needs more Lemon Pledge
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Phoenix, AZ
Need some reporting help
OK, stick with me here, looking for the best way to accomplish something.
I write reports in MS word for certain things. The reports all follow the same format. As a matter of fact, I have a default one with the areas I need to fill in with text highlighted in yellow so I can adjust them and then remove the highlighting. Then I save it as a unique file name and leave the default template in tact for the next time. I also need to insert spreadsheets into the report. The same spreadsheets each time. I might have 6 spreadsheets that each need to go into the report in various places. Spreadsheets are generated specifically for the context of the report. IOW, I have client "Jones" who will be getting a report. I need to edit the report to reflect the name Jones, to insert into the introduction a sentence or two about why I am working for Jones, a few notes pertaining specifically to Jones spread throughout the report and then some spreadsheets that detail what I did for Jones.
All of these items will be repeated for "Smith" except it will be different inserted text and I will generate new spreadsheets for Smith reflecting his data.
I want to have a default form that automatically prompts me for the areas I need to fill in and then automatically draws the data from the spreadsheets (I can save them in a fixed location for hard linking).
Is this a job for Access or is there a different batter way to accomplish this? I am tired of replacing highlighted text with correct text, proof reading the whole doc to make sure there are no references to previous clients or that I am not referring to a "he" as a "her" etc..
I write reports in MS word for certain things. The reports all follow the same format. As a matter of fact, I have a default one with the areas I need to fill in with text highlighted in yellow so I can adjust them and then remove the highlighting. Then I save it as a unique file name and leave the default template in tact for the next time. I also need to insert spreadsheets into the report. The same spreadsheets each time. I might have 6 spreadsheets that each need to go into the report in various places. Spreadsheets are generated specifically for the context of the report. IOW, I have client "Jones" who will be getting a report. I need to edit the report to reflect the name Jones, to insert into the introduction a sentence or two about why I am working for Jones, a few notes pertaining specifically to Jones spread throughout the report and then some spreadsheets that detail what I did for Jones.
All of these items will be repeated for "Smith" except it will be different inserted text and I will generate new spreadsheets for Smith reflecting his data.
I want to have a default form that automatically prompts me for the areas I need to fill in and then automatically draws the data from the spreadsheets (I can save them in a fixed location for hard linking).
Is this a job for Access or is there a different batter way to accomplish this? I am tired of replacing highlighted text with correct text, proof reading the whole doc to make sure there are no references to previous clients or that I am not referring to a "he" as a "her" etc..
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,845
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Sounds like a Mail Merge in Word. I think you could also do Word Templates (.dot or .dotx) that would prompt for information on create.(http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/o...7-a5c0ac82bcc5)
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 27,921
Likes: 1,080
From: where the weather suits my clothes
Sounds like you could create a form in Word that pulls the data from Excel. Even down to the he/she.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/ex...001044890.aspx
It will allow you to link specific cells that have all of the specific data about the client.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/ex...001044890.aspx
It will allow you to link specific cells that have all of the specific data about the client.
Last edited by NSXNEXT; Jan 30, 2014 at 10:36 AM.
Thread Starter
Needs more Lemon Pledge
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 52,768
Likes: 2,000
From: Phoenix, AZ
I should clarify, The text info (not the spreadsheets) I need to insert into the report is not always the same and not pre-designated. I need to type it in manually based on the context.
Thread Starter
Needs more Lemon Pledge
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 52,768
Likes: 2,000
From: Phoenix, AZ
Sounds like you could create a form in Word that pulls the data from Excel. Even down to the he/she.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/ex...001044890.aspx
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/ex...001044890.aspx
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 27,921
Likes: 1,080
From: where the weather suits my clothes
The text areas can just be fields on your Excel. Or you can pick specific words/sections in the paragraph to be data coming from cells in the Excel.
How do I link selected cells from my Excel worksheet to my Word document?
To link to selected cells from the worksheet, just follow these steps:
In Excel, select the cells to copy.
On the Edit menu, click Copy.
In Word, position your pointer where you want to insert the cells.
On the Edit menu, click Paste Special.
Click Paste link.
Select Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object.
Click OK to insert the cells into your document and create a link to the Excel file.
To link to selected cells from the worksheet, just follow these steps:
In Excel, select the cells to copy.
On the Edit menu, click Copy.
In Word, position your pointer where you want to insert the cells.
On the Edit menu, click Paste Special.
Click Paste link.
Select Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object.
Click OK to insert the cells into your document and create a link to the Excel file.
Thread Starter
Needs more Lemon Pledge
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 52,768
Likes: 2,000
From: Phoenix, AZ
Sorry, I was unclear. The excel areas are for tables that I need imported into the report. The text input will be manually done on a report by report basis. IE, there will be a conclusions sections which will read:
Based on my research of the items mentioned above, I have concluded that XXXXX.
I will replace the XXXXX with text that pertains to that specific report.
There will be multiple areas of the report where I need to manually, report by report, enter text info. Currently I have these areas highlighted so I am aware of them and then simply replace the text there on a report by report basis. I would like to have something where I am prompted to fill in each area (that is currently highlighted) and potentially can see which ones have/have not been completed.
Based on my research of the items mentioned above, I have concluded that XXXXX.
I will replace the XXXXX with text that pertains to that specific report.
There will be multiple areas of the report where I need to manually, report by report, enter text info. Currently I have these areas highlighted so I am aware of them and then simply replace the text there on a report by report basis. I would like to have something where I am prompted to fill in each area (that is currently highlighted) and potentially can see which ones have/have not been completed.
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Race Director
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 10,497
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Beauty of MS is that you can truly integrate all in one after some time, a few coffees and a few unkind words towards Bill Gates.
Best bet is to link worksheet into where you need your data to automatically generate when you open the template. If you do a lot of presentations/newsletter you may want to use Publisher.
I'd only work in Excel, put all the info you need. Name. A few sentences. Tables. And let all of it be automatically imported in word template just to print it.
Sounds good, doesn't it? Now go start on that coffee lol
Edit: PS For prompts, create the template and do it the old fashion way. No shortcuts. There is a bunch of info on this http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/wo...010077962.aspx
Best bet is to link worksheet into where you need your data to automatically generate when you open the template. If you do a lot of presentations/newsletter you may want to use Publisher.
I'd only work in Excel, put all the info you need. Name. A few sentences. Tables. And let all of it be automatically imported in word template just to print it.
Sounds good, doesn't it? Now go start on that coffee lolEdit: PS For prompts, create the template and do it the old fashion way. No shortcuts. There is a bunch of info on this http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/wo...010077962.aspx
Last edited by TeknoKing; Jan 30, 2014 at 03:31 PM.
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