FlexiDATA is a data handling program which is designed for use in schools. It is suitable for subjects such as Science, Geography and Mathematics, as well as for delivering all of the data handling required for KS3 and KS4 ICT courses. The software is versatile, powerful and easy to use; pupils only have to learn about the more complex features when they need them.

Creating and editing data files

It is very easy to create and edit your own data files with FlexiDATA. There is a choice of three layouts when editing data - a table with fields across the top and one record on each line, a single record down the screen or the same layout as the questionnaire used to collect the data. Data validation can be switched on or off. You can add, delete, change or re-order the fields; add, delete, sort and filter records; find or replace within a field; undo and redo your edits.

The program can handle the following types of fields:

Collecting data

FlexiDATA enables you to design your own form to collect data. In fact, the program creates a form based on the fields you have defined, and you can then change it as you wish. The program provides the ability to edit questions, insert and edit addtional text, insert pictures, drag items around the page, change fonts, colours, layout and style. This allows you to design a form or questionnaire and to then print the form ready to collect the data. Then, when you come to type the data into the program you can choose to do so on the form you designed to collect the data.

Information pages

You can investigate data by creating information pages. Each page of information can show any mixture of tables, graphs, frequency tables and sets of statistics, up to a maximum of ten items pers page. Each of these items is based on a data file - the program can show information from up to ten different data files at once.

Each table, frequency table, graph or set of statistics appears in a separate window which can be overlapped, moved or re-sized. Tables of data and bar charts inside a window can be scrolled if necessary. A page can also contain text which is used to label and explain the information on that page, and pictures to illlustrate it. A collection of information pages is called a report and it can be printed out and saved on disk.

Graphical presentation

One of FlexiDATA's most powerful features is the way in which you can use charts and graphs to present information in different ways. For example, FlexiDATA 3 offers five different types of bar chart. In the following examples, a class survey has collected the name, hair colour, age and height of each pupil.

• In a simple bar chart, the length of each bar depends on the frequency - sometimes called a count graph. For example, a simple bar chart of hair colour would show a bar for each colour of hair, and the length of each bar would represent how many pupils had hair of that colour.
• In a simple bar chart with two fields, the length of each bar depends on the frequency of the first field, but each bar is now divided according to the second field. For example, a bar chart of hair colour and height would show a bar for each colour of hair, divided up according to the height of each pupil with that colour hair. The heights can be put into groups.
• In a bar chart of data values, the length of each bar depends on a second field. For example, a bar chart of data values using name and height would show a bar for each pupil and the length of each bar would represent the height of that pupil.
• A bar chart of data values where the first field contains duplicates. For example, a bar chart of data values using hair colour and height would show a bar for each colour of hair and the length of the bar would represent the average height of all the pupils who have hair of that colour. FlexiDATA also offers the choice of using the maximum, minimum or total of the values in the second field.
• A bar chart of data values using a third field. For example, a bar chart of data values using name, age and height would show two bars for each pupil - the length of one bar would represent the age and the other bar the height of the pupil.

Drill-down tables

Whenever a graph is shown in FlexiDATA 3, you can investigate the data behind that graph by using a "drill-down" table. For example, if you are looking at a scattergraph and want to investigate an isolated point on the graph, just double-click on that point and a table appears, showing the record(s) that produced that point. The same technique applies to all the other types of graph, including bar charts, pie charts, etc. Once that table has been inserted, you can format it just like any other table, including choosing the fields that are shown. You can add several drill-down tables to a graph, and future tables will copy the format you chose for the first one.

Linked datafiles

In some situations, the structure of your data may be too complex to fit comfortably into a single datafile. One solution is to split different types of data into different datafiles, and to link from one file to another as required. Another advantage of this approach is that it avoids the same data appearing more than once, which is both time consuming to create and more prone to errors. FlexiDATA 3 enables you to create, edit and use linked datafiles.

For example, in the following diagram, FlexiDATA has been used to create a datafile of holiday cottage bookings; that datafile is linked to a file of cottages and to a file of customers. The Customer field of the Bookings datafile just contains a number, called the primary key which connects each booking to a particular customer. Similarly, the Cottage field just contains a number which connects each booking to a particular cottage.

You can treat linked datafiles just like ordinary datafiles. You can use the fields in the linked datafiles in graphs, tables, etc, in queries and to sort tables. For example, if you wanted to know which region was producing the most income, choose to insert a bar chart of data values. Choose the field to be the Area in which the cottage is situated. Choose the data values field to be the Cost of each booking. By default, this shows the average value of bookings in each region, so choose to change the data values to be the total.

Saving and loading

FlexiDATA can import QUEST, GRASS, SID and CSV files from programs like EXCEL and SIMS. You can save your own data on disk at any time using FlexiDATA's own format or as a CSV file. FlexiDATA can save and load the information pages.

Merging datafiles

FlexiDATA includes a system which allows individual pupils to type their records separately and to then combine these records into a single datafile. The process begins with the teacher (and probably the whole class) defining the fields. The program can print out a blank data-capture form based on these fields. After collecting some data, each pupil then uses FlexiDATA to create their own 'mini' datafile based on the teacher's original file. Finally FlexiDATA finds all these mini files and merges them into a single datafile.

Datafiles that come with FlexiDATA 3

Using the program

FlexiDATA also has a comprehensive help system. The package comes complete with a 68 page A5 manual which contains a tutorial, full details of how to use the program and a comprehensive index.

Hardware

FlexiDATA 3 will run on any microcomputer running Windows 95/98/ME, Windows NT 4, Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Vista. The program requires the minimum RAM for each version of Windows, 6Mb of available hard disk space and VGA 640x480 graphics (or better).

The program will run on stand-alone and networked computers. It may be installed either on individual machines, or on a network server (minimum requirement is a 10 machine licence). It will run on most major network systems including Microsoft, Novell, thin client and RM Connect. The package includes an MSI which is suitable for RM Community Connect 3 networks.

		very easy to create and edit your own databases
		design your own questionnaire to collect data
		able to see several graphs and tables on the screen at once
		extensive and versatile range of graphs and charts
		"drill-down" tables allow you to see the data behind a graph
		able to see information from several datafiles at once
		merge data from several pupils into a single database
		includes the ability to create a relational database
		able to import files from Excel, Grass, Quest etc.
		suitable for Windows 95/98/ME, NT 4, 2000, XP or Vista