Column Database Manual And Troubleshooting

File System

The file system for the New Objective Dropbox is fully automated and organized for ease of use. Files are sorted in a structured manner, so there's no need to create folders or move files around manually (you should also not be renaming folders or file names). Open the New Objective Dropbox and navigate to the Column DB folder.

Inside the Column Log folder, you'll see several key folders. At the top are folders beginning with an exclamation mark "!". These are intentionally named this way to appear first and contain resources that are not logs. Below them, the remaining folders are organized by year, each containing monthly column logs.

At the top of the directory, you'll also find two template folders:

• Archived Templates: Contains outdated templates, unused files, and daily backups of monthly column logs.
• Active Templates: This is the only folder you'll need to access if you're not reviewing past logs.

Within the Active Templates folder, a subfolder (LBX templates) for PTouch files used for label templates exists. If you need to edit a label, this is where you'll find the necessary files. Additionally, you'll find three important documents:

• Input Log.
• Monthly Column Log.
• Column Log Worksheet.

Aside from the label templates, these are the only files you should be editing.

Column Log System

Start with the Input Log. This file is the master sheet and references all other templates you will need. Navigate to the left-hand side and choose the type of label you want to print and log. Generating the labels will create several entries below the selection for printing and logging.

Select the Print Labels button. This will print the labels corresponding to the generated columns using the Brother printer.

Selecting the Worksheet button will open the Work Order Worksheet. All values should be auto-filled based on the Input Log. Fill in any additional columns you may need within the worksheet. When finished, select the Print and Close button. This will print the work order sheet.

Lastly, navigate back to the Input Log. The final step is to log all of the generated columns for the month. Clicking the Save Column Log to Month button will open the Monthly Column Log for the current month. This file is located within the appropriate year and month folders under the main Column Logs directory and will show all previously created columns.

There should not be any issues generating a Monthly Log. When a new month or year begins, the spreadsheet will automatically create a new year or month folder if one does not already exist. If there are any issues with this, refer to the Troubleshooting Guide.

If the columns you want to save to the Monthly Column Log do not automatically populate at the bottom of the sheet, click Get Data from Input Sheet. This will retrieve the values of the newly created logs and add them to the bottom. You can also manually fill in any other corresponding columns in the Monthly Log based on the available data.

Click the Save and Close button to save your progress on the Monthly Log. You have now completed creating, printing, and logging columns and labels. See the following sections for troubleshooting, adding new data, and editing templates.

Editing Templates

Editing templates can be complex, and the difficulty will vary depending on the changes you need to make. This document outlines some of the most common edits and additions to template files.

To begin editing the Monthly Log Template, open the file in the Active Templates folder. Most changes to this file will not break the system; however, there are a few important things to note.

First, ensure you are editing the monthly log template file, not the current month's log. Changes made to the template will only apply to future months, not the currently active monthly log. If you want the changes to apply to both, you must edit both the template and the specific current month's log. To locate the current month's file, navigate to the main Column Log directory, open the current year folder, and select the appropriate month.

You can safely add new columns, rename columns, or remove columns, as long as they are not auto-filled by the input template. However, changing the name of a column tied to a specific data type may cause data validation issues. Refer to the Troubleshooting Guide for instructions on fixing data validation in spreadsheets.

Editing the Work Order Template is more involved. Like the monthly log, adding or modifying columns here can lead to data validation errors. If you add a new column, you must also update the corresponding VBA code (see the Troubleshooting Guide for how to access it). If you skip this step, the Print button will not include the new column(s) and will cut off your content.

There is only one VBA Module for the Work Order Template. Near the top of the module, you will see a print range starting from column A. Increment or decrement the final letter of the range to reflect any columns you've added or removed. This updates the print logic to match your changes.

The Work Order Template automatically pulls data from the Input Template. If you double-click a field (e.g., the PSI header), you'll notice a formula that combines text with code. Typically, the format looks like: "Text Here" + VLOOKUP() + "More Text Here". The VLOOKUP() function uses the column label name from the input template and compares it to all available types to return a specific value — such as PSI test results. The most effective way to replicate this functionality is to copy and paste an existing VLOOKUP() function that already works, review the structure, and change only the necessary column references. In most cases, you'll only need to modify 1–2 characters.

For the Input Log Template, adding, removing, or renaming columns follows the same rules as the previous templates, particularly concerning data validation. Generally, unless you are modifying columns, you won't need to change anything on the first page of the sheet. Most of your edits will occur in the Part Data sheet, which is found as a second tab at the bottom of the workbook.

In the Part Data sheet, you can add new column types, modify existing values, add or remove entries, and define how data is generated for each column log type. However, do not change the order of the columns from A to L, and avoid adding or deleting columns in this section. Doing so will break multiple VLOOKUP() references used in the Work Order Sheet.

Troubleshooting - General Tip

When fixing errors and troubleshooting, the most common issue is an incorrect file path. Carefully check that all details in the troubleshooting step below are correct before investigating other potential problems.

If you encounter issues involving buttons not working, labels not printing, logs not saving, or folder references not functioning, the changes will need to be made in Microsoft Excel's code editor, called VBA (Visual Basic for Applications). If you are not familiar with coding or VBA, it is strongly recommended that you do not attempt to fix the issue yourself, as even a small change to the code could break the entire column log system.

To access the VBA editor in Microsoft Excel, go to the Developer tab at the top of the window, then click Visual Basic. To view specific code files, click on Modules in the left-hand sidebar. All relevant code files are stored there. For our purposes, nothing else in the VBA editor needs to be accessed or modified.

Most spreadsheet templates will only have one module. The Input Log contains three modules, one for each button. From there, you can view and, if needed, edit the code logic for each function in the spreadsheet.

Troubleshooting - No Files Found/Incorrect References

In almost every instance of problems that can arise, it usually has to do with a file being renamed differently/not found, or an incorrect reference to a file that may have been moved.

Troubleshooting - Data Validation

When working with data validation in Microsoft Excel, incorrect setup can lead to errors such as rejected inputs, misclassified data, or broken workflows. This guide outlines how to fix common data validation problems related to numbers, alphanumeric characters, lists, and dates.

To begin troubleshooting, first select the cell or range experiencing issues. Then navigate to the Data tab at the top of Excel, and click on Data Validation within the Data Tools group. In the window, review the current settings under the Settings tab. This is where Excel determines what kind of data is allowed in that cell.

For numeric validation issues, problems often arise when Excel rejects valid numbers or allows incorrect values. To resolve this, ensure that the "Allow" field is set to Whole number or Decimal, depending on your needs. Choose an appropriate condition under "Data", such as "between" or "greater than," and set the minimum and maximum values accordingly. Also, check that the cell formatting is correct; if the cell is formatted as Text, Excel may not recognize numeric input. To fix this, right-click the cell, choose Format Cells, and set the format to Number or General.

If you're dealing with alphanumeric data—entries that include letters and numbers, Excel doesn't offer a direct option for this in the Data Validation menu. Instead, use a custom formula. For basic alphanumeric enforcement, you can use formulas like =ISNUMBER(A1)+ISTEXT(A1)=1 or create more complex patterns using Data Validation → Custom → Formula, depending on how strictly you want to define acceptable input. However, Excel's native support for complex alphanumeric patterns is limited without using VBA or regular expressions.

For list-based validation, issues typically occur when Excel doesn't recognize the source list or allows entries that aren't in the list. First, verify that the "Allow" field is set to List and that the source range is correct. If you're referencing a list of values in another range, make sure that range is spelled correctly and doesn't include any blank cells or hidden characters. If you're using a named range, ensure it's defined properly under Formulas → Name Manager. Also, check that "In-cell dropdown" is enabled if you want users to choose from a visible list.

When it comes to date validation, common problems include Excel rejecting valid dates or treating text as a date. Make sure the "Allow" field is set to Date and that the "Data" condition reflects your intent, such as "between" two valid dates. Verify that the start and end dates are in the correct format and that the cells are formatted as Date using Format Cells. If Excel continues to reject valid entries, ensure users are entering dates in a recognized format (e.g., MM/DD/YYYY or DD/MM/YYYY, depending on regional settings).

In all cases, reviewing the Error Alert tab in the Data Validation window is also helpful. Make sure the error message is meaningful and that "Show error alert after invalid data is entered" is checked so users are informed when they input something invalid. If you've made several changes and something isn't working, consider removing the validation and reapplying it from scratch.

Troubleshooting - Printing Error

Occasionally, an error may occur when attempting to print the work order sheet. This issue most commonly arises at the start of the day. The error message typically appears as shown in the screenshot below.

The first step in resolving this issue is to ensure that all printer cables are securely connected to the computer. Next, go to the top of the spreadsheet, click on File, and then select Print from the menu on the left-hand side. Change the selected printer from the Brother printer to the LaserJet Pro 400, and save your changes. This should resolve the issue, allowing you to print without any further error messages.