Extremely simple "info collection" system + report capabilities? (PHP/MySQL)

[The Stig]

I am being asked to log some information in .... excel a few months back. I'm getting increasingly frustrated to use it because of the effort needed to move info around and not kill the looks of the spreadsheet. We currently move blocks of info between 8 tabs which is extremely annoying -- not my idea, ideas of the "older" generation people here.

I wanted something with database capabilities:

Simplified, it's basically a job ticket that will contain text and maybe a screenshot of the job in question, and then will contain additional entries for each information exchanged (e-mail) -- i.e. e-mail going out and in

I thought about using some free phpBB or any old forum software to do the job, running my own Xampp server with PHP/MySQL enabled and giving access to maybe 1 other person (we don't need to access it that often). However, what forum software lacks (I believe) is reporting and outputting it into a specific format, I want to be able to quickly look up the amount of tickets (threads) in X forum (say, Open Tickets) and then output it quickly into a spreadsheet for meetings/client viewing.

Ideally phpBB or equivalent will be excellent for all this simply because it will be easy to keep track of info and move threads around (i.e. between 3 forums, Open Tickets, In Progress, Closed) instead of the squeezing everything into cells. Any update to a "ticket" can be posted as replies without having to fiddle with cells etc (can just paste it in).

TL:D;DR - PHP/MySQL forum type software to collect information with report outputting capabilities, any suggestions? Similar to a forum in a way it handles info. Preferably free.

I could make my own but strapped for time

[Icari]

why not try Access?

[The Stig]

Odd, I thought I mentioned Access, but it seems to be removed. Regardless, Access seems way too fiddly. Plus I'm not entirely sure how to use it fully without having to learn it.

[Icari]

you could always pay someone to set it up make some forms and you never have to touch the back-end again and it should do all you want and most likely more then you can think of. PM me if you want to work on this option

[The Stig]

Thanks for the offer ; but unfortunately I do not control the spending and no one will really approve of that

I'll give up the reporting option and just use the forum for myself, and "mindlessly" throw things into the spreadsheet until they realise it sucks to update. When it comes for real info I'll use my own forum and voila, it's there!