Is it possible to upload files to an intranet using Excel?

Okay, so here is what I'm trying to do:

AddNewDocument-resized.png

I want the data for the drop-down menus to be read from File folders on an intranet. Like, there might be a direct called "J:\records\Departments\front" and another called "J:\records\Departments\back" and in each directory would be a few dozen names of people ("J:\records\Departments\front\Thomson, Joe" for example). And the names list would be populated based on the directory you choose in the first box ("Select Department" box). Then the "Browse" button opens a browser where the user can select a file (probably a PDF) and then choose which policy(ies) the document is discussing by checking a box or two. Then the user would select a date using one of those onscreen calendar date-pickers (if such a thing exists in Excel. I can just use a drop down menu with the TODAY() +/- 10 kinda thing if needed)

Then the user Clicks "Submit" and a few things happen:

1) the PDF is renamed according the policy box checked and the date selected
2) (optional but would be cool) the PDF is copied and duplicated if multiple boxes are selected so that the same document would exist twice with different names
3) the document(s) are saved in the folder ("J:\records\Departments\front\Thomson, Joe\Policy1_2018-10-21" and another copy named "Policy2_2018-10-21" or whatever boxes were checked

So is this possible?

Hi

If the question is can it be done the answer is probably Yes but it is a big task. It is somewhat similar to something I wrote years ago but my first question is does the effort justify the end use. Whilst the task is repetitive in nature the time taken to check boxes to load files will not be dissimilar to doing the task manually.

Do you have any more specific information to add.

Cheers

Originally Posted by FoxSeaLady

Hi

If the question is can it be done the answer is probably Yes but it is a big task. It is somewhat similar to something I wrote years ago but my first question is does the effort justify the end use. Whilst the task is repetitive in nature the time taken to check boxes to load files will not be dissimilar to doing the task manually.

Do you have any more specific information to add.

Cheers

Okay, so, the reason I wanna do it this way is because this tool will be used by many people and we need it to be standardized.

You see, if I just ask folks to scan and save stuff directly into the folders themselves, I'll wind up with this:

Demo1.PNG

Instead of this:

Demo2.PNG

Because the users who are scanning and uploading these docs aren't always the most computer savvy. I try to get them to understand why uniformity in naming is so important (I have spreadsheet that hyperlinks to these docs and if they're not named correctly, the links won't work). But ultimately, when I just leave it to the users to do this on their own, they end up doing it incorrectly, which defeats the purpose of even having a naming scheme.

I was thinking about writing this uploading applet in Java or even JavaScript with node.js or something, but I'm not much of a coder myself and I don't want to have to ask each user to install additional software like a Java program on their individual machines. So using Excel with VBA would be ideal because we already have that on every workstation. We could do JavaScript, but I'm not sure where we'd put the node.js engine, and like I said, I don't know JS as well as I'd need to. I'd have to ask someone to help me a LOT more than just posting on a forum like I do here.

Originally Posted by Arkadi

Hi TnT_Guy... Can you upload a file with the form in it to work with? I'll gladly have a look

Also... you mention the first dropdown has folder names like "J:\records\Departments\front" and another called "J:\records\Departments\back"... would those be dynamic or hard-coded? If dynamic, what is the criteria for listing those folders?

They'd need to be dynamic. The form would need to look at the file folders and populate the drop down menu based on that.

I can't really upload a sample form because I don't have one. The picture I posted is just a concept pic I made in paint.net.

How do I get the mods to remove this post? I've posted this in Commercial Services and I'd like to focus on that post instead of this one. I don't want my issue double-posted.

@Arkadi - I was wondering what the criteria for access was

Hi

Thank you for the responses and respect your decision to approach Commercial Services and its a shame a simple solution is not evident in this forum. My suggestion is you message on of the mods directly (a list is included in the rules).

Good luck
PS I will go back to my world of the less tech savvy.

Originally Posted by FoxSeaLady

PS I will go back to my world of the less tech savvy.

Well now I feel bad

It's not that I don't believe you guys could've helped. It's just that I will probably need a little bit of on-going help once I try to implement your code. Like, support and bug-fixes and stuff and I don't want to ask you to work for free. I just feel bad asking people to do such major work for free, you know?

I do appreciate your efforts, though! This whole forum is really supportive and friendly and helpful.