Palm Timesheets Data Processing Program

When a Palm Pilot is hotsynced for the first time, that is after it has been given a hard reset, the Palm Hotsync manager asks for the name of the foreman which is to be associated with this Palm Pilot. This is how foreman names are added to the Palm Timesheets database. The foreman name should be given in the format of Smith,G.H. which is the same format as is specified in the Palm Timesheets database. This program adds the name that you give to the Palm Timesheets database.
 

• Job Name Processing - If a foreman has created one or more new job names, each new job name that has been created is checked. If a foreman has created a new job and then did not assign the new job to any worker, the new job name is discarded. Otherwise, the new job name is linked into the Palm Timesheets database.
• Worker Name Processing - If a foreman has created one or more new worker names, each new worker name that has been created is checked. If a foreman has created a new worker name and then did not assign any jobs to that worker, the new worker name is discarded. Otherwise, the new worker name is linked into the Palm Timesheets database.
• Timesheet Processing - The upload data is adjusted for any new job name indeces or new worker name indeces. Each foreman job assignment is checked for conflicts with all other foremen. If a conflict is detected, a file entry is made and the assignment is changed to that in the Company timesheet. These assignments show up in RED in the Windows interface where the Office accountant can examine the assignment and correct it.
• Timesheet Weeks - The Palm Timesheet database is divided into directories, one directory for each week of data. The Palm Pilot can hold two weeks of timesheet data. If a Palm Pilot is hotsynced between timesheet weeks when it holds data for both the current week and the previous week, the data for the previous week is added to the Company timesheet in the previous week's directory. The data for the current week is added to the Company timesheet for the current week.
• New Download - The Company timesheet for the current week is converted to the Palm Pilot format and sent to the Conduit program for downloading. This program then resumes the Conduit program which suspended itself after launching the this program.
• Inactive Workers - If at any time the Office accountant inactivates a worker, that status is marked in the Palm Timesheets database. The worker's name is transferred to the inactive worker list but it still appears in the active worker list as 'pending'. If the current date and time are still in the timesheet week when the worker was inactivated, the worker is still downloaded, but the foreman cannot assign any jobs to the worker. This preserves the history of the inactive worker who may have been assigned jobs earlier in the week. After the timesheet week is completed, that is the system has entered the next timesheet week, the inactive workers are no longer downloaded. Also at this time, the inactivated worker's name is removed from the active worker list where its status was shown as 'pending'. The Office accountant may then safely remove the worker's name  from the Palm Timesheets database.
• Inactive Jobs - If at any time the Office accountant inactivates a job, this status is marked in the Palm Timesheets database. The job name is transferred to the inactive job list but it still appears in the active job list as 'pending'. If the current date and time are still in the timesheet week when the job was inactivated, the job is still downloaded, but the foreman cannot assign the job to any worker. This preserves the history of the inactive job which may have been assigned to workers earlier in the week. After the timesheet week is completed, that is the system has entered the next timesheet week, the inactive jobs are no longer downloaded. Also at this time, the inactivated job name is removed from the active job list where its status was shown as 'pending'. The Office accountant may then safely remove the job name from the Palm Timesheets database.
• End of Data Processing - When this program completes, it triggers the Windows program so that the Office accountant immediately sees the updates and any errors on the Windows screens.