ShoWorks Help Articles

How to generate random numbers for entries in ShoWorks

Summary:

A workaround is to export your entries into Microsoft Excel and use Excel's random number feature, then update your ShoWorks records based on this Excel spreadsheet. Note: Microsoft Excel is required.

Steps:

1.  Under the "I want to..." choose "Use spreadsheets", then "Create a spreadsheet..."
2. Follow the steps in the wizard. In Column "A" choose Entry Number, and in Column "B" choose "Sale Order".
3. Click Next, then Finish. This will generate an Excel spreadsheet with all of your entries.
4. In the spreadsheet, click on cell "B2".
5. Type in the following formula in B2:
   =INT((9999-1000+1)*RAND()+1000)
6. Press the Enter key and you should see a random number generated. You can now copy this cell and paste down through all of the rows in the spreadsheet.
7. Save the spreadsheet AND MAKE SURE TO EXIT EXCEL
8. In ShoWorks, under the "I want to..." choose "Use spreadsheets", then "Create a spreadsheet..."
9. Follow the steps in the wizard, keeping the default . Let the first column remain "Entry Number" but for the second column, specify "Sale Order".
10. Click "Finish" and locate the saved spreadsheet in step 7.
11. You will now notice that the field "Sale Order" has a random number that you can sort reports by.