Data Entry for "Users"

[dgwilson]

I'd like to understand the best technology to capture data. Let me explain.

Firstly, my apologies if this is the wrong area to post this - I could not identify a suitable discussion group.

End reports/dashboards will be presented in Power BI (as an App) - so I need a data source I can get to, and via a gateway is OK.

My Dashboard consumers are Managers and General Managers... my data is sourced from Account and Service Managers.

I  need to capture several different types of data, all tied to a customer (think large customers - not individual consumers).

Some of the data is static-ish and other data needs to be updated and mainted weekly (i.e. fresh metrics updated from last weeks data as a new dapture). i.e.

x. For week ending dd/mmm/yyyy

xx. Customer Name (or reference number)

a. overall performance KPI

b. Overall performance summary (text)

c. Project A - KPI
d. Project A - status summary

.

.

Truth: I have a little data model that I'm building that encompasses the data sets and asttributes - very early stage.

As up to 10-20 people would be capturing this data for 30-40 customers on a weekly basis... it's not appropriate that they perform the data entry into a spreadsheet. Ideally I'd like a nice form that they can fill in.

So the ultimate questions are

- what do I use for the data capture

- what do I use for the data storage that Power BI can access (and regularly refresh from)

- David

p.s. I seem to have a lot of stuff in O365 ... though I have no idea what to use outside of (word, excel, powerpoint, Power BI)

[sconnellprima]

Hi @dgwilson,

You might also want to check out http://www.prc.com.au/visual-planner/

Great add-on tool to allow direct entry into Power BI and write-back to the underlying datasets.

Regards

Scott

[dgwilson · Accepted solution]

Progress update:

My investigations and testing have settled on the following as a data capture solution:

A combination of tools, SharePoint Lists, Power Apps (for the data Entry), and Flow (to copy the existing data and prepopulate).

There are quite a number of youtube videos on Power Apps this search "power apps youtube tutorial" gave a lot.

Power Apps make mobile apps to get access to your data. They work under windows desktop too.

 This guy knows what he's talking about:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7_OGRP8BYvtGB8eZdPG6Ng

- David

[Anonymous]

This sounds like a good solution to a common problem. 

Do you have more detail about the solution you used, how it works and any hiccups you encountered along the way?

Would be very helpful.

[samdthompson]

If you are running sharepoint then you could make a list that was filled out by the right people on a weekly basis. You can then access the data in powerbi. If you dont have sharepoint you could you use an excel survey form (onedrive: New/Excel Survey) then point the data connection to the resulting spreadsheet table.

Both options require a pro license (I think)

Cheers,

Sam

// if this is a solution please amrk as such

[dgwilson]

Have Sharepoint. Actually seems to have "all the apps". Including PowerApps and Dynamics and Flow ... and quite possibly more. I don't know what their capabilities are or what they are best suited for.

[samdthompson]

I built a simlar sort of setup for reporting (I cant claim its the best one, but i can claim that it works with no hiccups). Setting up a sharepoint list is pretty straight foward as is connecting it as a data source. The nice bit is you can then also start mashing it together with what ever other bits of data you want.  I have not really done anything of note with PowerApps or Flow. I suspect that keeping things as simplae as possible is the best thing though. One thing to keep in mind if say you go down the sharepoint route is whether its being used by your organisation or not. If its not, there might be some additional user training to be done. 

Cheers

Sam

// if this is a solution please mark as such

[dgwilson]

I need to do more... I have a SharePoint list and was able to customize the input form.

This is good. I need more and smarts (like data validation)... Progress is being made ...

[samdthompson]

Ah sure. good person to ask in your particular case would be @teylyn . Bet she would have some super helpful pointers for you.

Cheers,

Sam

// if this is a solution please mark as such