Since a number have requested that I share my MS EXCEL template used for
beeyard management for examination, I have taken a look at it, removed
personal data, and created a template called yards.xlt, designed to be
used with MS Excel 5.0.
 
It is 120K or so in size and *may or may not* be able to be converted to
work on other high end spreadsheets.  For this reason, please don't
request it unless you actually think you have software that might run it,
since it will be useless to you if you don't.
 
It is designed for our own use (for about 90 yards) and likely is not of
any use to anyone else without alteration.  I offer it for free use,
alteration, discussion and constructive criticism (please) and, of course
totally without warranty or promise of performance.  (As you have no doubt
recently discovered I am not an infallable genius when it comes to
predicting what computers may or may not do ;) so *caveat emptor*).
 
I'd be glad to discuss the uses of this template and answer any questions
about it if there are any after consulting the yard.gif ( of which
everyone should now have ample copies ) for ideas on how we fill it in.
 
One feature that may not be immediately obvious is the several 'views'
that are available from the MS Excel view|view manager menu, resulting in
distinctly different printouts.  Our field people use the printouts as
guides to what has been done in the past and update the information in the
field by writing directly over the old.  Each crew has a copy.
 
After each round and every yard has been visited, data is updated in the
computer and new sheets -- possibly with different columns showing -- is
printed in landscape mode in colour on 8-1/2 X 14 paper.  Some fiddling is
usually required to get it to fit on the page efficiently after column
changes.
 
I regret that I shall have to offer this file by a slower method than
previous files, since I am now checking the outgoing mail friom the robot
rather than having it send in the background, so don't be surprised if it
takes a few days to get your files from this location. Please do not
keep requesting a copy if one does not come back immediately.
 
To get the template, send email with SEND YARDS.XLT *in the subject line*
to [log in to unmask]
 
On the matter of Bidata:  I have not received any email at all from any
users who have actually paid for it or who use it regularly and recommend
it.  I did however receive several messages from those who have looked at
it and not decided to use it for various personal reasons.  I have not
received any further reports of installation errors -- and in fact have
heard about several successful installs along with only one report of a
Win95 computer publically demo-ing Bidata at a show having to be rebooted
periodically. (also some excuses for that)  I now expect that all those
who gave me a hard time for making sure it is safe for them will download
a copy, use it every day -- and send Jorn $200 US.  Keep me posted, Jorn.
 
Allen