Favorite accounting programs for home slots?

[stayouttadabunker]

I started something for my 4 game room S+'s this year.
I really didn't have a lot to do on New Years Day, so for the fun of it, I cleared all my game room S+'s with a clear chip.
All four games are now starting their internal accounting from zero. I don't really like the mechanical counters.
I like using a PSR sheet and jotting down numbers using the reset key/test switch/panel button combos.
Then, I re-enabled the DBV's with their proper SET chips.
My goal was to see how many credits I'm putting on the games this year and see if the games will somewhat match/reach their prospective chip percentage values by the time when the holidays come around next year.
I realize that the accounting will probably be pretty far off , because I will never conceiviably get as many credits on any one of my machines like they would on a live casino floor. Plus, I'm always tinkering around with 'em. 

Anyways, the only accounting program I have is a crappy, old Windows Works Suite 2000 that has a spreadsheet program in it.
Would that program keep track of my games or is there something better I can use?

[StatFreak]

I never got around to writing a full program, but I put a copy of my Excel sheet for the S+ in the Submit a new file section.
I added a data sheet tab with instructions and an example sheet. The file is called "IGT Statistical Data.Formula.Blank.zip"

Enjoy,

SF 

[Ron (r273)]

Oh NO!............. I didn't know we had TWO Stat Freaks on the forum!

[StatFreak]

BTW, I wrote the instructions with the thought of helping people who don't know their way around Excel. Don't take offense if they seem overly detailed. If you're well versed in Excel, you can delete the templates and instructions from the copy you're using and then just copy a template sheet across files into your working file each time that you need one. That makes for cleaner work files.

I also created a GT section (but it's only in my Wms Dotmation data sheets) that was supposed to give overall figures for all past records, but I never got around to writing the code for it. So even in the Wms version it's strictly manual. There are lots of improvements I have in mind, but there always seems to be something else to do...

[brichter]

+1 for the StatFreak accounting spreadsheet from a satisfied customer!

At first I thought the cost was a little excessive, but have come to believe that it's worth every penny!

[stayouttadabunker]

Is there a free version of excel to run this sheet or do I need to buy it from microsoft?
All I see is that it is a "read only" document.
I cannot actually enter any data into the program...

[brichter]

Is there a free version of excel to run this sheet or do I need to buy it from microsoft?
All I see is that it is a "read only" document.
I cannot actually enter any data into the program...

http://www.openoffice.org

[stayouttadabunker]

Thanks guys...I'm really having a blast with this stuff
The totals on the bottom (Hit Freq/Avg.Win/Avg Bet/House Take/Payback) are in a light shade of blue.
How do these get enabled? At the moment...they only show "###".
When I click on it, a dialog box pops up saying that the cell is "protected"
How do I change it so that it will tally up the data?
I've downloaded an OpenOffice program that brichter suggested....still learning how to use it though.

It's in PDF file on page 5 below>>>

[StatFreak]

Is there a free version of excel to run this sheet or do I need to buy it from microsoft?
All I see is that it is a "read only" document.
I cannot actually enter any data into the program...

I set the file to read only to prevent users from overwriting the original file. You can either make changes to the file directly and then use "Save As" to save your changes to a new file, or just make a copy of the file first and remove the Read Only property in Windoze before using it.

Thanks guys...I'm really having a blast with this stuff
The totals on the bottom (Hit Freq/Avg.Win/Avg Bet/House Take/Payback) are in a light shade of blue.
How do these get enabled? At the moment...they only show "###".
When I click on it, a dialog box pops up saying that the cell is "protected"
How do I change it so that it will tally up the data?
I've downloaded an OpenOffice program that brichter suggested....still learning how to use it though.

It's in PDF file on page 5 below>>>

You have to enable macros which, by extension, includes VB code. I don't know how open office deals with this. In addition, if the "Auto Calculate" option is enabled (I believe that this is the default in Office) then the totals on the bottom will change automatically as you enter or change the values in the start and end columns. The cells that are protected all have either formulas or function calls in them and should not be altered: that's why they are protected. You can unprotect the template sheets or copies of them in the Tools menu, but don't blame me if you mess up all of the calculations.

In MicroCrap Office, enabling macros is done in the security setting. Go to the Tools menu, select the Macro sub-menu, and then select "Security...". When the pop-up dialog opens, select the security level tab and choose "medium security". You can also get to this dialog box by going to the Tools menu, selecting "Options..." (the last menu option), selecting the "Security" tab (back right corner), and clicking on the "Macro Security..." button. That will bring up the same dialog box.

Medium security will ask you each time the file opens whether to enable macros or not. You must enable them for the calculations to work. This setting will still allow you to disable macros when opening a file from an untrusted source. The default security setting permanently disables macros and code because Mircrocrap figures their users are too dumb to manage security themselves and because they know that their security sucks so badly that totally disabling everything is the only way to protect the average user.

[stayouttadabunker]

Thanks Stat...
Been playing with this for hours...lol
Anyways, I got the macros to work but I'm still having a problem getting the Avg. formulas to work on the bottom.
Open office doesnt want to tally them up...I'll figure it though...it'll just take me some time.
I'm gonna keep playing with it...I want to thank you very much for an awesome program!

[StatFreak]

They are calculated by function calls to a couple of very simple Visual Basic functions that I wrote.

I just checked, and if you're getting "###", it is definitely because Macros/Code are disabled. You have to change the setting, then close and reopen the program for the changes to take effect. If the Auto Calculation is off, then typing numbers in the start and end columns will not change the totals at the bottom until you press <F9> to calculate. If Auto Calculate is on then the totals will change on the fly as you enter or change numbers in the start/end columns.

lmk how it goes.

Stat


<ADD> I guess I'll download a copy of open office and see how it behaves. If you got your macros working (just noticed that) then maybe it doesn't like VB?

[stayouttadabunker]

That would be great Stat...maybe you'll see whats happening to me with the open office.

[StatFreak]

That would be great Stat...maybe you'll see whats happening to me with the open office.

Crap!   From the Open Office online manual:

Macros in Microsoft Office and OpenOffice.org

Microsoft Office and OpenOffice.org cannot run the same macro code. Microsoft Office uses VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) code, and OpenOffice.org uses Basic code based on the OpenOffice.org API (Application Program Interface) environment. Although the programming language is the same, the objects and methods are different.
If you use macros in one of the applications and want to use the same functionality in the other application, you must edit the macros. OpenOffice.org can load the macros that are contained within Microsoft Office files and you can then view and edit the macro code in the OpenOffice.org Basic IDE editor.

When I open the code module in OO, all of my code is "REM"ed out. No wonder it doesn't work -- there's no code to run!

I'll have to redesign the thing for open office...


<EDIT> If that's what Open Office does to a simple Excel marco, I'd hate to see what it does to a working MSAccess database, since any professionally designed database (e.g., mine ) would be filled to the gills with VBA code, SQL code, ADO and ADOX instantiated recordsets, a class module or two, and Windows OCX control calls and system handle .dll calls. If you ever see any crap in the "Macro" tab of one of my MSAccess databases, you may shoot me. (OK, maybe just a small flesh wound.. )

Oh, now I'll just have to go and see how the OO "database" program screws up a perfectly good MSAccess database...

[stayouttadabunker]

I KNEW something was wong...
I downloaded a 60-day Trial version of Microcrap Office Excel 97 and got MOST of the bottom formulas to work...
however, since the trial version of Office is limited options-wise, I can only get part of the bottom calculations to work.
The darn thing doesnt even let me enter anything into the "Game______"   cell.....
The Trial version has the "unprotect" and "protect" options grayed out and wont even let me make separate sheets to fool around with.

Oh well, what do you want for free.... guess I gotta go spend the big bucks for a "Full Version"...argh!

[StatFreak]

OK, I now have a working copy of the program for Open Office.  In my very short tenure with OO, I have come to the conclusion that... and it pains me say this... MS Office kicks it's butt.

Soapbox Alert!!!

For the typical user of my spreadsheet (stayouttadabunker) the one thing I noticed that bugs me pertains directly to your stated issue with Excel. You are not supposed to be able to click on any of the protected cells on a protected sheet in my program. Open Office lets you click on the cells but doesn't let you change them. In Excel, you can only click where you can change. If you use the cursor keys, it jumps automatically to the next available cell. This was one of the reasons that I protected the sheet -- to make it more idiot proof. (Don't take that personally, sotdb ) FWIW, at least OO does jump to the next unlocked cell if you use the <TAB> key. It goes right into locked cells if you use the cursors though.

To be more specific, Excel has a large selection of actions that can specifically blocked (protected) when a sheet is protected. It is actually quite comprehensive. OO Calc doesn't have all these options. It only allows locking protected cells, hiding formulas, hiding protected cells, and hiding cells while printing.

The darn thing doesn't even let me enter anything into the "Game______"   cell.....

I'm guessing that it's because you're trying to enter the wrong cell. The "Game____" cell is actually only one cell (the leftmost one). If you try to click on the cell where the line is in Excel, it will not let you because it's protected. On the other hand, if you did click on the correct cell, let me know exactly which page and cell number, because that would be my fault.

I also noticed that OO Calc has only one zoom setting for the entire workbook instead of for each sheet. 
It also won't let you rename your new copy of one of the templates unless you unprotected the sheet first.   So stayouttadabunker (you really need a good. short, nickname  ) you will need to unprotect the sheet, change the name of the new copy, and then re-protect it.

Don't get me started on the VB side of this!   The compile option doesn't catch all of the compile-time errors (!!!) and worse, if there are commands or function calls (like the ones that exist in VBA but not in their runtime version) that are not recognized, the program bombs when you try to save the file. It goes into an endless loop of message boxes telling you of the error, but you can't get out of the save without going to task manager and killing the program completely. You then lose all of your work. YUCK. It also doesn't seem to check syntax while your type, doesn't automatically capitalize commands correctly, or keep the capitalization usage consistent with an already declared variable, and doesn't offer built-in Constant drop-downs or context sensitive help when typing in a function's parameters. (VBA will even display available constant options or the expected datatypes or ENums for user defined function parameters -- as long as they have been compiled at least once.)

But wait! There's more    The save command in the spreadsheet DOESN'T SAVE CODE CHANGES, and the save command in the code section DOESN'T SAVE THE SPREADSHEET CHANGES. If you are in the spreadsheet and have unsaved code changes that you thought you saved by selecting the "Save" command, you are NOT prompted to save them when you close the program.  Are they kidding??? WTF???


End Soapbox Alert



A-hem... uh, where was I... oh, yes... OK, I now have a working copy of the program for Open Office.
Here is a zip file containing both versions of the spreadsheet. Remember to make a copy and to remove the read-only tag from the copy before using it.

Enjoy,

SF

[stayouttadabunker]

Stat,
I felt like the test pilot....yes ,I know I'm not supposed to change locked cells...ever since I was  a kid ,
it's been my nature to take apart things to see what makes it tick...
It all started when a very pretty, older girl ( I was 15 yrs. old, she was a smoking 19 yr old long-haired beauty) wanted me to see what was wrong with her radio,etc. That was the first time I smelled something "electronickly" ( her words exactly) burning...I hooked up a 12V deep cell farm tractor battery to her 9V transistor radio....POOF!

Anyways, I think this program you've made - with your formulas combined, makes this an extremely cool accounting sheet that is fantastic for us home slot owners to fool around with.....too make a long story short....you da man!



ADD>>> my nickname is long, huh?   =  that's what she whispered into my ear last night 

[StatFreak]

...
It all started when a very pretty, older girl ( I was 15 yrs. old, she was a smoking 19 yr old long-haired beauty) wanted me to see what was wrong with her radio,etc. That was the first time I ...

LOL -- Somehow, I think that I would have finished that sentence differently!    (You know, I could have left one more word on that sentence, but this is a public forum. )

Feel free to tinker away! There is no password required to unlock the template sheets, and the code can be easily modified (once you get used to Open Office's way of doing things. )