Excel & the Internet...s

[razorangel]

Okay, so I've done a little dabbling with web forms in the past, but whenever the data is submitted to a web address, it's instantly translated into files that can't intelligently be understood. I've got a very serious need now to create these forms, and then when it's emailed to me, have that data translated by Excel following certain parameters.

How do these two interface? Where can I find good information regarding exactly how to get real, not raw, data from online forms, and cross that into excel? I hope what I'm asking is understandable. Everything I google assumes I know anything about database languages & such. ; ; Help!

[MSP77079]

From what you describe, it seems to me that getting the data into Excel is going to be the least of your problems.

While it is always a good idea to "begin with the end in mind", you need a form that is internet-based. You need a way (hopefully, automated) to extract the info from your e-mail (what e-mail application are you using? and will the form come as an attachment or an embedded object?) to a file, from where Excel can pick it up.

If the e-mail application supports automation (like Outlook or LotusNotes), you might be able to use VBA in Excel to pull the data directly. But, the details will vary substantially from Outlook vs. LotusNotes. If it is a web-based e-mail application (say, Yahoo) it is a different can of worms. And if it is some proprietary software with no API (like aol), you are pretty much excluded from automating this part of the process chain.

Gee, it would be really nice if your user could enter their data into an Excel workbook. Or a form in an Excel workbook. That would make your whole life simpler. But, one would still need to know what e-mail platform you are using to automate that part of it.

By the way, this is definitely programming. You will probably get more than one person responding if you posted this in the Excel Programming area instead of the "new users" area. Just a thought.