Im new to infopath. I successfully created several forms that my company is using happily. I am in a large company. thusfar, the forms have simply collected input and stored it for historical reasons. Now, i am tasked with collecting data and analyzing it. Here is the scenario i am tasked with:
create a form that collects data from multiple supervisors. I made the form to resemble my old collection method of an excel spreadsheet that the supervisors are familiar with filling out (i did this purposely b/c change confuses them). The form has a vertical column listing types of trash/foreign objects found in our production area. The horizontal rows list the location where it was found. The supers put a number in the field when they find something. I have mapped these fields of the form to my Excel spreadsheet (i even named the controls exactly the same as the excel cells for simplicity). Ok, that part works great. i can collect all their data (its not live yet, i am still finishing it) and import to excel and produce my barcharts that display our problem areas. however, I would like to automate this. i have 30-40 supervisors that provide this data and gathering all their input and producing the charts is no simpler with this new form, than it was the old way. With my old method, the supers just emailed me a spreadsheet and i compiled them all. With the new Infopath form, i am not gaining anything--the process will still require manually compiling the data. They are just entering it in a form instead of a spreadsheet. it doesn't help. I have thought about mapping each supervisors form to its own excel sheet, importing it, and have a formula that combines all their data and produces the chart, but that would be dependent upon the filename including the supervisors name--which supervisors change frequently (i guess i could map it to an area in the factory instead of a name). not to mention all the work involved in setting up the formulas and workbook (couple days). Can someone please suggest a solution? I am not exactly a programmer, so a simple solution involving Access or something would be helpful. I just kinda got stuck doing this b/c i discovered infopath and made some forms for my department and now the leadership wants me to do this everywhere!! so it's kind of an opportunity for me too! your suggestions are appreciated.
thanks.