Any ideas on how to inform people using the database of an update?

[skeddy]

This is a contact database shared by 3 staff. One staff enters a new contact and then one of the other two staff need to send out materials to the new contact. I've thought about a start-up form that is in essence a "To Do" list based on a table containing fields - "task", "person assigned", "completed by" etc. However, what if the staff leave the database open - how would they know an update was made to the contacts table? The whole purpose is to minimize the phone calls and e-mails back and forth with the repetitive data in it - you know person writing the email includes the address, then the next staff person has to enter that same address into a mail merge or label format. Will be very appreciative of any ideas to get me started in automating this.

 

[vanillapod]

Could you use a table that stores new contacts and is then checked by a form that opens on startup and periodically checks the table for changes???&nbsp;&nbsp;When a change is found the form could maximise itself informing all of the users of the change???<br><br>Just a though really...

 

[skeddy]

That's what I'm looking for - people's thoughts!! Thanks vanillapod.

 

[JimConrad]

From your &quot;ToDo&quot; form, add code to the Form_Timer...<br><FONT FACE=monospace><br>Private Sub Form_Timer()<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Me.Requery<br><br>End Sub<br></font><br>Set the Form.TimerInterval to the number of milliseconds to wait between requeries.&nbsp;&nbsp;For example, set it to 30000 to have the form requery the database every 30 seconds. <p>Jim Conrad<br><a href=mailto:jconrad3@visteon.com>jconrad3@visteon.com</a><br><a href= > </a><br>

 

[elizabeth]

I was just thinking that as far as the workflow of the people sending out the info, they may not need or want to know as soon as the change is made, but only which changes have been since a given date/time. If so, you could just have a form that stores the last date/time it was opened, and queries the other table for any changes since then. Of course you have to add a date time field to the table itself and update it automatically with now() in the AfterUpdate and AfteInsert events.