New modules

[zkatai]

I have seen the poll for suggestions. ( a very big like for this ) It is great to have this, and I like it is structured by the different modules. My question is whether you accept suggestions for new modules? As a PIM software it has almost all of the necessary feature, however I still miss two module from it:
- finance/book-keeping module
- a car maintenence and cost tracking module
(I know, there are good solutions for these softwares from other developers, but the advantage to have these modules would be the integration with the current functionalities (ie: linking between the different data ) and modules - task, calendar, contacts)

[a8907433]

- finance/book-keeping module
- a car maintenence and cost tracking module

I would not at all need this modules. I think, there are alomost an indefinite number of possible modules- I, for example, would like to have an ebook-managing module. So, I think, it is impossible to satisfy everones needs.
But WHAT COULD BE DONE, is: An extended table/spreadsheet-module, or built in to notes: this way, one could satisfy most needs, without extending EPIM with a huge number of modules. OR.... perhaps it could solved, with choosable extensions. But I prefer a spreadsheet-solution.

[MetalDrop]

I'd +1 a simple/essential spreadsheet module for tracking things like this, I think it would actually be nice to keep them independent so that both notes and spreadsheets can have a clean interface.

Simple being:
- Sort by any row [natural sort 1,2,3,10,11,12..etc NOT 1,10,11,12,2,3...etc]
- Sum any Column
- Multiply any two cells
- Option to add new row to top and bottom
- Auto fill in dates with new row add
- Auto Increment number when adding a new row

It's really easy to make complex monsters of spreadsheet programs, which I don't think would be very useful/worth the effort for EPIM to try and emulate, but I do think a simple and effect for most daily personal tasks spreadsheet module would be of a immense use to a lot of people. Especially those who don't commonly use heavy weight spreadsheet programs because of their complexity.

[VictorParkerPIM]

+1 for me too, Sounds exactly what we need.

[a8907433]

+, -, /, x, sum and, the average of a colum, And simple formating of cells and data (color, shading). and not to forgett: the easy export as csv, so everyone could use Excel (or another program) to export data and use make for example a graphical representation of data.
Oh- and: fixed head-rows, so that one could see the descriptions in long tables.

[henacynflin]

+1 from me too. But just simple maths and export

[ecsaltz]

+1 from me as well. Simple math and export at least, but more advanced functions as EPIM's development language (Delphi ?) has built in.

[admin]

Thanks very much for the suggestion, noted. I think availability of a separate spreadsheet module is something overall EPIM user base can definitely benefit from.

[Argenthos]

+1

It would be incredibly useful for me. It's the only thing EPIM is really missing. Nothing fancy, just a simple spreedsheet module were you can place all sort of data and basic calculations.

[rgrun1]

I don't want to be the wet blanket but why not just take a note item and have links to your spreadsheet program or better yet, individual spreadsheets or any other data file?

Also, there is already a table feature. Might not adding some simple math possibilities solve the issue for those smaller needs?

[MetalDrop]

I don't want to be the wet blanket but why not just take a note item and have links to your spreadsheet program or better yet, individual spreadsheets or any other data file?

Also, there is already a table feature. Might not adding some simple math possibilities solve the issue for those smaller needs?

Linking doesn't let you search the dataset which when you have dozens and hundreds of spreadsheets with mixtures of data being able to search them all with the search power of EPIM is something that I don't even think you have in programs like Excel at least not easily and as inventive as it would be in EPIM.

Linking also requires that you HAVE said other spreadsheet program. This feature would be quite useful to people who don't have such programs because they are overly complicated for what they want.

Complex tables in notes rarely ever works out well. It's a coding and maintenance disaster waiting to happen. Largely because you are then modifying libraries to the extreme rather than just using one that is made to handle spreadsheet data. Which of course would massively slow down development as well. It would likely take the EPIM devs way longer to modify the libraries they are using for notes than it would be to pick out a library for Spreadsheets and get a new module up and running.

You also have the fact that with a new module the data could be synced to cloud services like Google Sheets...etc as actual spreadsheets whereas the highly custom/modified rich text table would likely only cause even more syncing and exporting issues with notes.

[rgrun1]

You make some good points. I am lukewarm on the idea of expanding the table feature to include basic math (WHAT basic math? ... will that include lookups etc?) I am more concerned with bloat and the way to avoid it COULD be to call outside programs such as google sheets if you need something cloud based and can't install one of the various office suites

[Argenthos]

Modules can be disabled if you don't need it. And nobody wants excel inside epim taking 2 minutes just to open, it defeats the point and i doubt that EPIM developers would do such a thing.

For example, Spread32 is a perfect example of a simple spreedsheet software. With less than 4mb, i believe it has all the basic functions for most of EPIM users, maybe even more. Place a module with those capabilities and integrate it with EPIM and you can do a lot of good stuff.

[Rose Ford]

+1 I'd love a spreadsheet module.

I keep half of the modules disabled in EPIM, so if you don't like something disable it. It's one of the best features of EPIM compared to the other PIMS I tried before it.

In my personal EPIM I keep notes and trash enabled and that's it.

In the company EPIM we use Notes, Tasks, Calendar, Trash, and disable the rest.

Really in spread sheets your most basic maths are:
Sum
Count
Product
Average
Min/Max

Though personally I think Sum is the only thing needed for the the majority of simple things, other wise as mentioned above the ability to add new rows with incrementing numbers and the current date is one of the most time saving feature of spread sheet compared to note tables.

[ecsaltz]

I suggest that a very basic spreadsheet module be written. From there, user suggestions could help improve its functionality in the future.