Form Design advice

[Simon Lang]

I've created a database which is based around contacts. I want to add a Table
and form which basically is a "debt Management" there would be the customer
ID, Debt Details, Initial debt, Debt already paid and remaining to be paid
off, then a structure, that on a monthly basis a $ figure can be entered
which of course re-calculates the amount to be paid. There's examples out
there but there are way to complex for my needs. I'm really after advice
about creating a monthly table, entering the amount etc. I apologize if this
is vague, but would very much appreciate any input

regards

 

[Jeff Boyce]

Simon

Before you start settling on "tables and forms", please keep in mind that
Access is NOT a spreadsheet on steroids. If you feed Access 'sheet data,
you get ... a stinky mess!

The very first step in creating a relational database (hint: Access) is to
think relationally. If your data isn't well-normalized, both you and Access
will have to work overtime to come up with work-arounds for the data being
.... 'sheet data.

If "normalization" and "relational" are not familiar terms, plan to work
your way up that learning curve ... before you tackle the second, third and
fourth!

But keep coming back here -- folks are more than willing to help with
specific suggestions if they get specific descriptions to help them figure
out what you have and what you want.

--

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Access MVP

 

[BruceM via AccessMonster.com]

To add some details about resources to get you started, this is a list John
Vinson often provides. I think Crystal's tutorial is as good a place to
start as any.

Jeff Conrad's resources page:
http://www.accessmvp.com/JConrad/accessjunkie/resources.html

The Access Web resources page:
http://www.mvps.org/access/resources/index.html

Roger Carlson's tutorials, samples and tips:
http://www.rogersaccesslibrary.com/

A free tutorial written by Crystal:
http://allenbrowne.com/casu-22.html

A video how-to series by Crystal:
http://www.YouTube.com/user/LearnAccessByCrystal

MVP Allen Browne's tutorials:
http://allenbrowne.com/links.html#Tutorials

 

[CraigH]

Hi,
Jeff and Bruce are correct in your needing to start out by reviewing at
the very least normalization. My bet is that they saw in your statement "a
Table" and "remaining to be paid off" (probably assuming you want this as a
field).

I will explain and start you off so while you are reviewing the links you
can see how they apply to your situation.

You will need to have at least 2 tables - one for each entity [hint ]

One for the "Debt" probably including the Intitial Debt and details about
percentages so somthing like

DebtID PK
CustomerID
DebtName(or something else to identify if a customer can have 2 debts - how
many credit cards do you have
InitialAmount
Terms

and one for the payments
DebtDetailID PK
DebtyID FK
PaymentAmout
PlaymentDate

The issue about the "remaining to be paid off" - normaly in a databse you
calculate this, so as you can see you can do this by adding up what was paid
and subtract it from the initial amount.

Of course you have other entity(ies) that you need to determine (after you
look at the links) how to deal with -- interest , late fees etc... probably
more tables.

Hope that gets you started