This is an End-Of-year Offer issue of my WEB MARKETING FOR CEOS TIPS NEWSLETTER – open to Non-Members.
INSIDE: Learn how to get a FREE copy of my Monthly Poultry Farm Manager software (N75k value). Watch 15 user guide videos for it at http://tinyurl.com/15pfmVideos
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Most regular readers know that Patrick Meninga is the popular US based blogging expert whose blogging strategy I adapted (in 2012) to make this blog succeed: and we’ve since become friends. Yesterday, Patrick emailed me this link (http://www.hopefornikel.com/), about a care-giver colleague he says he’s worked with for 5 years:
It’s about Nikel Lakise’s story of battling with Leukemia. As soon as I read it, I decided to share it, as one of several ways I plan to play my part in helping her get the help she needs.
The linked page describes several different ways by which anyone can help Nikel – even YOU!
Click here to learn more. Let’s join hands to build a team of Hope for Nikel to beat Leukemia!
I build custom Excel-VB driven software used by a growing number of individuals and businesses within and outside Africa.
Over the past decade in particular, I have successfully tailored the solutions I offer to SUIT the local environment we have, in my part of the world (Africa). And I did it in a way that appeals to many results-focussed business users who are enthusiastic about using Information Technology to IMPROVE the way they work.
It is therefore only natural that such existing clients – and the prospective ones I approach – should wonder about the continuing relevance of the platform I use for developing and maintaining the solutions I provide them.
This matter has become even more important since the first version of Visual Studio Tools for Office (VSTO)/Visual Studio Tools for Applications (VSTA). The first version has since been improved upon – and continues to get better.
Discussions have raged among active members of the VBA community about how this new resource from Microsoft affects Visual Basic for applications (VBA) and its usefulness to end users.
For those who believe the "entry" of VSTO/VSTA" marked the end of VB for Excel, here’s some advice: Don’t count on it.
The debates have continued even as Microsoft continues to roll out newer/richer featured versions of the new platform.
One TRUTH that remains clear to all objective "viewers" is that except it wishes to commit financial suicide, Microsoft will continue to ensure VB for Excel functionality in newer versions of MS Excel it releases.
I can attest to this being true because the Hotel, Restaurant & Bar Manager software I built for a client was developed to run on MS Excel 2007 and higher versions. All I did was to ensure its backward compatibility with lower versions down to MS excel 2000.
Of course, with VSTA getting better, more use is likely to be made of it, but I believe it remains critical that POWER still be left in the hands of end users as has been the case with VBA if maximum user benefits are to be derived.
I say this because it is highly inconceivable that corporate IT departments will EVER have time to cater for different departments’ needs – in terms of developing rapid custom software solutions – on the scale that VB for Excel solutions allow.
To arrive at the conclusions I stated in this piece, I tapped into my own experience based insights, and also reviewed discussion threads involving some prominent members of the VBA community.
They included professionals who have built custom Excel-VB driven software used by some of the world’s largest corporations, including Microsoft itself!
Today, in 2014, everything I said remains VERY relevant.
If you’d like to know more, I recommend you Google "Is VSTO/VSTA intended to replace VBA?"
In August 2007, an old client engaged me to write a research based paper on development of a low cost networkable Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) for a South Western state in Nigeria. We later traveled down from Lagos, to the state, so I could present the paper, but were unable to meet with top decision makers.
I’ ve published a revised version now on sale as an ebook White Paper titled <a href=”http://www.lulu.com/nl/nl/shop/tayo-solagbade/blueprint-for-a-low-cost-automated-spreadsheet-hospital-management-information-system/ebook/product-21932720.html” target=”blank”>Blueprint for a Low Cost Automated Spreadsheet Hospital Management Information System door Tayo Solagbade (e-boek) – Lulu NL</a>.
Subtitle: A highly participatory approach to the design & implementation- using Excel Visual Basic – of a Low Cost, but highly Effective/Efficient Integrated HMIS that makes medical care delivery easier/more rewarding for providers.
CONTENTS 5
WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID ABOUT TAYO’S EXCEL-VB SOLUTIONS 6
INTRODUCTION 7
HMIS IN DEVELOPED SOCIETIES 8
THE DEVELOPING SOCIETIES CONTEXT 9
THE HMIS BLUEPRINT 10
1. KEY IMPERATIVES FOR A GOOD HMIS DESIGN 11
2. STANDARDISING HEALTH DATA TO BE RECORDED 12
4. HMIS DESIGN – SOURCE DOCUMENTS 14
5. THE HMIS VISION 15
7. SPEEDING UP CARE DELIVERY: THE “EMERGENCY SCREEN” CONCEPT 17
8. THREATS TO HMIS IMPLEMENTATION, & ADOPTION/USE 18
CONCLUSION 19
TAYO’S MICROSOFT EXCEL® HEAVEN™: BUILT-IN EXCEL SOLUTIONS DEVELOPMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS & BUSINESSES 21
ABOUT THE AUTHOR 22
BE A MICROSOFT EXCEL POWER USER™! 25
“Tayo, what is your honest opinion about commercial off-the-shelf accounting software, compared with the custom applications you build?”
I am sometimes asked the foregoing question in various forms, by prospective clients trying to make up their minds about what option to choose (i.e off-the-shelf apps versus my custom Excel-VB application development service).
I have helped clients (in different professions/industries) develop 100% custom Excel-VB Driven Software to overcome peculiar limitations of traditional software (or manual/paper-based) systems that they use for their financial and operational data handling/analysis and report generation .
Accountants/Finance Managers of large organisations in particular have so far made made the most demands for my services. Excel-VB afford you the advantage of being able to extend the capabilities of your existing software – or manual systems – using my 100% customisable Excel-based software that empower you to get more work done with LESS effort via efficient time/cost-saving automation.
You therefore LOSE NOTHING since your prior investment in the latter is protected.
All that I have already said above is effectively what I tell prospects/clients in general.
However, for those in my part of the world (i.e Africa), I emphasise that I DO NOT build Accounting software – except a clients specifically requests it.
Instead my applications are custom Entreprise Information Systems(EIS) which help their owners manage operations (e.g. materials usages) &/or accounting data for more reliable business decision making:
1. The commerical accounting software work well for anyone whose needs are fully catered for by the various useful features and functions they offer.
I have seen many organisations – including schools – that have found this to be so. They confidently told me they did not have any unmet needs from using the programs they chose.
2. However, the accounting applications are built to prepare accounts in line with standard reporting formats used mainly in developed societies.
As a result, they often cannot accomodate the business/accounts data handling/report generation needs/peculiarities extant here. This is due to our largely unregulated environment in this regard. That’s why many who use the programs still find themselves periodiocally/repeatedly turning to programs like MS Excel to cater for areas not covered by their commercial software.
It is the above type of situation that creates a need for the solutions I offer.
In other words, if you have a software system in place and STILL find need to do some of your important work OUTSIDE of it, then a custom solutions development service like mine is likely to benefit you greatly.
3. For prospects who indicate interest, I go further to refer them to a very insightful/experience-based opinion expressed by a financial consultant which shows that MS Excel-based solutions can indeed help OVERCOME limitations that accounting software may have.
Incidentally, this is why you will hardly find any off-the-shelf accounting software which do not offer the user an option to export data stored in them into MS Excel!
Like I always tell my clients and prospects, if there is an alternative that works satisfactorily and is cost-effective, it would make NO sense to hire me.
It is when you have searched for one and found NONE, that my custom Excel-VB solutions development becomes relevant – and potentially VALUE adding. At this point, it WOULD be justifiable to invest in it.
Read this article: Use Custom Automation Of Your Spreadsheet Reports To Drive Down Costs And Increase Your Profits.
Some bookshop/supermarket owners (especially in my part of the world – Nigeria/Benin/Africa) focus – almost exclusively – on capturing sales and recording expenses using cash registers/POS tools (sometimes in conjunction with a PC based financial reporting software).
[NB: POS = Point Of Sale].
Customers come in and make purchases daily. At the day’s end, records reconciliation is then done. Usually, income is compared with items “sold” and resulting physical stock balance of products checked to agree with “book values”.
Sometimes a few things don’t agree with their expectations.
Genuine efforts are made to resolve the differences, but without success. Somehow, the decision is taken to let it go or write it off and “start over”. Sometimes, the problem resolves itself at a later date, with someone saying. “Hey! I found the item we were looking for the other day!”
We all know that any business, desirous of growth and profitability NEEDS to be in firm control of records of sales income made, buying patterns, expenses incurred etc, so as understand her customers interests/preferences and better serve them by supplying relevant products/services.
Even though doing so may not harm their business, continuing that way is bound to prevent them from discovering better ways to make more profits at less cost.
This is because there’s a LOT more that owners can do with data obtained from daily transactions, which when done right, would significantly boost sales and increase profit margins.
A simple yet extremely functional Custom Automated Spreadsheet application could be developed using Excel-VBA. The application will run in Excel, so you need not incur additional cost via purchase of new software.
Anyone (attendant, accountant, or manager, etc) can be taught to post routine sales/expense records into specially designed spreadsheet table – immediately sales occur – or at specific intervals through each day.
In cases where POS machines are used, the records may be posted into the app later in the day or at the weekend. Or if the POS device used has cross-compatibility, the Excel-VB app could be setup to auto-import sales records from it, to auto-generate needed analytical reports.
The few (if any) variances picked out would be more easily resolved, since s/he would not need to try remembering every single detail of jobs done.
The owner would be able sit back at the end of each day and review template summaries of items purchased (even to the extent of showing “which” customer bought “what”, if you desire to offer personalised services to your regular customers).
Comparison of one period with the other could be done using charts. Areas with greatest contribution to income could be easily identified and effort put into consolidating them to ensure consistency.
A cash register/POS device DOES NOT and CANNOT offer the range of functionalities you will get from using a low (or zero cost) custom automated spreadsheet application.
You need to be able to study the trends in products purchases by your customers so you can make better decisions about what products to buy/stock next time e.g. you can then use what you learn to have your application auto alert you to predetermined product to buy/stock next time.
Read this article: Use Custom Automation Of Your Spreadsheet Reports To Drive Down Costs And Increase Your Profits.
Click Here to send me your Customized Spreadsheet Solutions Development Request
Below: Screenshot of daily pure water bag deliveries/sales recording interface in a Pure Water Business Manager app I built for an Ogudu-Lagos based factory
Below: MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT – Screenshot of dynamic financial report summaries auto-generation interface. Note the drop menus used to choose DAILY, WEEKLY and MONTHLY reporting options. Note the button that is clicked to generate the YEAR TILL DATE report
Below: YEAR END FINANCIAL REPORT – Screenshot of dynamic financial report summaries auto-generation interface. Note the drop menus used to choose DAILY, WEEKLY and MONTHLY reporting options. Note the button that is clicked to generate the YEAR TILL DATE report
Below: Screenshot of dynamic Vehicle Maintenance Running Expenses Schedule interface. Note the drop menus used to generate different filtered reporting options.
Below: Screenshot of data entry interface for checks/cash based expenses
Below: Screenshot of dynamic Monthly Operations Report – Note the drop menu used to auto generate the factory’s operations data summaries in a ready-to-print reporting interface
Click Here to send me your Customized Spreadsheet Solutions Development Request
Microsoft Excel is a powerful tool for recording, re-organising, analysing and presenting information.
By Excel VB, I refer to Excel VBA – where VBA means Visual Basic for Applications(VBA). VBA refers to the highly extensive and flexible macro programming language developed by Microsoft for use in their MS office applications – Word, Power Point, etc.
VBA is therefore different from the Standalone Visual Basic program used (by conventional programmers) for developing “standalone” or “executable” (.exe) software applications – though it borrows many of the latter’s features.
So, Excel VB offers any interested persons the necessary tools to make the application deliver more functionality. The final product is still an Excel document, but with extra functionalities added using VBA..
Read this article: Use Custom Automation Of Your Spreadsheet Reports To Drive Down Costs And Increase Your Profits.
The truth is that using MS Excel can ENHANCE the performance of your existing data handling/analysis and report generation software. This is why most off-the-shelf data analysis apps — especially for financial reporting – have EXPORT TO MS EXCEL features, to enable their users take advantage of Excel’s more flexible data handling capabilities to make better sense of their data.
Below I discuss 2 key reasons why I settled on using MS Excel-Visual Basic as my development platform for solving clients’ data handling, analysis and report generating solutions.
Let me elaborate. If a method is available that allows us to achieve the same desired result(s) at LOWER cost, with LESS effort and in LESS time, why should we fail to adopt it?
Certain IT persons insist that developing executable applications using the standalone Visual Basic programming language is “better” as it does not limit the user to a particular user application software environment. I concede that this might be a valid point under certain conditions.
However, I point out that there are many users who have very specialised, peculiar needs that do not necessarily require complex solutions.
They also want to spend as little money as possible to do this. In other words, they want a cost-effective solution that gives them independence from the solution provider in the long term – without requiring them to undertake laborious skills acquisition immediately.
This category of everyday users of technology described above are the ones I believe need Excel VB solutions of the type I describe/provide. I anticipate that some of these users will over time develop an interest in acquiring advanced skills needed to develop their own solutions – which is why I also offer coaching services.
My experiences (and those of others who favour the use of Excel VB like I do), confirm that to organise, and analyse data for (financial/management) report generation and decision making, you will save hundreds of hours using already in-built, pre-programmed Excel functions compared to a situation where you used Visual Basic proper.
All the functions needed to achieve the above purposes already exist in Excel, so that you don’t have to write them all from scratch as would be the case if you were to use Visual Basic.
Even though I had always felt this way, my encounter with a similar justification stated by a Microsoft Certified Professional, Pierre Leclerc on his website, gave me greater insight and clarity, that made me decide to stick with Excel VB even though I had attended a full training course in Visual Basic in 2002.
NB: LeClerc’s website has morphed in name, shape and form/content over the years since I first found him back in 2004, to what now exists at http://www.excel-vba.com.
Over the years, the need for faster, more sophisticated, robust, and secure Excel-based software has led Professional Excel Developers to – whenever they consider it necessary – actively utilise ANY other applications and programming languages (such as C/C++, VB6 or VB.Net) to deliver better performing applications (learn more below).
Today, there is a huge army of Professional Excel Developers who develop Excel-based software solutions for a living – worldwide. Their software can be found in use alongside those developed using more traditional programming languages like C++, and VB6, in some of the largest corporations in the world – including Microsoft itself..
Professional Excel developers typically would use Excel VB in conjunction with other programming languages(e.g. C/C++, VB6 or VB.Net etc) and applications(e.g. databases like MS Access, Oracle, SAP etc) to develop flexible, fast/easy to use, high performing, robust and maintenable Excel Solutions.
The implication of the foregoing is that ExcelVB occupies it’s rightful place as the true development platform that it is. Many times, it is even able to deliver a significant performance edge over other applications due to its powerful calculation engine that the developer is able to leverage – thereby saving time while delivering more functionality to users.
Read this article: Use Custom Automation Of Your Spreadsheet Reports To Drive Down Costs And Increase Your Profits.
For the purposes of creating custom financial and management solutions that solve your identified problems, and give you control/ownership, without burning a hole in your pocket, Excel VB offers an amazing variety of possibilities, in the hands of an adequately skilled user.
In addition, an Excel VB – better still, a Professional Excel – Developer (who in many cases will tend to be a user turned developer, and is therefore likely to easily see things from your perspective) – unlike a programmer – is more likely to be positively disposed to working with you to ensure the application meets your practical needs.
S/he will readily understand that the final application is meant to help solve a real problem(s), and will therefore build it to match those expectations.
It’s not enough to have a professional with the technical skills to solve your problem, s/he also needs to have the right attitude and background/experience – else the relationship will not work. This is where an Excel VB resource is more likely to add value to you.
I believe the foregoing are compelling justifications for choosing Excel Visual Basic over Visual Basic.
1. In 2007, I acquired a physical copy – with sample tutorials CD attached – of the book titled Professional Excel Development: The Definitive Guide to Developing … – by Stephen Bullen and others – the foregoing link leads to the online store for the second edition.]
2. Read my article titled: Use Custom Automation Of Your Spreadsheet Reports To Drive Down Costs And Increase Your Profits.
Get Started: Click Here to send me your Customized Spreadsheet Solutions Development Request
Become more productive in using Microsoft Excel through my Power User Coaching. I employ an "Experiential Coaching" technique which emphasises job-based case studies as a medium for imparting knowledge/skills to adults, so as to ensure increased retention. By "Power User" I mean a person who demonstrates:
a. superior proficiency in using an application to the extent that s/he is able to perpetually optimise its use to achieve maximum productivity.
b. the ability to quickly learn &/or master(via self-tutoring) additional features s/he has not had cause to use previously, in the same application – as the need arises.
Click here to request a sample real-life Experiential Power User Coaching workbook
Through this programme, you(or a member of your team) can become a Power User. If you desire maximum returns on your investment, choose this Power User Learning Event. Request for a FREE MS Excel Coaching Skills Matrix workbook or an Excel VB Programming Coaching Course Outline! It details all that you will learn.
That’s why I offer a Power User Experiential Coaching/Learning Event. However, it is instructive to note here that it WILL be plenty of hard work – and ONLY YOU will determine how fast and well you learn. In other words, you must demonstrate the commitment to learn by doing the numerous exercises you will be assigned.
You will be required to manage your learning. If you do, you will end up with the ability to do everything you learn just as well as your learning facilitator, if not better. Remember it’s Experiential Learning – which implies you need to DO the exercises you will be given, in order to gain practical experience which will in turn facilitate your learning comprehension.
If you diligently apply yourself in doing the above, I can assure you that your resultant proficiency will amaze you, and those you work with.
Organisations can deliberately expose their employees to two main types of learning events on offer here. Such employees can then be challenged to develop in-house solutions that effectively address the business’ peculiar data analysis /report-generation needs as they arise.
Click here to request fully customisable on-demand coaching for yourself and/or members of your team.
This event is for those who wish to acquire advanced knowledge/skills in the use of MS Excel spreadsheet functions and formulas, such that they will be able to more quickly and efficiently organise/analyse data for report generation and decision making. Click here to Request for the FREE MS Excel Training Skills Matrix workbook. It contains full details of all that you will learn.
IMPORTANT! Please note that you cannot attend Learning Event No. 2 if you cannot demonstrate mastery equivalent to what will be taught in Event No. 1. We have practical exercises that will be administered to assess whether your proficiency in the use of MS Excel will be adequate to make your attendance of Event No. 2 a worthwhile endeavour for you – as well as for the facilitator.
Click here to request fully customisable on-demand coaching for yourself and/or members of your team.
This coaching programme is designed for Excel Users who already have considerable mastery of Excel and now wish to learn how they can combine their mastery(gained from 1 above – or from past training/ experience) of MS Excel, with sound knowledge of Excel Visual basic to automate the routine and repetitive tasks they carry out in Excel, in a way that saves them time,while making them more productive.
A person with proven competence in this area CAN become "notorious" for developing spreadsheet applications which eliminate drudgery from the process of using MS Excel to handle large amounts of data. Typically, work that takes hours or days will suddenly take minutes or seconds to finish.
The claims I make above are NOT exaggerated. They are in fact based on my personal experiences doing the foregoing:
(a). As an manager in the challenging, fast-paced manufacturing work environment of a corporate multinational
(b). As a solutions developer for individuals and businesses who use MS Excel for their work.
I am keen to encourage individuals and organisations to explore using advanced MS Excel formulas and functions, in conjunction with Excel VBA programming, to develop customised spreadsheet applications that will solve typical problems end-users encounter daily in trying to record/analyse data and generate reports.
The savings in terms of money and man-hours alone will quickly justify the investment you make – especially, when you compare what you spend with the cost of purchasing a commercial software application – or even engaging the services of an Excel VB resource like myself. Click here to request the one-page Acrobat PDF coaching outline for the Excel VB Programming learning event. It contains full details of all that you will learn.
The two learning events described can be delivered one-on-one or to a group of up to 10 -15 people at once, so long as all the needed resources(PCs etc) are available for each attendee. If you need more information or have any queries, fill/submit this form.
In most progressive companies (regardless of size) busy managers/executives routinely handle business data and information generated daily, to prepare standard reports for use by senior management/decision makers etc.
Generating the needed reports is often not easy. Some data needs to be tabulated/charted – possibly correlations drawn as well. Often times the data collation and report generation process – though done on spreadsheets – is not well managed. The boss sometimes has to get involved in sorting out the resultant confusion so as to get the report out on time!
Some people are comfortable working without any particular format specified. Some are not. The latter wish an easier way to “put it all together” could be put in place.
As a result of the above, the integrity of the final report produced is what suffers, because when someone else does the reports, s/he will often do something different from the previous person!
Every business leader knows that NOTHING could be worse than using “inaccurate” reports for decision making? Indeed, so many examples abound that show the devastating damage that companies can suffer as a result of decision making based on wrong reports!
A computer pre-installed with Microsoft Excel (and the rest of the MS Office Suite) is easily acquired today. Most companies already have them.
Using MS Excel, a simple, yet extremely functional Custom Automated Excel Spreadsheet application can be developed. The application will run in MS Excel, so you would not need to incur any additional costs via purchase of some prohibitively priced off-the-shelf app, which may not be easily modified to suit unique needs of some facilities.
Managers/executives in the organisation can be taught to use the app to generate periodic departmental, functional or corporate level reports.
Routine data handling tasks could be pre-programmed (e.g. import of data from a single worksheet sales into an app to auto-generate charted summaries of a week’s sales etc). This way, only entry of raw data which does not occur in a manner that allows auto insertion, will need to be done, to compute any other needed reporting parameters – saving time and effort.
Manufacturing organizations in particular will find the “Usage Rates Tracking and Variable Cost Analysis” spreadsheet applications (like those I develop – see screenshots below) invaluable for more efficient reporting.
Alternative reporting templates could be prepared and printed from. Also, updating and backup of the reporting application can be automated to make usage as simple and easy as possible. There would be no need for the user to have any specialized MS Excel competence. Especially if Excel-novice proof Graphic User Interfaces (GUIs), like those used in my custom apps (see below), are adopted.
Depending on the needs in the workplace, the application could be made accessible from ANY computer connected to the intranet – if one exists. That way, multiple users would be able to access it.
All managers would be able to generate equally “accurate” reports more often, if a system like the above is put in place. The application would be designed to suit the specific processes or operations in the organisation.
The above are real life examples of possible ways in which custom Excel-VB driven apps can be used, that I have successfully implemented in various organizations over the past 2 decades.
The area of data handling and report generations is one that poses severe challenges to many. The solution being adopted by a growing number of smart thinking companies (regardless of size) is the use of custom automated spreadsheet applications development.
It is a flexible option that allows for modifications (in line with changes that may occur in your processes/operations over time) without your needing to hire an expensive software programmer.
Like I always say, a custom Excel-VB app can be developed by ANYONE, if s/he has the needed time and training (e.g. managers, executives and other employees in the organisation).
I’ve told stories in past articles (like this one) of how I worked over a 7 years period, as a self-taught developer of in-house automated spreadsheet software (in my spare time as a Shift Brewer and later Training Manager), which were formally adopted for use in Guinness Nigeria’s Benin brewery. See some details in my resume (click here).
However, if competent in-house expertise does not exist in your company, you can hire an external developer to build the app, and/or train an employee to develop custom apps in-house. The latter option is likely to result in savings of money and time especially, over the long term.
And/or if you want, I can train your people to develop such apps, or maintain those I build. Either way, you’ll spend much less, and reap more long lasting benefits than would be the case if you purchase an off-the-shelf app.
If you’d like an app built for your factory or company, and/or need training on custom Excel-VB automation to build or maintain such an app, I can help you.
Click here to tell me what you need help with.
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