State Fair 2009 question 1
State Fair 2009 already???
Actually, we're working on some changes/improvements for next year's state fair while this year's issues are still fresh in our minds--some of us lose that memory quicker than others...
One thing I'd like to run past all of you is an idea that MIGHT make the database entry just a little easier. We had an awful lot of exhibitor letters returned for incorrect addresses this year, and we totally understand how easy it is to make those input errors. Maybe the input person was a summer aide, maybe you duped a record and forgot to change the town, maybe you have Becky's Flying Fingers disease... whatever.
Anyway, what do you think about having a field in the livestock entry database that would be called "4-H ID", which would be the young person's 5-digit ID from Blue Ribbon? I can set the database up on my end to include your county ID, which would make for a unique 8-digit ID for each kid, and can then set up a relationship to import the address information from the state BR database. You would be entering only the 5-digit ID and the kid's name (along with their entries). The reason I'd have you type in their name would be for error-checking. If the ID brings up Johnny Smith, and you think it was Susie Jones that entered that dairy goat, we'd have to figure out that the ID was entered in error.
The bottom line is that you would have to have a list of those ID numbers, write them at the top of the paper entry form, and enter them in the database. The benefit to you would be that you wouldn't have to type in the address, grade, gender, phone for the exhibitor. I will have to restructure my state livestock database, and double-check the names to make sure we have the right kid, but then I should have a little more accurate info about them.
Comment back to the blog--are the costs worth the benefits? You're the ones doing the database entry. Is this "do-able" from your perspective??
Comments
I like the idea of making things easier... and I'd really like to NOT have to type the address information all the time. I would just have to make a list in order to use Blue Ribbon Id's because I do not use them a whole lot.
PLEASE... anything to make things easier... & quicker!
Posted by: Andrea | August 26, 2008 02:21 PM
I think that sounds excellent. I DID have my summer person enter my static exhibits and I did not check her typing/spelling.
Posted by: Marsha Fleming | August 26, 2008 02:22 PM
Obviously I would do whatever was required. With that said, I don't know if it would be any easier for me as I don't use the ID number for anything else. Personally it is easier for me to mix up random numbers than an address.
Posted by: Misty Hinson | August 26, 2008 02:35 PM
Less typing!!! Sounds good to me.
Posted by: Stephanie | August 26, 2008 02:48 PM
Becky - that sounds like s wonderful idea....I like that ...it is always a time issue when entering those names and addresses and since they are already captured in BR, why not make use of that! Great idea!
Posted by: Sue Barnes | August 26, 2008 02:49 PM
I think it sounds like a great idea. The few chances to make mistakes, the better it is for everyone.
Posted by: Paula Behrendt | August 26, 2008 02:49 PM
Yes, it would be do-able!
Question I have could the State Fair form have a box to write the id # in?
Becky--absolutely there will be an empty box at the top of the paper form for you to write it in. If we label it "county use only", the exhibitors shouldn't get too confused as they fill out their forms, right???
Posted by: Kim | August 26, 2008 03:02 PM
I'm all for the use of the BR ID number... Looking up their ID number would take less time than typing in an address and easier for summer help. Thanks!
Posted by: Kris | August 26, 2008 03:04 PM
Sounds good to me what ever works for you:)
Posted by: Dee Gaul | August 26, 2008 03:51 PM
I'm not going with the comments above I guess. Most of our kids don't know their ID # half the time. We'd have to look up the number taking up our time, more chance or error in typing numbers, and we still like the address there to generate address labels for the livestock kids to send fair tickets, etc. Sorry, I like the addresses.
Becky: Good call on the address label thing. I'd need to rethink that a bit. There might be a solution for that, though. Thanks for the comment!
Posted by: Brenda | August 26, 2008 03:57 PM
The one problem we have is that none of our kids have 5-digit numbers. They are all 3-digit (more-or-less alphabetic) so that the number fits into all the FmPro forms & databases we have. Blue Ribbon changes them to 5-digit by preceeding each with 2 zero's. If 00493 would be an acceptable 5-digit number, I'm all for the change. Before the fair, I print an alphabetic list of each kid & his/her number, so it wouldn't be a big deal to get the number.
Posted by: Sheri Postma | August 26, 2008 04:54 PM
I don't do the data entry, but it sounds like a great idea to me!
Posted by: Kendra | August 29, 2008 12:59 PM
Sounds good. We use that number for their fair id anyway.
Posted by: Jean Kent | September 12, 2008 02:12 PM
I think the idea of using the member number would save tons of time! In addition to livestock entries, would it be available to use to enter State Fair exhibits in the database? As far as accuracy, I think it would be easier to double check a few numbers rather than an whole address, zip code, etc. If you can get the address generation thing figured out (as posted by Brenda), I think it would a great time saver. Would there be a way we could double check that everything is accurate before we send it on to Becky?
Posted by: Becki | September 16, 2008 01:41 PM