[Continuation] Dear Users… (A thread for Sysadmin, Technical Support, and Help Desk people) Part 11 - Page 7

jeremyp · Today, 02:31 AM

Originally Posted by TragicMonkey

Them: "This file you sent me, the one that's named 'September 2023 Data', does it contain data from September or is it from August?"

Me: "I'll look into that and let you know".

I have no plans to reply any further.

Ever.

Did you at least look into the file to make sure that you put the September data in it and not the August data?

Darat · Today, 02:36 AM

For once I have a little bit of sympathy for the questioner, I've worked with many a company that would label something September 2023 Data when it contained the data from August because the report comes out in September.

malbui · Today, 04:31 AM

And it became apparent during our September board meeting that the financial reports for August we were supposed to be discussing were in some cases July’s numbers saved under a new name.

TragicMonkey · Today, 04:44 AM

Originally Posted by jeremyp

Did you at least look into the file to make sure that you put the September data in it and not the August data?

Every row of that spreadsheet has as its first column the date that data is for. It literally says it's September data 245,000+ times.

TragicMonkey · Today, 04:49 AM

Originally Posted by malbui

And it became apparent during our September board meeting that the financial reports for August we were supposed to be discussing were in some cases July’s numbers saved under a new name.

I don't make that kind of mistake: I delete old data before running new data, and I leave variables in stored queries commented out when I save them so I have to replace them before running it again. I am a very lazy monkey so I have long since minimized the amount of mental power I have to devote to routine tasks. I've made it so doing things wrong requires more effort than doing them correctly.

Darat · Today, 05:05 AM

Originally Posted by TragicMonkey

Every row of that spreadsheet has as its first column the date that data is for. It literally says it's September data 245,000+ times.

Ah so someone hadn't even bothered to open it before asking.

TragicMonkey · Today, 06:28 AM

Originally Posted by Darat

Ah so someone hadn't even bothered to open it before asking.

Even worse: I think they did, but didn't pay attention to anything inside it.

At a prior job I would on rare occasions, when I suspected people weren't using the files I sent them, "accidentally" send out blank files and see if anybody noticed. If they didn't respond "hey, this is empty" I knew it wasn't being used and I could stop. I don't do that at this job, it's much less of a Mickey Mouse operation generally so I feel I ought to do my best even if it's wasted sometimes.

But I still complain, hence my posts in this thread.

Today, 02:36 AM	#242
Darat Lackey Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 111,239	For once I have a little bit of sympathy for the questioner, I've worked with many a company that would label something September 2023 Data when it contained the data from August because the report comes out in September.
	__________________ I wish I knew how to quit you

Today, 04:31 AM	#243
malbui Beauf Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 3,659	And it became apparent during our September board meeting that the financial reports for August we were supposed to be discussing were in some cases July’s numbers saved under a new name.
malbui Beauf Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 3,659	__________________ "But Master! Does not the fire need water too? Does not the mountain need the storm? Does not your scrotum need kicking?"

Today, 04:44 AM	#244
TragicMonkey Poisoned Waffles Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Monkey Posts: 67,160	Originally Posted by jeremyp Did you at least look into the file to make sure that you put the September data in it and not the August data? Every row of that spreadsheet has as its first column the date that data is for. It literally says it's September data 245,000+ times.
	__________________ You added nothing to that conversation, Barbara.

Today, 04:49 AM	#245
TragicMonkey Poisoned Waffles Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Monkey Posts: 67,160	Originally Posted by malbui And it became apparent during our September board meeting that the financial reports for August we were supposed to be discussing were in some cases July’s numbers saved under a new name. I don't make that kind of mistake: I delete old data before running new data, and I leave variables in stored queries commented out when I save them so I have to replace them before running it again. I am a very lazy monkey so I have long since minimized the amount of mental power I have to devote to routine tasks. I've made it so doing things wrong requires more effort than doing them correctly.
	__________________ You added nothing to that conversation, Barbara.

Today, 05:05 AM	#246
Darat Lackey Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 111,239	Originally Posted by TragicMonkey Every row of that spreadsheet has as its first column the date that data is for. It literally says it's September data 245,000+ times. Ah so someone hadn't even bothered to open it before asking.
	__________________ I wish I knew how to quit you

Today, 02:31 AM	#241
jeremyp Illuminator Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha Posts: 3,524	Originally Posted by TragicMonkey Them: "This file you sent me, the one that's named 'September 2023 Data', does it contain data from September or is it from August?" Me: "I'll look into that and let you know". I have no plans to reply any further. Ever. Did you at least look into the file to make sure that you put the September data in it and not the August data?

Today, 06:28 AM	#247
TragicMonkey Poisoned Waffles Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Monkey Posts: 67,160	Originally Posted by Darat Ah so someone hadn't even bothered to open it before asking. Even worse: I think they did, but didn't pay attention to anything inside it. At a prior job I would on rare occasions, when I suspected people weren't using the files I sent them, "accidentally" send out blank files and see if anybody noticed. If they didn't respond "hey, this is empty" I knew it wasn't being used and I could stop. I don't do that at this job, it's much less of a Mickey Mouse operation generally so I feel I ought to do my best even if it's wasted sometimes. But I still complain, hence my posts in this thread.
	__________________ You added nothing to that conversation, Barbara.