Re: Best Oracle front end / Query tool for power users

Daniel,

You're right, I believe we are in general agreement. I'm not saying Excel is better for this application, just another option. It's ubiquitous. It is common for most users in an organization to have Excel already available on their workstations. A large part of the population already knows how to use it. And, it works equally well with Oracle, SQL Server, DB2, MySQL, etc.

I'm not an Excel evangelist. As a matter of fact, I'm agnostic across the board on development environments, database platforms and applications as well. More than likely, Open Office StarCalc has the ability to integrate with back-end data as well. If I knew more about the latest versions, I might consider Excel and StarCalc interchangeable with regard to my position.

I appreciate your example. Obviously, this company needed some help, and probably with more than just the reporting issue. A lesson well-learned for any executive is: make sure you have your facts right - financial and non-financial.

BTW, I notice that you contribute substantially to the group and I am sure many are grateful for your guidance.

• Bill

"DA Morgan" <damorgan_at_psoug.org> wrote in message news:1174697301.448008_at_bubbleator.drizzle.com...
> AlterEgo wrote:
>> Daniel,
>>
>> I am only suggesting that Excel has its place in most organizations, and
>> if need be can be incorporated in a process flow that is SOX compliant.
>> And, simply using Excel in a non-compliant way (as most organizations do,
>> large and small) does not constitute a violation of law. Much in the same
>> way that allowing weak passwords is non-compliant, but not a violation of
>> law. I am not suggesting Excel is a be-all for enterprise reporting.
>
> I think we are in reasonably good agreement with one exception.
>
> What is it anyone can do in Microsoft Excel they can not do better, and
> with full compliance and auditing, using an Oracle tool?
>
> Let me give you from my personal experience the nightmare scenario at a
> Fortune 500 company. Different managers were coming into a meeting, each
> with their own spreadsheet, each based on the exact same numbers. All
> were different.
>
> When the auditors heard of it they found that the numbers were being
> "corrected" and that business decisions were being made in the meetings.
> One mid-level VP was quietly escorted to the door a week later.
>
> Were they in strict technical violation of the law? Perhaps not. Did
> it matter? Not one bit. I'll go with the Oracle tool every time.
> --
> Daniel A. Morgan
> University of Washington
> damorgan_at_x.washington.edu
> (replace x with u to respond)
> Puget Sound Oracle Users Group
> www.psoug.org
Received on Mon Mar 26 2007 - 12:41:50 CDT