We are going to review an often overlooked feature that can be highly beneficial when working with and analyzing your MSDS and chemical data. This feature is Export to Excel, and it’s available in Chemical Compliance Manager Version 7 and Version 8.
In version 7, this option is available for the MSDS Search Results page as well as many of the other web pages that display full lists of records such as the Regulation List, Chemical List and MSDS Approval Queue. Also, many of the CCM 7 reports are in a format called “Data Grids”. In this type of report, the data is displayed in a grid or table directly in a web page (in HTML format). All data grid reports have the Export to Excel option enabled.
To export a list of records in version 7, first locate the left-side panel. Within the panel, find the “Standard Options” group of menu options. Under Standard Options, find the “Export Options” menu item. Instead of clicking on this item, hover over it with the pointer icon. This will cause another menu to pop up with an additional set of options. Click on the “Export To Excel” option.
You may receive a message asking if you want to Open or Save the file. Either option works fine, but the Open option will immediately launch Microsoft Excel and display your data in a new spreadsheet. Now that you’re data is in Excel, you can use the full power of Excel to manipulate your data including sorting, filtering, graphing, copying, etc. You can save the results of your changes to a file on your local hard disk when you’re finished.
In version 8, Safetec makes the Export functionality even easier to use. Almost every list of records in CCM V8 includes an Export to Excel button directly above each list. It’s easy to recognize since the button includes the familiar green Microsoft Excel icon within it. In V8, even small tables / grids within other pages can be exported to Excel! This includes such item as facilities and chemical constituents associated to materials / MSDSs.
Not seeing the Export to Excel feature on your CCM web site? The feature may not be turned on. Please contact your Safetec representative and someone will be glad to fix this for you. It’s a complimentary option included for all Safetec customers. Concerned about security and the ease with which this data can be retrieved by your employees? Safetec can just as easily turn this feature off for you.
If you have any questions or comments about this article or technical questions about any of Safetec products, please contact me at paulb@safetec.net
Paul Burkett, CTO
