Bar Code Attendance Tracker

[pastor gadget]

I'm looking for a way to track Vacation Bible School attendance using Excel and a barcode reader. We'll create a database of all the children and their information during registration on the first day. They'll receive a pre-printed barcoded bracelet at registration. We would like to be able to simply scan the barcode at 'Check-in' and Check-out' each day (5 days) to count attendance as well as verify the information of the individual who is picking up the child at 'check-out'. Does anyone have something you're using now or a template that could get me started? My Excel skills are average but I don't have any experience with 'vlookup'.

Thanks!

[jayherring86]

I did prepare a file for you but can't figure how to upload it for you to see it.

Basically you can start by creating a new workbook and naming the first tab "Registration". Here you would use column A for the barcode you will assign to each person and then add as many column headers as needed. In my example i had one for the person's name, then the name of their parents and all sorts of other details such as allergy or sleeping arrangements etc. It would be what ever details you need really,
You would then list each person as they are registered and scan a barcode to their row as you go.

Next, rename the second tab in the sheet to be "check-out" or something like that and use column A for the barcode to be scanned into again. In each column to the right of that, you can then add this formula:

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Where "Registration" is the name of the first sheet in your workbook, where all the people are listed with their barcodes. the first A3 is a reference to the barcode that would be scanned at "checkout".
The "$A$3:$S$2000" refers to the full range of details you have added to each entry, 2000 being the row number of the last person in the list, S being the column of the last data.
Next is the number 2, this instructs the formula to look 2 columns across from the barcode (inclusive), so once it has matched the barcode on the checkout sheet to one on the registration sheet, it will look in column B and give you that result (in my example case, this was the person's name)
The "false" tells excel that you will only accept an exact match on the barcode. this is recommended.

Obviously, you can click and drag the little black square in the bottom right of the cell in order to move the same formula down, or across to lookup more details about more people. once you have copied it across, simply change the column index number (in the example, that is the number 2), to refer to the number of columns across from the barcode that you want to show the result for.

If this isn't clear, let me know (i'm still working on my powers of thought-transfer lol) and i'll try to clarify the details you are not sure on

[pastor gadget]

Thanks JayHerring86. This will give me a great start. I appreciate you taking the time to help me out!

[AliGW]

To attach a sample workbook:

Click on GO ADVANCED and then scroll down to Manage Attachments to open the upload window.

[jayherring86]

Thank AliGW, I had uploaded the file as you suggested but couldn't find a button to actually attach it and when i clicked through it hadn't attached itself.
I think it's something i am doing (or, not) but at least i know i was going in the right direction! :D