spreadsheet-like data entry interface

[julianbrelsford]

We are wanting to have a spreadsheet style data entry interface for people who are used to a very simple system of tracking addresses. My estimate is that it will only take a few hours of coding / testing before the system is workable. This will be done using PHP/javascript. Please let me know if you have a tool that already does this, or if you have suggestions to make this project work well.



Reasons for wanting spreadsheet style interface:
o spreadsheets are familiar to many of our users
o Save time navigating from record to record (versus one-record-at-a-time interface)
o Being able to see multiple records at once allows the user to see data inconsistencies
(for example, if the other records use the abbreviation “apt” for apartment, or a date-
format with slashes in it, you’ll be able to follow the example of those other records)
o Using a “main” view that only includes the most-frequently-used columns (see above)
will reduce confusion

Column headings will be:
o first name (informal)
o last name
o address (#-street,city, state, zip)
o email
o phone
o membership-status,
o date-of-birth
o hidden columns: raiser’s edge ID;CiviCRM ID

initially, the output will be a simple import file that can be imported by CiviCRM. depending how things work out, we may later set this module up to use CIVICRM's APIs instead of creating a CSV file that can be imported.

[Donald Lobo]

few thoughts:

1. might want to use a jQuery based spreadsheet. We use the dataTables for some spreadsheet like stuff:

http://www.datatables.net/

2. might be easiest to actually do this via AJAX. CiviCampaign uses a grid for data entry in the "Interview Process"

3. Would be great if you can build "extensibility" into it from the beginning. Will allow other folks to modify it much more easily

lobo

[xavier]

with the ajax api, you have the backend ready, and datatable is highly recommended indeed

you might want to use profiles as a way to let admin choose what fields they want to use

check the chapter in the book, should get you started.

good luck

X+

[miko]

what chapter?  what book?    I have Using CiviCRM.  But I really wan to know the easiest way to remove fields from profiles and make a compact quick in-out data entry screen.  I'll go look at DataTables but was hoping to avoid another "product."

[xavier]

this js component is already part of civi.

No matter your way, you will have custom code. I'm sure the UI will be better with datatable, and almost sure it would be faster to code it this way.

Did you hack a solution already ?
X+

[Coleman Watts]

How is this idea different from the existing "Update contacts via profile"?

[xavier]

One difference might be to allow to add, not only modify.

The other would allow to modify only the rows that you really modify. I think the batch update save them all, no matter if they were changed or not.

X+

[xavier]

As an aside,  slickgrid is a jquery grid that makes it easy to add in place editing and that seems to be getting a lot of traction
https://github.com/mleibman/SlickGrid/wiki