form that emails a spreadsheet (Full Version)

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Woof -> form that emails a spreadsheet (5/11/2004 2:07:10)

First post. Pretty cool site, lots of info. Hope someone can help me.
I have a site with a form on it that the user fills out and it emails me the info. Works great. I am trying to create another form that I can use to enter data that when completed will email the data in a spreadsheet to someone else. Is this at all possible? I know very little about frontpage, but I am faking it along. My hosting company has FP extensions installed if that makes a difference. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks
Woof

Crap I put this in the wrong forum. Sorry!!



ellipisces -> RE: form that emails a spreadsheet (5/11/2004 2:31:40)

actually, it is in a good forum.

I know of no way that this can be done on Linux.

It may be very possible in windows, using Sharepoint.

There is a server admin Richard Dudley who has extensive knowledge in sharepoint.
Might want to give him a try.



Woof -> RE: form that emails a spreadsheet (5/11/2004 2:44:07)

Thanks for the quick reply.

Bummer on your answer tho. I am currently using a php script to send my emails as I am told it's more secure. Be darned if I can find a script that will do what I want or even a good php forum to ask there. I'll keep looking tho, thanks.

Woof



Richard Dudley -> RE: form that emails a spreadsheet (5/11/2004 8:37:28)

Woof,

This sounds possible, but I need to get some idea of what you're doing. SharePoint might be overkill for this, but you might need the FPSEs.

1) Are you trying to send the entire spreadsheet as an attachment, or just some data from the spreadsheet?

2) LINUX or Windows server?

3) Are the data that the user enters the same data you're re-entering? Or are these two separate unrelated processes?

4) Who said PHP was more secure? And more secure than what? (OK, this one is just out of curiosity)



Woof -> RE: form that emails a spreadsheet (5/11/2004 15:44:21)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Richard Dudley

Woof,

This sounds possible, but I need to get some idea of what you're doing. SharePoint might be overkill for this, but you might need the FPSEs.

1) Are you trying to send the entire spreadsheet as an attachment, or just some data from the spreadsheet?


I'd like the form to create a spreadsheet to mail data that I enter. I am trying to make it so I can send weekly sales data to my boss.

quote:

2) LINUX or Windows server?


Linux server with FPSE installed

quote:

3) Are the data that the user enters the same data you're re-entering? Or are these two separate unrelated processes?

User forms are seperate. I'd create a new form just for my sales data to the boss.

quote:

4) Who said PHP was more secure? And more secure than what? (OK, this one is just out of curiosity)


The guy who hosts my site indicated the FP mail form was less secure than using a php script from the server. I took his word for it as I know pretty much nothing.

TIA for any help.

Woof



Richard Dudley -> RE: form that emails a spreadsheet (5/12/2004 23:49:09)

I'll buy that FP is more secure than SendMail, but that's not a PHP script.

Why don't you put the data into a database? That would seem to be a better route than e-mailing a spreadsheet.

I don't know if there's an Excel driver that will work on LINUX or not. If not, you could create a CSV file, which could be converted to XLS for charting and analysis.

Sadly, I'm a Microsoft developer, and I'm not familiar with mail scripts or file system commands on LINUX. I'm not going to be able to help much more than asking agin why you don't consider a database.



Woof -> RE: form that emails a spreadsheet (5/13/2004 0:25:14)

Richard, thanks for looking into this.

I could create a database and do it that way but I was looking for a one step solution. I was trying to avoid having to enter data in a spreadsheet and then emailing it to my boss. Seemed if I could do a webform, it would reduce the steps. Going the database route is just another way of doing it, not fewer steps.

Thanks again for looking into it.

Woof



ellipisces -> RE: form that emails a spreadsheet (5/13/2004 2:09:35)

CSV seems like it could work if you just gave the recipient a spreadsheet that was configured to import the file. I've done it before but it's been a while.



Woof -> RE: form that emails a spreadsheet (5/13/2004 2:11:23)

Ya I may try that, but the boss he ain't so bright. We'll see if he can handle it.



Richard Dudley -> RE: form that emails a spreadsheet (5/13/2004 9:13:02)

Are the sales data automatically collected, or are they entered by someone else.

I am out of my element here, but I was intrigued and found this post:

Using PHP to Create Excel Spreadsheets
http://jaxn.org/cataBlog.php?articleID=290

If you have the sales data in the database, your boss could go to a web page and enter some criteria--say date ranges, or territories, etc. Then, you could query the DB and have it spit out an Excel spreadsheet to the browser. The boss will be prompted to open or save the spreadsheet.

This way, you don't have to do too much other than keep the system running, and he can pull whatever data whenever and make charts and PPTs to his heart's content.

I think Bobby Douglas has experience with PHP. I'd recommend the Mono project and .NET (http://www.go-mono.com/) for LINUX, but the classes you need aren't in Mono yet.



Woof -> RE: form that emails a spreadsheet (5/13/2004 12:53:52)

Ok it currently works like this.

I the salesman enter specific data into a spreadsheet on a weekly basis and email it to the boss. Other salesmen in the group do the same. The boss cuts and pastes all the data into one sheet and sends it to his boss. Very low tech. Mainly because the boss and his boss are stupid and cheap and don't want to invest time or money into a reasonable reporting system. We actually have a web based one that we have to use too, but they don't seem to be able to get the data out or wont, so we have to do the spreadsheet too. STupid huh?

Being a fledgling (heavy emphasis on fledgling) webdeveloper as well as a salesman (unrelated field), I wanted to find a way to enter the data for the spreadsheet in a webform and have it mailed to the boss automatically. Now I know I could just have the form send him the data in a mail, but I am afraid he may not be able to get it to the spreadsheet. Ya I know were talking cut and paste still, but you have to know the guy. (I may try that anyway just to see what he says) So I was looking for an automated way for me to enter data in a form and have that mailed in a spreadsheet. That's the only steps I wanted. I want to avoid the database because then I have to train people on how to use it. Too damn much work.

I appreciate everyone's efforts in finding a solution. This forum is awesome!

Woof



Richard Dudley -> RE: form that emails a spreadsheet (5/13/2004 21:52:18)

Your boss wouldn't have to cut and paste from an e-mail. The spreadsheet would be an attachment to the e-mail, which he could presumably save.

If your forms are well designed, the other salespeople may find it easier to use the database. No learning curve with simple forms.

In the end, there's only so much intelligence you can program into a system. At some point, the users have to adapt a little.



Woof -> RE: form that emails a spreadsheet (5/14/2004 2:16:26)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Richard Dudley

Your boss wouldn't have to cut and paste from an e-mail. The spreadsheet would be an attachment to the e-mail, which he could presumably save.

If your forms are well designed, the other salespeople may find it easier to use the database. No learning curve with simple forms.

In the end, there's only so much intelligence you can program into a system. At some point, the users have to adapt a little.



That is what I was thinking. Do you think the only way then is with a database?



Richard Dudley -> RE: form that emails a spreadsheet (5/14/2004 19:36:21)

>Do you think the only way then is with a database?

I think that would be the easiest way. Databases are meant for doing exactly this. Even if you use a spreadsheet or flat file to hold the data, you're still using a database of sorts. It's just that something like MySQL or SQL Server has all the functions built in--you just need to query the data.

Besides, if you can show your boss how to pull data from any time period he wants at any time he wants, I think he'll get addicted to charts. I think Bobby Douglass is the resident PHP guy--you might send him a PM if you need PHP help.



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