Database design

[B]

My table has about 40 fields. These fields represents address data, activity
(with dates), health data (with dates) and case manager. I'm having trouble
creating reports for various fields. I think the table is holding to many
different types of data (i.e. date, address, health...) How can I simplify my
table so I could create efficient reports. Do I need to separate my table?

 

[Jeff Boyce]

As you've described it, you have a spreadsheet, not a well-normalized
relational database table. Access is not a spreadsheet. You won't get easy
or best use of Access' features/functions if you feed it 'sheet data.

If "relational" and "well-normalized" are unfamiliar terms, plan to spend
some time reading on these topics.

Is there a reason you aren't just handling this in Excel?


Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP

 

[Robert]

Yes. Each table should contain information only pertinent to the subject of
the table. For example, if you have cases, then you could have a cases
table which contains information about cases. The case manager's telephone
number is not about cases, it's about the case manager. So you would put
that in the case managers table.