Reports and Presentations - Construction Project Scheduling and Control - page 262

7. Some users of simple programs, such as word processors and spreadsheets,
“insert” the date format rather than typing the date itself. For example, MS
Word has an Update Automatically option that can be turned on or off. Seri-
ous problems may result if this option is unintentionally turned on. The doc-
ument may have originally been created on OCT 15, 2013, but the project
manager may need a copy of the document on DEC 16, 2013. The date that
would appear on the document would be DEC 16, 2013, not the original
date, OCT 15, 2013. Note that many users do not usually pay attention to
software options, which may also result in unintended consequences.
8. It has been said that your hard drive is like your garage: no matter how large
it is, it will soon be full of junk. For this reason, completed projects should
be archived. Thanks to new technology, what formerly occupied several file
cabinets can now be stored on a single CD or DVD. Because of the fragility
of CDs and other electronic media, however, making duplicate CDs or other
electronic media and storing them in different locations may be wise. Make
sure that the CDs are labeled properly. Having another copy stored on an
Internet Web site is also a good idea. Storing old files or a separate sector
of the server or online is also possible and may be more advantageous for a
multiuser environment.
9. Only professionals should be in charge of company technology. Computer
viruses and hackers often cause serious damage. An overlooked or a careless
action by an employee may cause the computer system in a company to shut
down for a period or may erase important files, which may result in huge
losses and inconvenience. For this reason, large companies usually dedicate a
department to taking care of information technology (IT) and safeguarding
electronic correspondence.
E-REPORTS
Reports can be e-mailed, but the sender must make sure that the receiver has the
proper software with which to open them. Many computer programs offer the Save
As option with several format options. Some of the formats that have become popular
are the HTML and PDF formats, which allows any user to view the report. Several
Primavera products call this option the Publish function. When the e-report has mul-
tiple files, the sender may want to “zip” them into one compressed, self-extracting
file. The receiver may want to create a temporary folder in which to download the zip
file, and then extract it there. Large attachments should not be sent unless the receiver
approves such an action. Large files can be uploaded to an FTP site, and then the FTP
address should be sent, along with the user name and password, to the receiver, who
can later download the files. When sending several documents/reports, the sender
should include a table of contents with a brief description of each report and then
identify each report.