Entering the trip data

Every three months we need to copy the latest data on the log sheets into the database. Here’s how to do it…

Overview of the process

The trip accounting periods are always Jan-March, April-June, July-Sept and Oct-Dec – and it’s the start date of the trip that determines where it belongs.

The trip info is initially added to a temporary Trip Input table for the car in question, and subsequently copied across to the main Trip Log in the database. This two stage process reduces the risk of anyone inadvertently corrupting the main data table and gives Bill an opportunity to check for bugs or oddities. The petrol receipts are cross-referenced later during a separate book-keeping process.

  1. Collect the latest log sheets from the car – but not the receipts.
  2. The first few trips for the period will probably be on the last sheet for the previous quarter. If they haven’t already been entered on the Trip Input table, you’ll need to get hold of the previous sheets from the Book-keeper (Bill or Julie?).
  3. Log in, go to the Trip Input page and select the relevant car from the drop-down list.
  4. Enter the trip data for the quarter, using the detailed instructions below. NB: this is not something to attempt on anything smaller than a laptop.
  5. If any oddities are detected, these will be highlighted in red in the table. Ignore any of these that relate to earlier periods. Otherwise, either attempt to correct them or else add a comment in the last field.
  6. If there are missing or incomplete entries on the log sheet and the Google calendar doesn’t help, you’ll need to contact the culprit for clarification. You’ll find contact details on the Drivers page.
  7. Return the log sheets to the Book-keeper.

 

 

And now in a bit more detail…

Pick the relevant car from the drop-down list. Then click New entry.

The form on the left is the one that inserts or edits a database entry for a single trip. It looks a bit tedious to fill in. The good news is that you don’t have to – there’s a more convenient interface that does most of it for you.

The row underneath looks more like the paper log sheets that you’ll be working from. It lets you get data into the form as quickly as possible. The most recent entry (from the bottom of the table) is also shown at the top, for easy reference.

Entering the details for a trip

  1. Pick the driver, using the up or down keys. Hit return.
  2. Adjust the start date, using the up key. (It uses the previous end date as a starting point.) Hit return.
  3. Enter the start time, in hmm or hhmm format. (Eg: enter 9:15am as 915, and 5.30pm as 1730.) Hit return.
  4. Adjust the end date – if you need to – using the up key. (It uses the start date as a starting point, so most of the time it’ll be right.) Hit return.
  5. Enter the end time, as in 3 above. Hit return.
  6. Adjust the end miles, using the up key. (It uses the previous end miles as a starting point. For very long trips, you might prefer to skip this step and instead over-ride the mileage field on the form just before submitting it.) Hit return.
  7. Enter any item bought. (If it’s fuel, just hit the down key.) Hit return.
  8. Enter the amount, omitting £. (Eg: 16.99) Hit return.
  9. Enter any comment. (Eg: illegible, illogical or missing entries. Sometimes drivers finish a trip before starting it!)
  10. Review the data on the form, correcting as necessary.
  11. Click Go or use Ctrl+S to submit the form. The data will be added to the database and the form will be set up ready for the next entry.

Editing an existing entry

Click the Trip ID link at the start of the table row. This will bring up the same form, showing the existing data. Edit and re-submit the form.

Using Excel

Typing the data into Excel is possible but not recommended, as errors won’t be highlighted until the file is uploaded.

If you get stuck

…contact me (Bill).