have you tried GINT?

Does a fancy colorful log bring in more clients? is easier to use by the recipient?

If you really feel it is the way to go, fine. However, many a report has been prepared with a simple spreadsheet and is well received by many clients. Can be prepared quickly once a template is set up.

here at VDOT, we require our vendors to deliver electronic boring logs files in gINT. We upload these files to our "Geotechnical Database Management System." Once uploaded (and georeferenced) we can then zoom into a map area and see the locations of our historical set of borings. To me it's asset management.

I feel that gINT is the industry standard. I'd look into that software for sure.

f-d

¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

fattdad: I have to admit that I have a real problem with that. I can understand your reasoning, but why place that burden on the local consultants? There is lots of available software out there (we use Golden Strater for instance). I have a problem with government agencies in essence regulating a free-market system just because it benefits them and makes it more convenient.

fattdad: Of course your data then is available free on the Internet to consultants who may have non DOT jobs near your bridges?

At our firm, we use QuickLog. We've used GINT in the past but found QuickLog to be more user-friendly and less expensive. Fattdad: It seems that it would be illegal for the VA DOT to require GINT - that would give GINT an unfair competitive advantage. We have a CAL Trans project where the lead geotech firm is requiring GINT, but we are thinking we will be able to export our QuickLog data into the final format that CAL Trans needs. The people at QuickLog told us that this was possible so that we don't have to use GINT. I hope the VA DOT gives the other borehole logging software firms instructions for exporting their data directly into your "Geotechnical Database Management System."

oldestguy: I recommend QuickLog over Excel not just because it creates "pretty reports" but because its saves time in the following ways: SCALING - geological layers and all other features are auto-scaled as you type, FAST DESCRIPTION ENTRY - you can set up "pick-lists" of often typed geological words and phrases, WELL CONSTRUCTION - not easy to do with Excel, and SPECIALIZED GRAPHS - Water Content, Grain Size Lithology, and any bar and line graphs that are hard to scale and fit into an Excel column. I wouldn't have the Excel expertise to setup the initial Excel template, but I was able to easily setup our first QuickLog template.

Overall, if you have a lot of boring logs to do, I recommend finding a good boring log software program.