Please suggest relationships model

[Guest]

What I need to do:

I have some rather expensive inventory items that I need to keep track of.
These are to be used in several projects (jobs).

I'm trying to design a simple database to help me keep track of where
everything goes, so I can bill the right job for the right products.

More Details:
Inventory items have an ID, and description. I need to know how many of each
item I still have remaining.

Jobs have unique ID numbers (I dont want to use autonumber for this).

I was thinking maybe I could design something that would sort of do
transactions.

Assign a transaction ID (Autonumber is ok), A date, a project # (job#)
and how many of each of the inventory items were transfered on that date, or
transaction.

I did a little designing, and came up with three tables.

Inventory
|_ ID
|_ Description
|_ Quatntity on hand (??)

Jobs
|_ ID
|_ Address

Transactions
|_ ID (autonumber ok)
|_ Date
|_ Quantity
|_ Description

Can someone suggest an efficient relationships model to make this work?

Thanks in advance

 

[Steve]

I have assumed that your inventory items are consumable and periodically you
purchase items to replenish your inventory.

TblJob
JobID
JobNumber
JobDescription
<<Job Address fields>>

TblItem
ItemID
ItemDesc
QuantityOnHand

TblItemToJob
ItemToJobID
JobID
ItemToJobDate

TblJobItem
JobItemID
ItemToJobID
ItemID
Quantity
JobItemAssignedCost

TblItemVendor
ItemVendorID
VendorName
<<Vendor contact fields>>

TblVendorItem
VendorItemID
ItemVendorID
ItemID
ItemCost

TblItemPurchase
ItemPurchaseID
ItemVendorID
PurchaseDate
PurchaseOrderNumber

TblItemPurchaseDetail
ItemPurchaseDetailID
ItemPurchaseID
ItemID
Quantity
UnitCost

If you need help, I can help you for a very reasonable fee. Contact me at my
email address below.

PC Datasheet
Providing Customers A Resource For Help With Access, Excel And Word
Applications
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Gina Whipp]

Moe,

Below is a few links to help you get started... Please note, this FREE
newsgroup provided by Microsoft would NEVER dream of charging you. Everyone
(well almost everyone) VOLUNTEERS their time to provide FREE support and
assistance.

Ms Access Fundamentals: http://www.functionx.com/access/

Samples downloads: http://www.rogersaccesslibrary.com/TableOfContents3.asp

Code, sample downloads, sample coding (I love this site):
http://www.mvps.org/access/

Data model samples: http://www.databasedev.co.uk/data_models.html

 

[Guest]

I was kind of hoping not to have to purchase any software for this...
Excel could do the job, but an access database would be so much better
organized.

 

[Steve]

Yes, Access is the preferred choice! You can start with the tables I
suggested, modify fields to suit and build from there. If you get stuck, you
can post questions to the newsgroup.

I offered my help if you wanted to get your database up and running as quick
and painless as possible.

PC Datasheet
Providing Customers A Resource For Help With Access, Excel And Word
Applications
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Steve]

Do-it-yourself is not always the best decision. In fact, it can be a very
poor decision. Yes, from only the database point of view, if you create a
database and it works for you, do it yourself is cheapest. From a business
perspective, it can be much more expensive than hiring someone to build the
database for you. The do-it-yourself route requires dedicated time and
effort which means taking the time and effort away from something else. If
you could have spent that time in a more profitable way such as increasing
sales, the database cost you the value of the lost sales and that could
easily be many times the fees you would have paid someone to create the
database for you.

PC Datasheet
Providing Customers A Resource For Help With Access, Excel And Word
Applications
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Gina Whipp]

Steve,

If this is a reply to my eMail then please don't try to explain your
soliciting to me. It is wrong in a FREE peer-to-peer newsgroup. I 'write'
databases and have been doing so for 10 years. Right now, I am doing 6
contracts and am looking for help but it would never even occur to me to
advertise for help here! And NEVER, let me me repeat that, NEVER have I
ever tried to solicit work from this FREE newsgroup or any other FREE
newsgroup unless they supply a section to do just that. I don't show my
eMail address, no links to my site, NADA, NOTHING, ZILCH... well, you get
the idea, because that is not why these groups are here!

I will also note, that I get my work by word-of-mouth and have to provide my
web page... AND even if I ran out of work tomorrow, I would NEVER solicit
here! I come to here to get help and give help when I can. I come here to
learn, share and sometimes get a good chuckle! I don't come here to post my
resume or sell my services.

So please, don't offer your lame reasoning for trying to drum up business.
If contracting is not working for you get another job until something comes
along.

 

[Guest]

Good advice, Steve.
May I add that the quality you get from a competent professional will be
superior to what you can do your self.
It is interesting how many people will try to write their own software. So
why don't they do their own surgery?

BTW, glad to see you out here playing by the rules and offering informed
help to others. Keep up the good work..

 

[John Marshall, MVP]

Still thick as a brick.

These newgroups are for FREE peer to peer support.

The only thing worse than an amatuer create his own database is to have the
amatuer helped by steve at a "reasonable fee".

This stuff is not rocket science and most reasonably intelligent people can
create an adequate solution.

John... Visio MVP

 

[Guest]

cheeezzzze!
Right after I compliment him on his good behavior over the last couple of
weeks.
I guess some people just never learn.

 

[Steve]

So, since all you can do is make worthless responses that do not help the OP
one iota, you must not have any intelligence at all. And since you imply
that Moe is an amateur, you have no couth either!

 

[Steve]

You miised the whole point!

If a business owner who has only dabbled in Access came to you wanting a way
to track his inventory, would you advise him to spend time trying to create
an inventory database and go to the newsgroups, books and other resources
when he needs help or would you advise him to hire someone to create an
inventory database for him and spend his time managing his business?

Steve

Steve,

If this is a reply to my eMail then please don't try to explain your
soliciting to me. It is wrong in a FREE peer-to-peer newsgroup. I
'write' databases and have been doing so for 10 years. Right now, I am
doing 6 contracts and am looking for help but it would never even occur to
me to advertise for help here! And NEVER, let me me repeat that, NEVER
have I ever tried to solicit work from this FREE newsgroup or any other
FREE newsgroup unless they supply a section to do just that. I don't show
my eMail address, no links to my site, NADA, NOTHING, ZILCH... well, you
get the idea, because that is not why these groups are here!

I will also note, that I get my work by word-of-mouth and have to provide
my web page... AND even if I ran out of work tomorrow, I would NEVER
solicit here! I come to here to get help and give help when I can. I
come here to learn, share and sometimes get a good chuckle! I don't come
here to post my resume or sell my services.

So please, don't offer your lame reasoning for trying to drum up business.
If contracting is not working for you get another job until something
comes along.

 

[Gina Whipp]

If he came to me (your words) then he got my name from someone and contacted
me directly, NOT via a newsgroup, therefore I can do business with him.
However, these people aren't 'coming to you'... you are going to them.

 

[John Marshall, MVP]

If it spares one poster from being conned by you, then it was a help and
definitely not a worthless response..

So what is wrong with being an amatuer? An amatuer is just someone who is
still learning or has yet to cross the threshold into professionalism. It
definitely does not mean that they are inferior.

Developing a databse is a relatively easy task. There is some learning, but
anyone with some intelligence can do it. You have proven that those without
intelligence can also make an attempt at it as well.

If anyone needs help in developing a database, then they should find someone
in their area so they can easily check references and establish a long term
relation. Trusting some unknown script kiddie they meet online is not the
way to go.

John... Visio MVP

 

[Steve]

O.K., let's put it in other words ---

If you saw a post by a business owner where it is obvious he has only
dabbled in Access and he says he desparately needs a way to track his
inventory, would you advise him to spend time trying to create
an inventory database and go to the newsgroups, books and other resources
when he needs help or would you advise him to hire someone to create an
inventory database for him and spend his time managing his business?

Steve

 

[John Marshall, MVP]

You really should have paid attention in English class. She never said that
obtaining professioanl services was NOT an option. She said that the
newsgroup was not the place to find it.

So, for those who need more assistance, then they need to find qualified
professionals and check references. Preferably, they should find someone in
their area that they can establish a long term relation. Creating a database
is easy, but there will be a need for long term support.

Database design is FUN and it is EASY, but if anyone does not have the time
or the confidence, then they should seek professional help. The newsgroups
are not the place to find it.

Actually that advice does apply to you and you really should seek
professional help.

John... Visio MVP

 

[Gina Whipp]

THANK YOU John... I was starting to wonder if I paid attention in English
class!

 

[Gina Whipp]

To answer your question...

If he wants to do it himself which I am gathering because here he is in a
FREE newsgroup then I, along with folks much more qualified, assist him. I
will NOT 'push' my services on him.

However, if is asking for paid help, I will direct him to the MANY sites
where he could look for a professional in his area, as well as, check their
references, perhaps even have them come in and show samples of their work.
I WILL NOT EVER suggest myself. If he happens to find my name on one of
those MANY sites where you post your services, then I would mention I saw
him in a newsgroup. But I am NOT here to 'fish' for business and I am
certainly NOT gong to suggest hiring a professional prior to him/her even
asking for one.

I was a beginner once and this is where I came to learn and I still come for
tips. I would have been insulted if someone suggested I was incapable of
doing this myself. Look at me now, I contract for several companies. Where
would I be if I had not dared to try? If these groups weren't here? If I
hired a prefessional? Now I work from home, I have not had a 9-5 job in 5
years and NEVER ONCE did I go trolling!

 

[Steve]

And where do you think a business owner would be if he spent five years
trying to create databases for his company rather than hiring some one to
create databases for him and he managing his business? For that matter,
where do you think a company would be if key employees spent five years
trying to create databases for their company rather than asking their
manager to hire someone to create databases for him?

I got to be a consultant in the same way you did. And here is where I am
now -- I work from home and have not had a 9-5 job in almost fifteen years.
I have three full time developers working for me. I have done thousands of
small jobs for customers just like the people who post in the newsgroups and
a few larger jobs. My mission has always been to provide customers a
resource for help with Access, Excel and Word applications. My fees have
always been very reasonable. I strive to work together with customers and I
strive to make the customer feel well-satisfied working with me. It has been
very successful for me. After all these years, I still am learning and I
recognize that the learning will never stop. After all these years, I am the
first to admit I make mistakes. However, I always make my best effort to
correct my mistakes.

PC Datasheet
Providing Customers A Resource For Help With Access, Excel And Word
Applications
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Gina Whipp]

Steve,

If the business owner came here seeking advice then that's what he should
get FREE advice. If the business owner wants to hire a professional the
that's what he should he should get. What the business owner should not get
is services he didn't ASK for. You offer your services BEFORE anyone even
ASKS for it, do you ot understand the difference? That is the ONLY point I
am trying to make.

Here you are in the newsgroup offering services that were NOT ASKED for. I
am glad you are so successful but honestly I have to wonder why you then
risk it all to 'troll' in newsgroups? Your reputation is all you have and
what would your customers think if they knew you were in newsgroups
'fishing' for customers, knowing this is NOT the place for such actions?

I got to be a consultant in the same way you did. And here is where I am
now -- I work from home and have not had a 9-5 job in almost fifteen
years. I have three full time developers working for me. I have done
thousands of small jobs for customers just like the people who post in the
newsgroups and a few larger jobs.

Okay, then how would you feel if someone suggested you couldn't do it and
did it for you? Where would you be today, at your 9 to 5 job. I have not
done thousands of jobs, nor is that my goal because I don't do small jobs
anymore, I pass them on to others. (As a matter of fact, I'm TRYING to take
August off.) And when work runs out I will look for more but NOT in the
FREE newsgroups.

My mission has always been to provide customers a resource for help with
Access, Excel and Word applications. My fees have always been very
reasonable.

I find it interesting that you feel the need to keep repeating how
reasonable your fees are, which is to me would indicate they are not. It
sounds like a car salesman telling me how reasonalble he's being in on my
trade in with his fingers crossed behind his back!

I strive to work together with customers and I strive to make the customer
feel well-satisfied working with me. It has been very successful for me.
After all these years, I still am learning and I recognize that the
learning will never stop. After all these years, I am the first to admit I
make mistakes. However, I always make my best effort to correct my
mistakes.

As I said before, your reputation is all you have and right now if I were a
customer and looked you up in the newsgroup, I'm looking for someone else.
If it is true that you try to correct your mistakes then STOP 'trolling',
you can see it's wrong, at the very least WAIT till they ask for help. It's
kind of like the phone solictors always calling asking don't you want to
refiance? Well, IF I ever thought about it, I would NEVER call any of the
ones that harassed me by calling me.