Recently I was asked for my experiences with LDRPS Version 10 regarding usability.  One thing this particular company was dissatisfied with was the data entry screens.  I must admit, they are rather crowded.  A typical screen will have three panes.  If you are using a plan navigator you’ll have a datasheet pane, a record detail pane, and an instructions pane.  If you aren’t using a navigator the instructions pane on the right will go away but will be replaced by a navigation pane on the left.  That can leave things pretty tight.  Of course you can adjust the pane sizes.  Still, there can be a lot of adjusting and scrolling working with version 10.  There are a few things you can do to mitigate the scrolling and resizing. 

Of course the screen size can make a difference.  On my desktop system I have my resolution set to 1024×768 on a 19 inch flat screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio.  My notebook PC has a 16:10 aspect ratio and resolution is set at 1280×800.  When I look at the same screen on my notebook PC, I get two additional columns viewable in the datasheet (7 columns instead of 5).

You can edit the datasheet view.  For example, in its default configuration LDRPS includes the record ID field in the datasheet view.  I haven’t found this to be particularly useful.  As the LDRPS administrator, you can change the fields displayed in the datasheet.  In the Administration screen, select the Screen Editor tab, choose the record from the navigator pane and select the Grid Column Editor.  You can add or remove the fields displayed in the datasheet pane and change the order in which they are displayed.

To make better use of the Record Details pane you might consider rearranging the fields and/or frames in it.  Use the Screen Designer to move fields around.  Place the frequently used fields near the top of the screen.  If most of your users have wide screen monitors you might want to widen the frames and place more fields across the screen since there is likely a lot of blank space on the right side of the Record Details pane.

There are certainly some adjustments to be made when moving to LDRPS version 10, but the system is versatile.  Any other tips out there?  I’d welcome some feedback.