I am having a problem that is not really ClassCreator's. We use Microsoft Access to store our 27,000 names and addresses. Now that we have over 6,000 profiles I am not able to update the data from CC to the database. I was thinking about just adding a table with the names and address of the profiles but this does not really solve the problem when I need to do a mailing. I guess something that would help is if I had an identifier for each person that I would download. Then I could match up with my identifier to update all in database.

In other words can CC add an identifier (number) field to the list of download fields?

You could do this yourself via a program that transforms the CC data to conform to your 'keys'. IOW, it builds a file that has exactly what you want. Haven't done Access for 20 years, so don't remember if that could be done directly inside of Access.

Each classmate has a unique ID number in our system. I don't know why we don't make it available. Maybe if a large enough number of admins get together and ask really nicely (or maybe just really emphatically), we can do that to help you maintain your lists. A large enough number might be two or three, depending on how you ask.

Eric B Bassey wrote:

Each classmate has a unique ID number in our system. I don't know why we don't make it available. Maybe if a large enough number of admins get together and ask really nicely (or maybe just really emphatically), we can do that to help you maintain your lists. A large enough number might be two or three, depending on how you ask.

If I'm not mistaken, it is already there. When you download your info the Member ID is one of the available fields. This is unique to each person.

See how fast we did that?! Someone must have asked REALLY nicely!

That's correct, called Member ID.

However, he has to match that back to his own database with it's own unique keys. IOW, his DB user ID is not the same as the CC ID. He still needs something to 'match' keys.

Not much info to go on, but assuming this existed before class creator, the CC data has to be massaged to match his old database.

Or if this came from CC in the first place, then the issue is that the perhaps memberid is not currently being stored?

We added CC's ID to our database and sort both the db & the download by that Member ID number.

Ours db Master is in Excel. To add the CC Member ID to it the first time, I sorted both ours & the download by Class & name, added the downloaded fields (you just need Member ID, Class & the name fields) to the edge of my Master's columns. Then I ran the formula =EXACT( ) to be sure they were lined up correctly.

With the correct Member ID in the master, I just sort the Master & the download by Member ID, temporarily append the download to the edge of the Master, verify they're lined up correctly (deletes & additions throw it off).

Then you can sort by the download's Last Update to catch just the changed information.

The only hitch is, now you can't download the whole list, just year by year. See my other post under the Feedback Forum.

Ok. Asking "REALLY nicely". Can we please get more things implemented rather than keeping them on the "wish", "hang in there" or "low priority" lists? Some wonderful suggestions and ideas haven't been heard from for some time. Just an observation.

Now that is service!

I looked for the ID but did not see it. I just ran a test and it is there. This at least leads me in the right direction to solving my problem. Maybe I can find an Access expert to get this done. I am not sure why no one uses Access any more besides that fact that there is a steep learning curve and everything is difficult to do. I guess I would consider using Excel but that is just a flat sheet.

So the next question is What is everyone using for a database? I know most people use Excel and that is OK for smaller numbers. I am dealing with 27,000 plus.

Ours is 27,000 in the main database, 1927-2012. Excel. I separated out the 1150 totally inactive 1907-1926's but they're all together on the website. I've gotten adept at setting filters, sorting, shrinking & hiding columns, searching. I loved programming with relational databases but never liked using the interfaces myself, just working directly on the tables. Big learning curve to switch to a flat file but now it's easy. Being able to paste in the downloads and update from the changes we get from the website sold me.

But I do miss "report forms" for generating class rosters for reunions. Can't use the website for that because not all the data is there. Only 4450 of our 27,000 (20.3%) have joined the website and it's not practical to update inactive information in both places. We get updates & changes from class reps, emails, letters & post office notices.

Mary,
Please let me understand this correctly. So if one of 27,000 join then when you download all you then copy and paste to update over top of the old information? So if someone had an address on the site and then removed it you would not have their address?

I guess you have two tables one from site and one for people who you mail to but are not on site? How do you update people
who you mail to that are returned?

This all gets overwhelming to me.