what to learn next - after Excel & Excel VBA?

[Fazza]

Hi,

Having obtained a good skill level in Excel & Excel VBA, and adequate ADO and SQL, I'm wondering what would be a useful next step.

I can imagine getting into MS Access or other databases - but don't know which. Though I am not targeting that route, I can see it as a likely possibility - it does not particularly excite me though. Whereas using Excel & Excel VBA is enjoyable and likely to remain fundamental to my computer usage for some time yet.

My main interest is in keeping up with technology - such as if there is a new direction in programming - and developing my skills for working with medium to large amounts of data. At one level I can imagine working more with Excel & Access together to solve tasks but I'm thinking this would be not too new or interesting and that I'd want to take a bigger step.

Would appreciate comments. Regards, Fazza

 

[Joe4]

Fazza,

I have a similar background. Started in Excel, then Excel VBA, then Access, then Access VBA, then SQL (and a little Crystal Reports).

One thing that I have started to dabble in that I see a lot of good uses for is Windows Scripting/VB Scripting. Another big thing which keeps popping up that I think I will eventually need to learn is XML.

At least that is where it looks like technology is leading me...

 

[Fazza]

Thanks, Joe. XML - as a name - sounds suitably cryptic. Enigmatic. Almost logical after VBA, ADO & SQL, eh?

Any idea about NET? Would that fit my 'rough road map' above?

(I am not familiar with XML or NET they are just names to me at this stage.)

regards, F

 

[Joe4]

Yeah, I was going to mention .NET also. That seems to be a new "buzz" word too. I just don't know much about it.

I think XML is becoming popular in creating Web pages, but can also be used for large mail merge type jobs (among other things, I am sure). We basically created a template for our printers, then every month we send them a large data file in XML format that they merge with the template and print and mail.

Here is wikipedia's write-up on XML:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XML

 

[Fazza]

Thanks, again. Joe. Wikipedia was a good idea, too.

XML doesn't, from a half minute of reading (!), look likely for me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.NET_Framework looks like not what I want? Though maybe it is???

 

[Joe4]

Of the things I mentioned, I see the most Scripting as having the most immediate benefit to me. It really helps in automating a lot of processes (and not just things like Microsoft Apps, but also FTP transfers, etc).

 

[Noel Holland]

Have you thought of Visio and especially the merging of Visio and Excel data sets to form calculative graphics.

Visio is overshadowed by powerpoint and is often disregarded as just a drawing package. But that misses the essential difference between Visio and other graphics packages because at it's heart Visio is not a graphics package but a database package. Merge those capabilities with either Access or Excel and you can build very instinctive applications.

E.g.

Visio merged with personel database to form interogatable Organisation Charts.
Project Organisation Charts then used to graphically collate timeline and location data. The whole plan then exported to Excel to form a project management cost estimate. Advatange was that the project management team could play around with the organisation charts to their hearts content then within 30 mins we could have the whole set of charts re-costed and have a list of allocation discontinuities ready for handing back to the resource managers for resolution where individuals had clashes or were unallocated. In addition the report had to give detailed ratios of the sources of personnel to ensure we stayed on the right side of the contract conditions and local employment laws, plus the contract was a joint venture so we also had to track which of the contributing companies were providing each resource. Those last two options were aided by putting a little country flag in the top right corner of each persons org chart box and a little company logo in the top left corner.

Working together Excel and Visio allows you to reduce highly complex data into a much more manageable graphical form and using that form, permit manipulation of that data while still retaining the data linkages.

 

[Richard Schollar]

Hello Noel

That's a very interesting suggestion. For my part (and having had only limited exposure to Visio) I would not have a clue where to start in constructing an interogatebale Organization chart - any pointers (eg links) that you can give us for this?

 

[Fazza]

Thanks, Noel. That does sound interesting. And, I have not thought of using Visio.

Your example sounds sophisticated and useful in the environment I work - engineering offices. We have well over 1000 people working just in the 'big city' office on design & project management. This one is a JV too.

Appreciate your suggestion and good explanation. It has some appeal also as I sometimes do tasks like this and I value graphical representation of data.

Is this stuff you've worked closely on? F

 

[Fazza]

Also, Noel, can you suggest/recommend any particular web sites with examples?