Hi! In these digests I collect real opportunities(mostly automation requests) that people talk about on Reddit. If you're stuck and don't know what kind of problems to solve, some posts may hint you a direction.
I'm also looking for a feedback on what problems you want to see here! Please tell me more about what kind of opportunities you want(and don't want) to see in such digests. There are various of them: someone tries to automate a workflow, someone complain about software, someone run a business but doesn't know what software to choose to eliminate some pain. And so on.
If you look for some specific software related problems and potential ideas, here's quick tip: type(on Reddit search, Google, somewhere on the forums) a software product name along with these keywords: "I hate", "pain in the ass", "too expensive", "too buggy", "annoying", "terrible".
So, the problems:
How can I make a simple sheet metal inventory that will scale?
I work in a fabrication shop with sheet metal/plate. We order all different types of metal in all different shapes and sizes.
We have project management software that has an inventory, but it only displays the total square inches of a specific material. I would like to make a simple data base where I can see the length and width of specific material, which I can then generate cut files based of this information, instead of physically checking the available sizes each time a job comes up that uses that material.
I want a properly setup database that could be scaled up, and used by multiple people without everyone on the back end screwing with things.
We assign each material an internal part number already, so I don't need an auto generated ID in Access
Link
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Is there a software or platform that does this?
I’m about to launch my continuity program. Subscribers can have a one time access, a 3 month pass or a one year pass to live webinars.
Is there a way to manage and automate registrations to ensure membership is current for those who have access to the content?
Not sure how to align these
Link
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How do you guys automate boring stuff? (Accounting)
Every month I have to accrue thousands of transactions, and while a formula drag down works fine; I feel there is so much data manipulation, and time consuming that I can just save by automating the process. I just don’t know what to try. I tried a macro, but the process is kind of long that makes my macro break at one point.
Any ideas you can provide?
Link
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How do you all handle Excel files?
Our business has a number of different data sources which are contained in Excel files. They want us to process and make the data they contain available in our data lake.
The Excel files generally contain two types of data; a table including column headers (eg a report output from elsewhere) or a ‘pro-forma’ where the sheet has been used as a form and specific cells map to specific pieces of data.
Our platform is built in the Azure stack; data factory, Databricks and ADLS gen 2 storage.
Our current process involves Data Factory orchestrating calls to Databricks notebooks via pipelines aligned to each excel file. These excel files are stored in a ‘files’ folder in our Raw data zone organised by template or source, and each notebook contains bespoke code to pull out the specific data pieces from each file based on that file’s ‘type’ and the data extraction requirements using crealytics excel or one of the python excel libraries.
In short, data factory loops through the excel files, calls a notebook for each file based on ‘type’ and data requirements, then extracts the data to a delta lake bronze table per file.
The whole thing seems overly complicated and very bespoke to each file.
Is there a better way? How do you all handle the dreaded Excel based data sources?
Link
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Job Board Scraping for Wordpress Site
I'm trying to find a scraper that would scrape various job board sites and then allow me to use those listings within my existing Wordpress site.
Is this even possible? I'm looking for a ready-made solution, as I have zero coding skill at this level.
I had planned to update the site manually listing jobs, and whilst I don't mind it, automating would probably create a better user exp long term.
Link
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Automatic selection from excel to PDF
On a weekly basis, I get an excel where I need to make a certain selection inside the document and then send it as a pdf.
So my current workflow is the following :
- receive the excel file
- remove certain rows
- safe the file as pdf
- send it further to colleagues through mail
My question: is it possible to automate this?
Link
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Any data analysts here use Stripe data and find it painful?
I’m working on a project that transforms raw Stripe data into clean and query ready data.
More specifically, the data that’s exported from Stripe isn’t usable. As an analyst, we’d have to spend hours wrangling and cleaning it up. I’m working on a transform on the Stripe data so it is immediately usable.
Are there any data analysts out there that use Stripe and are willing to spare an hour to give me feedback on this product?
Link
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Automating SAP extraction and SAP journals
I have a question for those who use SAP to download data and create a journal out of that data. I'm wondering if you could share tips in your current best practices? (Note that our SAP is not HANA.)
I'm working on automating our month-end journals and the way we do it is to download from SAP some transactions, transform these into our desired output in Excel, then create SAP journals to be posted.
The problem is that we do this so often and we're trying to streamline the process as much as we can hence I came here for help or ideas.
I came up with an idea but I'm not sure it's the ideal one or there might be better out there.
Would it be smart to download the tables in SAP (instead of specific transactions), put them into a database in Excel and save them OneDrive/SharePoint. Next is to connect the database using PowerQuery into our Excel files with journals and just refresh them once we refresh our database?
Our database creation or extracts will be assisted by robots or Power Automate.
I have these idea but not sure how to execute them too. What has been the approach in your company or team?
PS, we're also working on a Data Lake connection but at the moment, it takes so long to establish the connection (6 months +)
Link
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Trying to re create a Salesforce report in power bi through our data warehouse. What is the best way to trace fields to specific tables?
I'm at a new job and am trying to automate some reporting and have minimal experience with Salesforce.
Currently we paste Salesforce report data into a few excel sheets that drive other reports. I'm having a tough time making sure I'm bringing in the fields from the correct tables and applying the same logic/filters. When I asked my co workers how to do it, they said to use the plug in Salesforce Inspector that lets you see field metadata, however that doesn't seem to work on the report page. I can click some fields which bring me to the "table"/Page in Salesforce, however not all fields have this option, and its a cumbersome and confusing way for me to wrap my head around the structure of the data.
Link
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How to loop through a list of students to generate report sheet in PDF
I'm a school teacher and I'm trying to automate my students report card. I've been stuck as solutions online require VBA and I've not idea on how to edit them to what I need.
I have a workbook that contains 2 worksheets.
WorkSheet 1 is my marksSheet where I have details of each students wrt to their score on each subject arrange on different rows
WorkSheet 2 is my result template which contains the design of the exam report sheet and also I've inputted the formulas for the first person on the list.
My Question:
How to run the template through all the lists so far a condition is met such as a name is on the row, or something else.
If the program can create PDF files for each of the row.
I feel this looks like a whole lot to ask for, but I really need it to make my work easier. I'd also learn VBA during the holidays. Thanks.
Link
---
Does My Company Suck or Is Accounts Payable Really This Stressful
I have a job as an accounting clerk. I pay vendors invoices, post invoices and submit separate invoices to customers. Occasionally I will have to pester customers for payment but my job is mostly data entry for invoices. I am trying to figure out if my company really sucks or if the majority of AP departments are like this. 1. Turnover at this company seems insane. Since I started two years ago, half of the other clerks that I started with have left (roughly 5 out of 8 or 9 person team) 2. There is no automation. We make the headers, line items and memos for the invoices manually. Batching is also manual you have to type everything into the accounting system. 3. Processes are not strong. Vendors consistently do not provide correct information for processing. Vendors go over NTEs. Operations staff consistently forgets to get customer POs for billing. Majority of responsibility to fix these issues falls on the clerk. There is no system in place for people to take accountability for their mistakes. You have to send a ton of emails asking people to correct their mistakes which I think is a ton of admin. I don't have a background in accounting, but I am going to get my masters/CPA License. I'm second guessing that now because I am having a hard time currently in this position.
Here's a link, but the original post was removed.
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I don't know anything about EDI, and I'd like to switch providers.
I hope this is okay here. We are a medium sized business with a lot of very large customers. 5 or 6 of them use EDI for orders and invoicing.
Currently, we log into our portal, manually copy an order into our custom software, generate an invoice (and the couple other documents you'd probably expect, receipt, etc.), and it's shipped off via EDI.
This process has just a little too much manual in it. I'm a senior level dev, and can typically work out anything software, but I don't have a reason to learn EDI, and we don't have direct access (we use a third party). Is there a third party that you'd recommend that maybe has an API I can hook into in order to provide them the data they need to generate these documents for me and send them off?
I understand how stupid this request is. I just need a third party that's easy to use, where my accounting people don't have to even know that EDI is being used. I'd much rather have the software interact with it, and the IT director in charge of onboarding and maintaining customers in the third party portal.
Link
I'm also looking for a feedback on what problems you want to see here! Please tell me more about what kind of opportunities you want(and don't want) to see in such digests. There are various of them: someone tries to automate a workflow, someone complain about software, someone run a business but doesn't know what software to choose to eliminate some pain. And so on.
If you look for some specific software related problems and potential ideas, here's quick tip: type(on Reddit search, Google, somewhere on the forums) a software product name along with these keywords: "I hate", "pain in the ass", "too expensive", "too buggy", "annoying", "terrible".
So, the problems:
How can I make a simple sheet metal inventory that will scale?
I work in a fabrication shop with sheet metal/plate. We order all different types of metal in all different shapes and sizes.
We have project management software that has an inventory, but it only displays the total square inches of a specific material. I would like to make a simple data base where I can see the length and width of specific material, which I can then generate cut files based of this information, instead of physically checking the available sizes each time a job comes up that uses that material.
I want a properly setup database that could be scaled up, and used by multiple people without everyone on the back end screwing with things.
We assign each material an internal part number already, so I don't need an auto generated ID in Access
Link
---
Is there a software or platform that does this?
I’m about to launch my continuity program. Subscribers can have a one time access, a 3 month pass or a one year pass to live webinars.
Is there a way to manage and automate registrations to ensure membership is current for those who have access to the content?
Not sure how to align these
Link
---
How do you guys automate boring stuff? (Accounting)
Every month I have to accrue thousands of transactions, and while a formula drag down works fine; I feel there is so much data manipulation, and time consuming that I can just save by automating the process. I just don’t know what to try. I tried a macro, but the process is kind of long that makes my macro break at one point.
Any ideas you can provide?
Link
---
How do you all handle Excel files?
Our business has a number of different data sources which are contained in Excel files. They want us to process and make the data they contain available in our data lake.
The Excel files generally contain two types of data; a table including column headers (eg a report output from elsewhere) or a ‘pro-forma’ where the sheet has been used as a form and specific cells map to specific pieces of data.
Our platform is built in the Azure stack; data factory, Databricks and ADLS gen 2 storage.
Our current process involves Data Factory orchestrating calls to Databricks notebooks via pipelines aligned to each excel file. These excel files are stored in a ‘files’ folder in our Raw data zone organised by template or source, and each notebook contains bespoke code to pull out the specific data pieces from each file based on that file’s ‘type’ and the data extraction requirements using crealytics excel or one of the python excel libraries.
In short, data factory loops through the excel files, calls a notebook for each file based on ‘type’ and data requirements, then extracts the data to a delta lake bronze table per file.
The whole thing seems overly complicated and very bespoke to each file.
Is there a better way? How do you all handle the dreaded Excel based data sources?
Link
---
Job Board Scraping for Wordpress Site
I'm trying to find a scraper that would scrape various job board sites and then allow me to use those listings within my existing Wordpress site.
Is this even possible? I'm looking for a ready-made solution, as I have zero coding skill at this level.
I had planned to update the site manually listing jobs, and whilst I don't mind it, automating would probably create a better user exp long term.
Link
---
Automatic selection from excel to PDF
On a weekly basis, I get an excel where I need to make a certain selection inside the document and then send it as a pdf.
So my current workflow is the following :
- receive the excel file
- remove certain rows
- safe the file as pdf
- send it further to colleagues through mail
My question: is it possible to automate this?
Link
---
Any data analysts here use Stripe data and find it painful?
I’m working on a project that transforms raw Stripe data into clean and query ready data.
More specifically, the data that’s exported from Stripe isn’t usable. As an analyst, we’d have to spend hours wrangling and cleaning it up. I’m working on a transform on the Stripe data so it is immediately usable.
Are there any data analysts out there that use Stripe and are willing to spare an hour to give me feedback on this product?
Link
---
Automating SAP extraction and SAP journals
I have a question for those who use SAP to download data and create a journal out of that data. I'm wondering if you could share tips in your current best practices? (Note that our SAP is not HANA.)
I'm working on automating our month-end journals and the way we do it is to download from SAP some transactions, transform these into our desired output in Excel, then create SAP journals to be posted.
The problem is that we do this so often and we're trying to streamline the process as much as we can hence I came here for help or ideas.
I came up with an idea but I'm not sure it's the ideal one or there might be better out there.
Would it be smart to download the tables in SAP (instead of specific transactions), put them into a database in Excel and save them OneDrive/SharePoint. Next is to connect the database using PowerQuery into our Excel files with journals and just refresh them once we refresh our database?
Our database creation or extracts will be assisted by robots or Power Automate.
I have these idea but not sure how to execute them too. What has been the approach in your company or team?
PS, we're also working on a Data Lake connection but at the moment, it takes so long to establish the connection (6 months +)
Link
---
Trying to re create a Salesforce report in power bi through our data warehouse. What is the best way to trace fields to specific tables?
I'm at a new job and am trying to automate some reporting and have minimal experience with Salesforce.
Currently we paste Salesforce report data into a few excel sheets that drive other reports. I'm having a tough time making sure I'm bringing in the fields from the correct tables and applying the same logic/filters. When I asked my co workers how to do it, they said to use the plug in Salesforce Inspector that lets you see field metadata, however that doesn't seem to work on the report page. I can click some fields which bring me to the "table"/Page in Salesforce, however not all fields have this option, and its a cumbersome and confusing way for me to wrap my head around the structure of the data.
Link
---
How to loop through a list of students to generate report sheet in PDF
I'm a school teacher and I'm trying to automate my students report card. I've been stuck as solutions online require VBA and I've not idea on how to edit them to what I need.
I have a workbook that contains 2 worksheets.
WorkSheet 1 is my marksSheet where I have details of each students wrt to their score on each subject arrange on different rows
WorkSheet 2 is my result template which contains the design of the exam report sheet and also I've inputted the formulas for the first person on the list.
My Question:
How to run the template through all the lists so far a condition is met such as a name is on the row, or something else.
If the program can create PDF files for each of the row.
I feel this looks like a whole lot to ask for, but I really need it to make my work easier. I'd also learn VBA during the holidays. Thanks.
Link
---
Does My Company Suck or Is Accounts Payable Really This Stressful
I have a job as an accounting clerk. I pay vendors invoices, post invoices and submit separate invoices to customers. Occasionally I will have to pester customers for payment but my job is mostly data entry for invoices. I am trying to figure out if my company really sucks or if the majority of AP departments are like this. 1. Turnover at this company seems insane. Since I started two years ago, half of the other clerks that I started with have left (roughly 5 out of 8 or 9 person team) 2. There is no automation. We make the headers, line items and memos for the invoices manually. Batching is also manual you have to type everything into the accounting system. 3. Processes are not strong. Vendors consistently do not provide correct information for processing. Vendors go over NTEs. Operations staff consistently forgets to get customer POs for billing. Majority of responsibility to fix these issues falls on the clerk. There is no system in place for people to take accountability for their mistakes. You have to send a ton of emails asking people to correct their mistakes which I think is a ton of admin. I don't have a background in accounting, but I am going to get my masters/CPA License. I'm second guessing that now because I am having a hard time currently in this position.
Here's a link, but the original post was removed.
---
I don't know anything about EDI, and I'd like to switch providers.
I hope this is okay here. We are a medium sized business with a lot of very large customers. 5 or 6 of them use EDI for orders and invoicing.
Currently, we log into our portal, manually copy an order into our custom software, generate an invoice (and the couple other documents you'd probably expect, receipt, etc.), and it's shipped off via EDI.
This process has just a little too much manual in it. I'm a senior level dev, and can typically work out anything software, but I don't have a reason to learn EDI, and we don't have direct access (we use a third party). Is there a third party that you'd recommend that maybe has an API I can hook into in order to provide them the data they need to generate these documents for me and send them off?
I understand how stupid this request is. I just need a third party that's easy to use, where my accounting people don't have to even know that EDI is being used. I'd much rather have the software interact with it, and the IT director in charge of onboarding and maintaining customers in the third party portal.
Link