Access 2007 - Dynamic Forms with static Elements?

Question

Dynamic Forms with static Elements? How exactly do I make a form that has dynamic items (populated by fields in a list format) and Static items that are in line with those dynamic items but dont duplicate down the page? Basically I have a timecard system setup through Access 2007 with a table for each employee (Employee's Table) the Time Entry table (linked to the Employees Table) a query that prompts for Name and Weekending Date and another query that just prompts for name (tied to Time Punch Form), a Form for punching in, lunch out, lunch in, and punch out.

Basically I have a timecard from our contract employers. The company I work for wants us to keep every time punch and time card we send to them for the accounting purposes (I don't know why). Right now we're using an Adobe PDF form that we fill out and then save (this takes up lots of space as there 30+ contractors from the same place and they are weekly timecards). Using a Database seems like the more logical item. I set up a report that promts for Name and Weekending date and it pulls the associates name, last 4 of SSN, the 7 days in the weekending timeframe and then it totals the hours worked and splits it into regular, Overtime, and Double time hours (set up in the time punch form).

I was told by the contractor agency that the form still needs to look like their time card so the report looks like it. the problem I'm having is that the report pulls the 7 days (in the details section of the Report Design View) which are a dynamic item since they are linked to fields which how acces works it just duplicates the Details view for the number of records being shown. In line with this dynamic section of the report is the section on the time card that is for Associate Signature and Manager's signature to sign off on the time worked. This section keeps duplicating since it to is in the details section. How can I add this (static item) in line with the dynamic part so that it doesn't duplicate every time a new record is placed on the report. The timecard never shows more than 7 records so the length never changes.

Answer 1

Ok so I figured it out. Was a simple and stupid thing. Basis ally I set an image of the time card as the background image of the entire report. Then I just lined up the information with the boxes of the back ground. Seems like I was just over thinking it. thanks for all the help

Answer 2

You should be able to use a subreport to display the date and hours information.

Answer 3

You may need to do a Report with a Subreport: the seven lines in the subreport, and the static data (as labels or textboxes, whatever is appropriate) outside of the subreport on the main report.

Answer 4

I'm understanding that and my problem isn't dealing with the storage. I actually have the storage part down. I'm trying to figure out how to make the report (data display) look like the time card. The issue im running into is that there is static information that is in-line with where the dynamic information will be, ie the time in, lunch out, lunch in, time out per day .When I put the static information in the header it puts the dynamic information below the static instead of online with it. http://jobs.expresspros.com/shared/documents/timecard.pdf . This is one of the vendors im having to have to add. the data being pulled is pulling in correctly but i need to get the signature section on the right hand side to be in-line with the data being pulled from the table/query. Is the grouping and sorting going to allow me to have some of this static information inline with the dynamic items in the details section of the report? I've a lot of access experience but not as much on the form creation side so bear with me.

All the data is being pulled in and placed correctly... It's just getting that section in place so that when they pull up the form and print it it looks like the time card. Basically if I print a test one out now it looks exactly like the time card but the signature section is white like I covered it up and made a copy. I'm using an image as a background to get the look identical and just cut the signature part off so that it would stop duplicating the entire section with every record, I.e. 7 signature sections with one record showing in each section.

Answer 5

Don't confuse data storage with data display. They are separate tasks with different requirements!

It sounds like you need to store data about the timecard - worker ID, date, hours worked, etc. - in a Table, and also - separately, as a data display task - generate a printout of the timecard. It's not necessary, nor even good practice, to slavishly copy the design of the paper timecard in the structure of your Access table; the basic principles of designing a good paper form and of designing a good database are each very good and valid in their own realms, but they are different!

On your Report you'll need to display the variable information in the Detail section of the report, and the static information in the Header and/or Footer of the appropriate Group (use the Sorting and Grouping feature of the report to set these up).