Running Theexcel Alarm Reporting Application

Running TheExcel Alarm Reporting Application

March 18, 2014
Revision 1

Setting Up Security:

The Excel Alarm Reporting Application is a macro-enabled workbook, meaning that it includes executable statements. These Excel files are of the type “.xlsm” (Macro Enabled Excel workbooks).

If you haven’t already done so, you should set up a “Trusted Zone” from Excel’s Options which defines a folder which is a “safe haven” to run applications. Applications executed in this trusted folder will not give a security warning. Your IT staff should be able to set that up for you. If not, I will be happy to send you instructions or guide you through it over the phone.

The Template:

Always keep a backup copy of your most current template in a safe place… and never modify anything on the template itself, or it may malfunction. The position of all the totals is “hard wired”, and even inserting a column or row will corrupt the application.

When you first open the application, it may look a little “strange” in that it includes all possible 14 days for reporting. Do not be concerned how it the template looks, because when the program is finished executing, the application will delete any unused columns in the report. The Template itself is never changed. After the program is finished reading in the log files (you can read from 1 up to 14, and the number you read is variable), the application displays a “Save Dialog Box” from which you choose a target directory and a file name to save your report. When you click the “Save” button, the report is changed from an .xlsm to an .xlsx file and saved in the directory you chose with the name you assigned. Also, a PDF version is saved in the same directory. Again, the template itself is never modified.

Maintaining the Alarm Codes Worksheet

The Excel Alarm Reporting template contains two worksheet tabs:

(1)Template

(2)AlarmCodes

The AlarmCodes worksheet is where you add new Alarm Codes and assign them to the proper category. Here’s a sample screen shot of that data. They can be in any order, but my suggestion is to keep them in Alpha order by Alarm Code. The Category column only allows 3 values and they must be spelled exactly: Parameter, Arrhythmia, Technical. Every alarm code MUST be assigned one of the three categories. When you run the application, if the Alarm Log File contains a newcode not in this list, it will show up in the “Other” category of the report. Once you see a new alarm code, add it to the AlarmCodes tab so that it will be placed in the proper category on the next run.

Using Wildcard In The Alarm Codes

In the example above, notice that the ART? D HI will find a match to ART1 D HI, ART2 D HI, and so forth. Any new alarm codes that have numbers (1 through 8) or “P1” or “P2” should include the wildcard character “?”. A number such as “1” through “8” only requires one wildcard “?”, but a “P1” or “P2” will require two “?”, one for each letter.

Running The Application

When you first open the application, you will see a Create Report button. Click on it to start the application:

The next screen asks you to select the first log file. Navigate to the YYYYMMDD.log file and then click the open button on the dialog box.

When the program finishes reading the first log file, you will be asked if you have any more. You can read up to 14 log files for a single report.

Once you select “No”, you will then be asked to enter a filename and choose a directory to save your reports. When you have assigned a name and chosen a directory, click the “Save” button. At this point, both the Excel report and the PDF will be saved. The application template itself is not changed… only the report.

You have now completed the process.