Help/Database

[newbie]

when designing a new database, can I enter two tables with
similar names such at Contractor Code & Repair Contractor
Code that would carry the same info? When I go to run a
report, would that botch it up?

 

[Kevin3NF]

You can, but you shouldn't. There are very few legitimate reasons for
having duplicate data in a relational database system. Can you tell us more
about what you are trying to accomplish?

--
Kevin Hill
President
3NF Consulting

www.3nf-inc.com/NewsGroups.htm
www.DallasDBAs.com/forum - new DB forum for Dallas/Ft. Worth area DBAs.

 

[newbie]

-----Original Message-----
You can, but you shouldn't. There are very few legitimate reasons for
having duplicate data in a relational database system. Can you tell us more
about what you are trying to accomplish?

--
Kevin Hill
President
3NF Consulting

www.3nf-inc.com/NewsGroups.htm
www.DallasDBAs.com/forum - new DB forum for Dallas/Ft. Worth area DBAs.




.
yes, I am going to design a new database in access. It is

for data entry and also for running monthly reports. But
I'm also afraid, by duplicating info like that, it would
mess things up quite abit. I voiced this to my manager,
but he seems to think otherwise. See, Contractor Code &
Repair Contractor Code, the info that would go into both
would be identical. So when I go to run the report,
wouldn't that create confusion?

Thank you very much for you help!

 

[Kevin3NF]

I'm still unsure of why you would need the same data in two places, unless
you have so much data-entry going on that running reports against the same
table would kill performance. If that is the case, I wonder if Access is
the proper tool for your db.

Your manager is telling you to break the rules of normalization and design
an improper database.

--
Kevin Hill
President
3NF Consulting

www.3nf-inc.com/NewsGroups.htm
www.DallasDBAs.com/forum - new DB forum for Dallas/Ft. Worth area DBAs.

 

[newbie]

Thank you very much for this info.

What other database/tool would you suggest, to where we
could you duplicate info like that?

 

[Guest]

-----Original Message-----
Thank you very much for this info.
What other database/tool would you suggest, to where we
could you duplicate info like that?
reports
against the same It
.

 

[Kevin3NF]

You are missing the point friend

Any tool CAN duplicate info....but none SHOULD...

I would be happy to entertain questions from your manager if that would help
you...

How many people will be using this database?

--
Kevin Hill
President
3NF Consulting

www.3nf-inc.com/NewsGroups.htm
www.DallasDBAs.com/forum - new DB forum for Dallas/Ft. Worth area DBAs.

 

[newbie]

I do understand exactly what you are saying. However, my
manager may come on later and chat with you over this. I
will be sitting with him again later and try once more to
convince him of the situation.
Kevin I truly appreciate all of your help in this matter.
Once again THANK YOU! I hope you can convince him, better
than I can!

 

[Kevin3NF]

If he feels like he needs to chat instead of post, hit my first link below
and there are ways to get to me via my site.

--
Kevin Hill
President
3NF Consulting

www.3nf-inc.com/NewsGroups.htm
www.DallasDBAs.com/forum - new DB forum for Dallas/Ft. Worth area DBAs.

 

[Jeff]

Kevin,

Thank you for helping Dora with her task. I'm just not
following the logic of what she is telling me. Maybe I'm
just being a pain in her butt too. Scary enough I have an
I.T. department hear of 10+ individuals, but access
doesn't seem to be anyone's strength.

I am trying to accomplish a database that primarily
captures multiple bits of information under a single
entry. For example:

Loan Number: 123456789
Contractor Code: xyz
Repair contractor code: xyz
Margin: 1%
Multiple other headings for information to be added.

From what I am hearing from Dora is that you cannot have
the same information under the contractor code and repair
contractor code, though they are two separate data
fields. Now, they datat between contractor code & repair
contractor code could be the same, or different,
depending on certain circumstances. But, I need to
capture both for certain reporting. What I am hearing is
that if I ran a report based on a report for repair
contractor code & margin, that the contractor code could
jumble into the requested report. If each individual
heading is a separate field to capture data, could you
just run reports based on those fields that were
selected? How could that run into the other fields,
whether it had the same data entered or not?

Thanks again for your help.

 

[Kevin3NF]

Key information:

You want two fields with data that may or may not be the same. This is
acceptable.

Dora had originally stated she was interested in two TABLES with the same
(identical) info, but similar names.

HUGE difference....

Yes, if you run a report based on something like LoanNumber,
RepairContractorCode and margin, it will be fine and will not pull from the
ContractorCode field.

Terminology seems to have been the culprit here, as it frequently is.

Hope that helps,
--
Kevin Hill
President
3NF Consulting

www.3nf-inc.com/NewsGroups.htm
www.DallasDBAs.com/forum - new DB forum for Dallas/Ft. Worth area DBAs.