Wednesday, September 15, 2004
hey, kwesi, how's it going with that data entry project from last week?
ok, i guess.
you sure?
yeah. but...
what's wrong? it's ok.
you said to enter stuff from this printout into the four separate spreadsheets, right?
yes.
and it's the same information each time, right?
yes.
well, each spreadsheet that i'm entering it into is set up differently.
uh huh?
like, on the first one the phone numbers were first and then the social security numbers. so i did that, right? and then on the next one, the order was switched, but i didn't realize it. so i entered everything like before, but then i realized it was all backwards. and since these were by state instead of by last name, i couldn't paste them from the first one. then the next one was in the same order as the first one, but the area codes were in a separate field from the rest of the phone number, so i still had to enter each one individually.
yeah, it's kind of a pain.
and, like, the last one, i don't really understand this, but each digit of the social security numbers goes into its own field?
er, yes.
why do you need four separate spreadsheets that all have the exact same information, but it's all put in a little different?
um, yes. that's an insightful question, kwesi. i guess it comes down to, um, different systems were set up by different people and each one serves a slightly different purpose, so,
you don't really know, do you? it's one of those things that just doesn't make sense, right?
um, yes, that's an insightful way of looking at it.
so why do you do work if it doesn't make sense? why don't you try to fix it so it makes sense? you could propose consolidating all the spreadsheets into one system. you could suggest standardizing everything. wouldn't that make it easier for everyone?
well, yes, that would be a good idea.
so you should do it! i'm sure if you suggested it, they'd see that it makes more sense that way! it can't be easier to just keep doing it the wrong way. it just wouldn't make sense.
yes, um, i think you've brought up an important point.
ok, i guess.
you sure?
yeah. but...
what's wrong? it's ok.
you said to enter stuff from this printout into the four separate spreadsheets, right?
yes.
and it's the same information each time, right?
yes.
well, each spreadsheet that i'm entering it into is set up differently.
uh huh?
like, on the first one the phone numbers were first and then the social security numbers. so i did that, right? and then on the next one, the order was switched, but i didn't realize it. so i entered everything like before, but then i realized it was all backwards. and since these were by state instead of by last name, i couldn't paste them from the first one. then the next one was in the same order as the first one, but the area codes were in a separate field from the rest of the phone number, so i still had to enter each one individually.
yeah, it's kind of a pain.
and, like, the last one, i don't really understand this, but each digit of the social security numbers goes into its own field?
er, yes.
why do you need four separate spreadsheets that all have the exact same information, but it's all put in a little different?
um, yes. that's an insightful question, kwesi. i guess it comes down to, um, different systems were set up by different people and each one serves a slightly different purpose, so,
you don't really know, do you? it's one of those things that just doesn't make sense, right?
um, yes, that's an insightful way of looking at it.
so why do you do work if it doesn't make sense? why don't you try to fix it so it makes sense? you could propose consolidating all the spreadsheets into one system. you could suggest standardizing everything. wouldn't that make it easier for everyone?
well, yes, that would be a good idea.
so you should do it! i'm sure if you suggested it, they'd see that it makes more sense that way! it can't be easier to just keep doing it the wrong way. it just wouldn't make sense.
yes, um, i think you've brought up an important point.
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