Re: Best Practice

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From: MacDermott (macdermott_at_NoSpam.com)
Date: 11/22/04 

Date: Mon, 22 Nov 2004 06:17:02 -0500

You've gotten a whole bunch of in-depth suggestions on "best practices" for
reports,
    let me just add a couple of comments directed towards the particular
questions you're asking:

1. It is usually NOT "best practice" to maintain separate copies of a
report, differing only in the criteria. One reason is that then if you have
to change anything, you have to remember to go back and change it on all
copies of the report.

2. A Report Launcher form such as Larry describes can collect the necessary
inputs (in your case, it sounds as if this is just "shift") and apply that
input to any report that is "launched" from that form. Here's one easy way
to implement that: (there are others)
    It looks as if you already know how to base your report on a parameter
query, where you set the criteria for your Shift field to something like
[Enter your Shift]. If your Report Launcher form is named MyLauncher, and
you've collected your input in a control (textbox or combobox) named
MyShift, you can replace [Enter your Shift] with
    =Forms!MyLauncher!MyShift
on the criteria line. This will pull whatever value is in the MyShift
control, as long as that form remains open.

3. You mentioned that the supervisor has to run 3 reports for each shift.
Perhaps you could also provide a "print all 3" button, so he/she only has to
click once?

HTH
    = Turtle
"LMB" <RomulanQueen@10Forward.SSTNG> wrote in message
news:ecGdqO4zEHA.4028@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
Hi Guys,

I have a database that we have been using for 2 or so years. The original
intent for this database was only to keep track of one thing. After that
one thing was such a huge time saver, I have added bits and pieces and now
the thing is quite large. Now, I am currently re-making this database and
want to do it right from the start. My question is...Is it more
efficient/better for the database to make one query and have the user type
in the criteria or is ok to make 3 queries and then 3 more reports to save
the user from always having to type in criteria? Below is what I have now.

I have 3 types of reports. All have the same reports but only show records
for day shift employees, or night shift employees, or all employees. I know
I can just make one report and base it on one query and have the supervisor
to type in days to see day shift records or nights for night shift but I
figure they will have to do this 3 times since they run 3 reports per shift
and it may annoy them. Can having a lot of queries an reports cause
problems? Right now my database has 60 queries and about 70 reports. Gee
it sure did grow.

Access 2000

Thanks,
Linda

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