Naming Two Fields that aren't *Quite* the Same

[Murp]

I have two tables ([tblBook] and [tblBook_Ext]) with the same number of
fields. One of the tables ([tblBook_Ext]) is updated by an external source.
Then I bring these two tables together in a query, join them using their keys
([ISBN]), and compare their fields ([Title], [Author], [Binding], etc.).

My question is a practical and a philosophical one: should these fields
share the same name, if they don't necessarily share the same values? Or
should I name them something like [Title] And [TitleExt]?

 

[tina]

naming conventions are a combination of what works and what makes sense to
you; the general guideline is to be consistent in whatever naming convention
you choose to use. personally, i never name any two fields in a database
exactly the same. in your situation, since you are specifically using a
comparison query on the two tables, you may find it easier and less
confusing to name the "matching" fields in the two tables the same, then add
a common prefix or suffix to the name of each field in at least one of the
two tables. that way, can easily identify which table a particular field
belongs to - and also what the field's "mirror" field is, in the other
table.

hth