Normalizing Tables

[DuWayne O'Neal]

We manufacture concrete shelters. I pull BOM data down off of our ERP system into excel, then import into Access. I have ended up with about 90 plus BOM tables with different names. I need to put all this data into a normalized table. The database has grown to 176mb, so I need to break it up. Each BOM table has a name of the shelter ie.. PACB and all have the same structure with the following field names:

ID--given to it by access when i import.
fbompart--(part no)
fbomdesc--(part desc)
ftotqty--(qty used to make shelter)
fbommeas--(unit of measure)
Each table has between 300-600 parts

I also have a item master file that has a list of every part no we use with the following fields:
fpartnoID--given to it by ERP system.
fpartno--(same as fbompart)
fpartdesc--(same asfbomdesc)
fgroup--(The category of each part no)

So my question is how do I get all this data into a few tables, maybe one called Shelters, one called Category, one called Qty and one called Unit of Measure and still link all the data to each shelter?

I hope I have explained everything with enough details.
Just need help.
Thanks
DuWayne

 

[Dan Dungan]

Hi DuWayne,

Here's a few questions that may help you identify the entities and
their relationships in your process:


1. How experienced are you with normalization concepts?
2. What is the purpose of the database?
3. What are the questions you want this database to answer?
4. Can the same part number be used on several structures?
5. Is there a BOM number?

Tables named Qty or Unit of Measure seem non-normalized to me.

Based on your description, I see two tables

tblGroups
fGroupId Primary Key
fgroup--(The category of each part no


tblBom
fBomId Primary Key
fGroupId Foreign Key
fpartnoID--given to it by ERP system.
fpartno--(same as fbompart)
fpartdesc--(same asfbomdesc)
ftotqty--(qty used to make shelter)
fbommeas--(unit of measure)

Hope this helps,

Dan

 

[DuWayne O'Neal]

Thanks Dan for the reply.

1. Not to experienced.
2. I use this database every day to order parts off the BOM, to build the shelters.
3. I want to be able to query different category of parts through a form using the Model of the shelter, which is the BOM table name. Each table is named after each shelter Model we build.
4. Each of the BOM's dupicate part numbers. All shelters use cement, so therefore the part number for cement is in each one, same for hundreds of othe parts in each BOM.
5. Again I use Model of shelters to name my tables, such as BCLX10, GIPD03, SUSA20, etc.

If i create the tables you have listed, how do I get approximatley 45000 parts transfered into the tables?
Hope you can help further or recommend someone. I will create the tables and will get back with you.
Thanks again

 

[Tony Toews]

If i create the tables you have listed, how do I get approximatley 45000 parts transfered into the tables?

You can use append queries. Trouble is you'll need one or two for
each of your incoming tables. And maybe one for each of the child
tables if any as, if you used autonumber primary keys, you might need
to renumber the primary key of the child tables.

This can be a large and tedious task.

Tony

--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Tony's Main MS Access pages - http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/
For a convenient utility to keep your users FEs and other files
updated see http://www.autofeupdater.com/

 

[Dan Dungan]

Hi DuWayne,

1. Not to experienced.

I'm still attempting to learn these concepts as well. Have you read
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/100139? It will only take a few
minutes to read.

2. I use this database every day to order parts off the BOM, to build theshelters.

How do you use it? What steps do you take to order parts?

3. I want to be able to query different category of parts through a form using the Model of the shelter, which is the BOM table name. Each table is named after each shelter Model we build.

I understand you want to query, but what query--what question are you
trying to answer when you look at the table?

4. Each of the BOM's dupicate part numbers.  All shelters use cement, so therefore the part number for cement is in each one, same for hundreds ofothe parts in each BOM.
5. Again I use Model of shelters to name my tables, such as BCLX10, GIPD03, SUSA20, etc.


If i create the tables you have listed, how do I get approximatley 45000 parts transfered into the tables?

Are you familiar with append queries, as Tony mentioned?

Hope you can help further or recommend someone. I will create the tables and will get back with you.
Thanks again

Dan