Logging Events

How do you keep track of the things you are supposed to do? Do you find that sometimes you do the same important things multiple times because you forgot that you had already done it? Worse, what happens when the auditors, boss, consultant, or mother claims you didn’t do it?

One way to protect yourself is to keep a log. A log could be as simple as sheet of paper next to the photo copier on which you keep a record of every time it was serviced. Another option is to keep your log in an Excel spreadsheet, a Word document, or in an Access database.

Automated Events

The best logs are automated, that way you do not have to remember to update them every time you perform the action. This is often achieved through event driven programming. For example, when you pull money out of an ATM (that’s the event) your bank’s computer automatically records the withdrawal (action).

Most Microsoft Office applications can be programmed to respond to events. For example, Microsoft Word can be programmed so every time you save a document (event) the computer creates a backup copy of the previous version (action). Microsoft Excel can be programmed so every time you change a number in a specific cell (event), a log of the previous number can be added on another sheet (action). Microsoft Access can be programmed so every time you run a report (event) the database makes a record of the date, user, and report that was run (action).

Events are not limited to just tracking things in a log. You can, for example, program Microsoft PowerPoint so every time you click a button (event) its charts are recalculated from the latest numbers in your spreadsheet or database (action).

TechMentors recently helped a client automate a business process. They wanted to click a button in their database (event) and have the data create an Excel dashboard with multiple charts (action). This code is now saving them hours of work each month.

Do you have an action that should be automated every time an event occurs? If so, reach out to us and let us know what it is. Together we can explore the benefits that event driven programming can bring to your business.

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