I have created an S4 object type for conducting fire department data
analysis.  The object includes validity check that ensures certain fields
are present and that duplicate records don't exist for certain combinations
of columns (e.g. no duplicate incident number / incident data / unit ID
ensures that the data does not show the same fire engine responding twice
on the same call).

I am finding that I spend a lot of time taking client data, converting it
to my S4 object, and then sending it back to the client to correct data
validity issues.

I am trying to figure out a clever way to have excel (typically the program
used by my clients) check client data prior to them submitting it to me.  I
have been working with somebody on trying to develop an excel toolbar
add-in with limited success.

My question is whether anybody can think of clever alternatives for clients
to validate their data … for example, is their a R excel plugin (that would
be easily installed by a client) where I might be able write some lines of
R to check the data and output messages … or maybe some sort of server
where they could upload their data and I could have some lines of R code
that would check the code and send back potential error messages?

I realize this is a fairly open ended question … just looking for some
general ideas and directions to go. Getting a little frustrated with
spending most of my work time dealing with data cleaning issues … guessing
this is a problem shared by many of us that use R!

Thanks,
Markus

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