linking tables from different Access templates?

[Kathryn]

Hello

I have been playing with Access 2007 and am at the stage of almost being
ready to ditch the "toy" database and prepare the real thing.

I have been working on a database set up for us which has worked well but is
showing its limitations (and highlighting mine!)

I like the look of the Access 2007 Contacts and Events templates which, with
some tweaking, could work well for us. My question is - is it possible to
link the Contacts table with the Events table created in the templates?

At the moment, I have an Events table (which includes various information
about catering) - this is related to our Contacts table as well as to a
Billing table (though I think I would combine Events and Billing in the final
version - suggested here).

I would need input forms for Contacts and Events (and Billing) and reports
for things like: upcoming events/ food provided for meals/ numbers attending,
income/month, etc - all of which I have managed to create in the "toy"
version. These could be dealt with separately - as in using the two
databases. The problem would be "Billing" which would use data from Contacts
and Events - though the person who does this may still prefer to take the
data into Excel so we may get around it that way.

Is it possible to relate the two templates - or would they have to live side
by side? And if they can relate - what are the baby steps I would need to
take to make it a happy and fruitful relationship?

Many thanks

 

[Tom van Stiphout]

On Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:31:01 -0700, Kathryn

Probably better to import some tables from the secondary database to
the primary one.
Getting the database design and the table relations setup correctly is
the most critical part of the project, and the most difficult one for
a beginner to do. Perhaps you would consider hiring professional help
for a few hours to make sure your foundation is solid. Then you should
be able to build your forms and reports on top of that. "Microsoft
Solution Provider" in your yellow pages may be a good place to start.

-Tom.
Microsoft Access MVP

 

[Kathryn]

Thanks Tom

I seem to have cracked tables/relationships, etc but what appealed to me
about the templates were the usability/ links with Outlook/ nice interfaces,
etc which are way out of my league to set up! I won't personally be using the
forms much but want to make it as easy as I can for the person who will. It
may well be worth getting a professional in now we know what we need to know!

Thanks again.

 

[Tom van Stiphout]

On Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:19:01 -0700, Kathryn

You are welcome.
Designing a database and an application very often is an iterative
process. You often don't know what questions to ask or to answer until
you sit down and take a first stab at it. That process peels back the
layers of the onion and may well reveal another set of Q & A.

Best of luck,

-Tom.
Microsoft Access MVP