Lines on a mock-up invoice

[Pwyd]

So i'm trying to record pertinent data from some invoices. One of the things
that needs to be recorded (yes there is a reason this isn't on a spreadsheet)
is the various lines of items, services, goods, etc. Here's the problem.
Invoices can have pages, and pages of lines, each with its own seperate tax
rate based on some accounting practices i won't bore you with. This means
ihave to store each line seperately. It also means that i'll need pages and
pages of fields to do all teh calculations, correct? So i was going to build
a seperate table to hold just the lines of the database. Is there an easy
way to build new lines onto a form as they're needed, either by the user
entering how many lines there are through a combo box, or just by adding a
new line each time one is completed? If i do that, how would i store each
line to a specific table's field? ( i mean, is there an easier way to do it,
than using visible settings with click/after update settings on each line to
determine wehther to add another, and making a 100 different fields in a
table and naming each one differently? cos that seems overly complex for what
i'm trying to do.

 

[John W. Vinson]

So i'm trying to record pertinent data from some invoices. One of the things
that needs to be recorded (yes there is a reason this isn't on a spreadsheet)
is the various lines of items, services, goods, etc. Here's the problem.
Invoices can have pages, and pages of lines, each with its own seperate tax
rate based on some accounting practices i won't bore you with. This means
ihave to store each line seperately. It also means that i'll need pages and
pages of fields to do all teh calculations, correct?

Incorrect.

"Fields are expensive, records are cheap". You would have a one to many
relationship from an Invoices table to an InvoiceDetails table.

So i was going to build
a seperate table to hold just the lines of the database. Is there an easy
way to build new lines onto a form as they're needed, either by the user
entering how many lines there are through a combo box, or just by adding a
new line each time one is completed?

Sure. A Form based on the invoice table and a Subform based on the
InvoiceDetails table.

If i do that, how would i store each
line to a specific table's field? ( i mean, is there an easier way to do it,
than using visible settings with click/after update settings on each line to
determine wehther to add another, and making a 100 different fields in a
table and naming each one differently? cos that seems overly complex for what
i'm trying to do.

Absolutely, just because you're coming at it from the wrong direction!

Take a look at the Orders form in the Northwind sample database. It's a very
close analogy for what you are trying to get. And see the resources here,
particularly the tutorials at the end.

 

[Pwyd]

Great, thanks for your help john

Incorrect.

"Fields are expensive, records are cheap". You would have a one to many
relationship from an Invoices table to an InvoiceDetails table.


Sure. A Form based on the invoice table and a Subform based on the
InvoiceDetails table.


Absolutely, just because you're coming at it from the wrong direction!

Take a look at the Orders form in the Northwind sample database. It's a very
close analogy for what you are trying to get. And see the resources here,
particularly the tutorials at the end.

 

[John W. Vinson]

Great, thanks for your help john

Sorry - forgot to post the links:

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

A free tutorial written by Crystal (MS Access MVP):
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