Record Keeping Software

[Heather]

I record as I go -sometimes - but it takes about 4 hours to check them all - with lots of buzzing and huffing and puffing on the recording -so sometimes a piece of paper suffices!!
And a piece of red wall slate on the roof - queenright, pebble means virgin, lump of coal - problem with queen!! quick glances to help poor memory

 

[Nellie]

I'd need a database just to remember what the various codes and bits and bobs that I left on the roof meant

 

[jon]

I'll get shot down for this but I use Roger Patterson's record sheet which is a sheet of A4for the year and it records all the info I need to know.

http://www.wgbka.org.uk/Practical_Beekeeping.html

You can have too much information.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Thats the one I use Jon, KISS!

 

[jon]

Lol (at the avatar)

 

[victor meldrew]

I use a digital voice recorder (35hrs record time) 4 folders voice activated feature, noise cancelling mic.
I soon learned to cut the waffle (save that for on here) and record only what's required .
Record cards are then filled in at home at leisure .

John Wilkinson

 

[Nellie]

Sweet mother of god. Did I really used to develop in Access or is 2007 just especially painful as a version?

I'm not sure I can face trying to continue at this pace so I'm going do the front end in .net instead before I throw myself out of a window. I'm still half tempted to do the back end in SQL Server express/mysql but I think people might understandably baulk at the thought of having to install a Database server on their PC just to record a few hive inspections.

 

[Bucks_Boy]

Sweet mother of god. Did I really used to develop in Access or is 2007 just especially painful as a version?

No, 2000 was / is worse, my company will not shell out for Office 2003 yet !

However, look on it as software in harmony with bee culture :

It doesnt work quite like the books tell you --
Every user has their own way of doing things --
Often it all works and you dont know what the damn thing(s) are doing out of sight
Theres always some smarta**e down the road who got a better version with more add-ons, different platform, cool periferals etc
There are always bugs and also lots of potential viruses
You end up spending far more time than planned with it when you could be doing something else more profitable

Mind you, it doesnt develop an urge to unload itself and disappear to another PC, so it that sense it has one advantage !!!!

Best of Luck

 

[OXFORDBEE]

Office 2000 is ceasing extended support soon ...

 

[Brosville]

Being a Linux user, I can't recommend "Open Office" too highly - it's available in a Windoze version, and will do anything the Microsoft offering can do, and it's completely FREE.
http://www.openoffice.org/

 

[DulwichGnome]

Might be worth looking at Open Office DataBase, http://www.openoffice.org/, and it's free.

 

[Brosville]

Snap! - great minds and all that!

 

[Nellie]

Might be worth looking at Open Office DataBase, http://www.openoffice.org/, and it's free.

The problem is an interface issue between the chair and the keyboard at the moment and I really don't want to learn yet another office product that does things slightly differently to the one I'm already using and has no real commercial value to me.

The form designer in 2007 is just horrible so I spent hours last night trying to find out where the calendar picker had gone, and how to organise things so I've got a list of tables and queries and forms rather than the wierd way it's trying to do things now rather than actually writing any code to drive the damn thing.

Still believe Access is the simplest method of implementation, I'd just much rather being doing it in SQL server or MySQL with a .net front end

 

[Bucks_Boy]

Office 2000 is ceasing extended support soon ...

...and our accounting software is out of support !

Maybe I'll have to go commercial

 

[victor meldrew]

Jorn Johanesson from Denmark gifted his sortware to beekeepers for their private use . Whether the offer still stands I'm not sure of.
His website url is as follows.

http://apimo.dk/

John

 

[BKF Admin]

Still believe Access is the simplest method of implementation, I'd just much rather being doing it in SQL server or MySQL with a .net front end

Then you would have the server problem on local machines.

I would love to help you out but I am a sql/php man myself and have no idea with .net

Why not do it in sql then export to excel.

 

[Nellie]

That's why I've resisted the tempation to take that approach especially as I don't tend to have to write installers where I work which would be essential for this sort of thing. I can compile an access db, stick it in a zip file and anyone who wants to download it can use it as is, if I recall rightly with 2007 you dont even have to have Access installed anymore.

Jorn did crop up on the "other forum" recently and I believe that his software is still provided as is and is worth taking a look at. What started out as a little side project for me to get to grips with Access 2007 is starting to feel a little more pressured.

I realise people are keen to have a play with it, but I would ask for a little patience, I've just moved house, have a hive of bees trying to do everything not by the books which I'm still frantically reading as a noob, two blogs/websites to write articles for and I spend 8-10 hours a day developing database applications (and getting paid for it ) so coming home and devoting another 3-4 hours of free time every night just isn't going to happen I'm afraid.

The basic table structure is there, I might need to decouple the queen information in the short term to get a working version out as there needs to be some more thought around that area but I am working on it, honest!

 

[Jorn Johanesson]

Jorn Johanesson from Denmark gifted his sortware to beekeepers for their private use . Whether the offer still stands I'm not sure of.
His website url is as follows.

http://apimo.dk/

This offer for sure still stands. I have created a registering software, which will allow you to put your name in the software and also open it up to unlimited use. If you think it is to heavy to use, then just study it and take from it what you think is useful for you. You can print out the hive note card and use it as template for your own hive note card.

About notes about the weather:

I see around that weather is suggested as part of a hive note card. I do not agree in this. A weather note is OK but should be added as a general note in a comment. I have made a note for this purpose. Further more you have to take care of that the notes are simple and can ideal be added just by using a checkmark. If notes are too complicated I am nearly absolute sure that notes are skipped.

By the way. I want to thank the world beekeeping society for all the help I have received while developing this software, but my ears are still open for suggestions.

All the best

Jorn Johanesson

 

[Baggyone]

Jorn,

may i say thank you for your software. Its just what I need.

 

[sphex]

Online record keeping

Hi everyone,
I've been working on some online record keeping software in my spare time, and it would be great if I could get some feedback from people. It's free, but at the moment I've got it in private beta so an invite is needed to sign up. If anyone would like an invite let me know and I'll send you one.

The site is called Beetight (no reason: I just like the word!)

At the moment it lets you keep records of inspections and harvests, as well as details of all hives and apiaries. It does things like showing the weather at all your sites, recording nectar sources for honey. There's a mobile version (designed for iPhone and Android mostly, but it will work with other smartphones). This lets you record inspections in the field. You can also upload photos with your inspections. You can see more on the site.

It's quite rough and ready at the moment. I've been working on it in my spare time for a few weeks. There's a bit that needs adding, and I'm sure there's loads of stuff I've not thought of! This is why it would be really useful if I could get feedback on it. I'm a very new beekeeper, so I'm sure there' plenty I'm missing.

I may charge for commercial or large scale beekeepers at some point in the future, but at the moment it's all free. I've basically made it for fun, and to use myself. I hope this isn't considered advertising!

I look forward to your feedback. Do your worst!