You can achieve much more with a Database backend, if your boss likes spreadsheets (XLS) then you can always export from any database backend (which ever one you want). He can still keep hyperlinks etc for web access etc if he would display the database results onto webpages/excel/text/etc!. Perhaps your Boss's company is small and he just wants to keep things simple to him and shy away from having to hire somebody that knows how things work when you have databases involved. I agree you have 1000% more possibilities with a database backend! Excel if you look at it is also a 'database' with the capacity to enable users to make it look as a report! (all in one!) its not a great database solution but it works for the small companies. Good luck convincing him! Cheers! "Ow Mun Heng" <ow.mun.heng@wdc.com> wrote in message C386328088ED7F4E9F81AFBABDDF60DA01C468CC@wdmyexch02.my.asia.wdc.com">news:C386328088ED7F4E9F81AFBABDDF60DA01C468CC@wdmyexch02.my.asia.wdc.com... Hi, I'm having a problem convincing my boss of the benefits of using a database vs just using excel as a way of tracking events. The boss' stance is that excel is more 'simple' columns can be expanded as and when it's wanted. You can put links into excel that points to files residing in the system (within the web server's reach), can be mailed out to distribution lists (some ppl are lazy to need to open up a browser, log on etc.. to view the data). It can be stored on the web server for retrieval later etc.. For a database, actually a database can do all of the above but to me, it's makes more sense as it can store all the above and provide additional functionality (as long as The code is written to make it more functional). Can anyone help me out and give me a few pointers on why using a database makes more sense then excel. What's needed: 1. Method for tracking sequence of events (sort of like experiment results) 2. Links embedded inside to relevent files (results of experiment) 3. Can be mailed around 4. additional fields can be added whenever wanted something like that.. Cheers, Mun Heng, Ow H/M Engineering Western Digital M'sia DID : 03-7870 5168 -- PHP Database Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
