Testing & Tracking

[a2capt]

I'm considering rolling a stand alone Filemaker based solution for test tracking.

.. that you can import the names of the cadets from whatever the Access database tables come from, or other method, and then it will track each test taken and score, and print an over all sheet with an average as well as each one and the thing will be empty where they have not taken the test yet.

Then that page can go in the 201 file and be handy for review boards, etc.

Right now we just use an Excel sheet that does some of the that stuff but I would like a more dynamic format, with clairvoyant lookup when entering names, which Excel can do if the stuff is in the same column. But when entering the name, it would be nice to just do it by last name and then have it pop the CAP ID, etc- all in there too, for the nightly report.

which is all we do now, make a weekly report on tests and who took them, then the answer sheet stub goes in the 201 file for permanent record.

[Pylon]

SIMS (Squadron Information Management System), an Access database, already does this and MUCH, much more.  Pull your members' data into it from the CAPWATCH download tables, and enter written and PT scores, attendance, Form 50 reviews, staff assignments.... the whole nine yards.  Tracks everything, calculates promotion requirements, TIG and PT scores for you automagically....and comes with a plethora of reports, including some just like you described.

http://www.squadroncommand.com/filemgmt/index.php

[Eclipse]

SIMS is the way to go.

[Eeyore]

Question on SIMS, it is Access based only? I have a Mac and I don't think they make a Microsoft Access for Mac.

[a2capt]

Hmmm... I know, I'm just .. windows challenged. ;-)

Not Windowsphobic, 18 years of IT support and I know better. Thats why there's barely any Windows at home. ;-)

The unit has a laptop .. I have several, mostly Macs. One HP Tablet PC.

Hmmm..  I knew someone was gonna say SIMS in a don't re-invent the wheel fashion. ;-)

Might still do it anyway for personal knowledge gain and experience. Maybe FM Migrator will port that structure over and I can make it backend compatible and use Access as a data source.

[Eclipse]

Question on SIMS, it is Access based only? I have a Mac and I don't think they make a Microsoft Access for Mac.

They don't, but every unit was issued at least one notebook computer with MS Office Pro on it.

One option for a Mac user is to run Access through Parallels, but that's not going to be cheap.

To the OP's comment, though, reinventing the wheel locally in Filemaker isn't the answer - the odds are few of your members use Macs, which means the system will die when you leave, versus SIMS, which has had ongoing development
and uses the database system which NHQ has issued to everyone.

Sims can be set to multi-user mode and accessed by more than one user at a time.

[a2capt]

Question on SIMS, it is Access based only? I have a Mac and I don't think they make a Microsoft Access for Mac.

That would a Yes. It's Access based. I knew that going into this thread, just after a weekend of radio programming and 'CEMS' I couldn't think of 'SIMS' .. so I called it that Access thing.

Actually, I have set it up several times for other units, just not totally explored it. I really just want to do something and have a more custom work flow and clean up the unit files. Plus if it's knowledge gained, there's no loss.

[a2capt]

To the OP's comment, though, reinventing the wheel locally in Filemaker isn't the answer - the odds are few of your members use Macs, which means the system will die when you leave, versus SIMS, which has had ongoing development
and uses the database system which NHQ has issued to everyone.

Ah, but .. since I can roll a runtime.. that does do Windows and Mac OS X..  ;-)

[jimmydeanno]

Why not use the "Cadet Tracking Report" in the Cadet Online Promotions utility?  It just doesn't show the scores.  But do they really matter considering the test is pass or fail?

[Pylon]

Since you can install Windows on the new Intel Macs, there's no reason you can't run Access and SIMS on a Mac.

[a2capt]

Since you can install Windows on the new Intel Macs, there's no reason you can't run Access and SIMS on a Mac.

If I could, I would. I don' t have a portable Intel Mac yet. I still have G4's... and Virtual PC just sucks. I'll carry three laptops instead of two before I do that. .. which is why I have the tablet PC. A new MacBook Pro would mean I could reduce three to one.

[EMT-83]

I'm considering rolling a stand alone Filemaker based solution for test tracking.

I've been using FileMaker Pro for PD records on the senior side of the house, and SIMS for cadets. I was going to try and move the seniors over to SIMS, but it just doesn't have the functionality that I'm used to.

Personally, I like FM a whole lot better than Access. If you're looking for an excuse to learn the program, this sounds like a worthwhile project.

[MIKE]

Didn't somebody figure out that you could run SIMS with some kind of Access distributable.... So you don't even need Office to run it.

[Bluelakes 13]

I vote also for Cadet Promotions in Eservices.  We used to use SIMS, but now we enter every cadet's info into Eservices and it tells us when the cadet is ready for promotion.

[Phil Hirons, Jr.]

Didn't somebody figure out that you could run SIMS with some kind of Access distributable.... So you don't even need Office to run it.

You need the "ultra" version of Access to do this (at least for 95 to 2000, I stopped looking after that)

[Always Ready]

I *personally* have never used SIMS before, but I've seen it in action. It can totally transform a squadron and I highly recommend it. It keeps things simple and more accessible.

OpenOffice can be downloaded to Macs and it can create, open, edit most of the Microsoft Office-type files including Access files.

[jimmydeanno]

I *personally* have never used SIMS before, but I've seen it in action. It can totally transform a squadron and I highly recommend it. It keeps things simple and more accessible.

OpenOffice can be downloaded to Macs and it can create, open, edit most of the Microsoft Office-type files including Access files.

I've also seen SIMS do the exact opposite, creating so much unnecessary administrative garbage that the personnel officer and DCC spend 12 hours a week doing personnel stuff.  I suppose it's what you make of it, but either way, now, you end up updating SIMS, then updating the same information into the new cadet promotion utility.  Seems a little redundant to me.

[Eclipse]

I *personally* have never used SIMS before, but I've seen it in action. It can totally transform a squadron and I highly recommend it. It keeps things simple and more accessible.

OpenOffice can be downloaded to Macs and it can create, open, edit most of the Microsoft Office-type files including Access files.

Unless something has changed recently, you can't open MS Access files with OOO Base, however you can connect to .mdb's and create your own queries - likely SIMs would not work.

[Eclipse]

I *personally* have never used SIMS before, but I've seen it in action. It can totally transform a squadron and I highly recommend it. It keeps things simple and more accessible.

OpenOffice can be downloaded to Macs and it can create, open, edit most of the Microsoft Office-type files including Access files.

I've also seen SIMS do the exact opposite, creating so much unnecessary administrative garbage that the personnel officer and DCC spend 12 hours a week doing personnel stuff.  I suppose it's what you make of it, but either way, now, you end up updating SIMS, then updating the same information into the new cadet promotion utility.  Seems a little redundant to me.

The double entry to eServices notwithstanding, the idea with SIMs is to reduce paperwork to the point that it can replace your hardcopy records for an SUI, etc.

[Always Ready]

I *personally* have never used SIMS before, but I've seen it in action. It can totally transform a squadron and I highly recommend it. It keeps things simple and more accessible.

OpenOffice can be downloaded to Macs and it can create, open, edit most of the Microsoft Office-type files including Access files.

Unless something has changed recently, you can't open MS Access files with OOO Base, however you can connect to .mdb's and create your own queries - likely SIMs would not work.

Ok then...oops my bad. I'll see if I can't dig up another solution.