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[Closed] Free online data input? Google Form?

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I've been tasked with replacing the current system of regional offices filling in spreadsheets then sending them in for me to then transfer to another spreadsheet.

Is there a free online way that they can input data and it populates a spreadsheet my end showing totals etc?

So far it looks like Google Forms might fit the bill. Any other formats out there?

Thanks


 
Posted : 06/12/2016 6:01 pm
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You could do a simple one on Google sheets, if you trust the users not to delete or muck up...

If not, use Forms and it automatically spits into a Sheet on request.

I use Fusion for more complex work too - such as merging Sheets and displaying information on Maps.


 
Posted : 06/12/2016 6:41 pm
 poly
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It all depends on the type of data, the number of users, if your organisation already uses Google (or will you have people logging in with personal Gmail accounts), your organisation's view of cloud based solution, if the s/sheets are used elsewhere, where the data comes from that goes on the s/sheet, how you will track missing data, are all the incoming sheets in the same layout, how you need to format the data to report it (and what they do with it).

There are many solutions from some simple macros to bespoke tools and Google forms is somewhere in the middle. In my view that probably makes it a poor choice - the hard part in these things is not picking or configuring the tool it is managing the change, and the people and behaviours that it takes to make it work.


 
Posted : 06/12/2016 6:52 pm
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Why would you want to populate a spreadsheet? If you are going to automate online do it end to end.

For an online form you want to build something in php? With a mySQL database backend?

If it's over a network build a c# app. If you're not sure, are really the right person to be asking?


 
Posted : 06/12/2016 7:44 pm
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😆


 
Posted : 06/12/2016 7:51 pm
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For an online form you want to build something in php? With a mySQL database backend?

If it's over a network build a c# app. If you're not sure, are really the right person to be asking?

Idiot.

Sounds like a Google form may just suit you perfectly.


 
Posted : 06/12/2016 7:54 pm
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Sounds like a Google form may just suit you perfectly.

+1


 
Posted : 06/12/2016 8:09 pm
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Another thought. Can you copy and paste the incoming spreadsheets onto individual named Tabs in excel.

As long as the form data is set up to always copy to the same cell on a named tab, you could then have another tab that summarises the incoming information.


 
Posted : 06/12/2016 8:15 pm
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Thanks for the advice all. Looks like Google it is. 8)


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 3:44 pm
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If you use office365 at work you can also do a google forms like thing with that


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:55 pm
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Just be aware of any DPA issues if you are recording personal details using the google form,


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 5:44 pm