adding additional data to a field

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Guest

This is probably a "no brainer" for most of you out there. Here goes...
I simply want to periodically add update information to a particular field
for a select group of records without having the existing information in that
field wiped out.

For example, I have a db of customers that I send new information to about
once a month. I would like to be able to update each record with an
indication of what information I most recently sent them added to the history
of past information that was sent to them.

I used to just do a simple update query with the new information typed in
the "Update to" field. The only problem with this is that it wipes out all
the past information in the field.

Any ideas? Thanks.
 
Hi,

The only way to do what you are asking (If I understand your problem
correctly), is to use a second table to keep historical track of all of the
information that you have sent to your customers. In other words, a table
that includes 'CustomerID', 'InformationSent', and 'DateSent'.

Then, you can create a query that selects only the latest 'DateSent' to see
what information you sent to them last.

Hope this helps.
 
This is probably a "no brainer" for most of you out there. Here goes...
I simply want to periodically add update information to a particular field
for a select group of records without having the existing information in that
field wiped out.
Click to expand...

This is possible but might not be the best idea...
For example, I have a db of customers that I send new information to about
once a month. I would like to be able to update each record with an
indication of what information I most recently sent them added to the history
of past information that was sent to them.
Click to expand...

This is certainly NOT A GOOD IDEA.

Storing multiple history records in one field *is emphatically a
misuse of Access*.

Instead, you should have the customer record linked one-to-many to a
customer-history table. You'ld add *a new record* to this table
monthly, rather than editing a field in the customer table. You're
using a relational database - use it relationally!
I used to just do a simple update query with the new information typed in
the "Update to" field. The only problem with this is that it wipes out all
the past information in the field.
Click to expand...

If you insist on doing it this way update the field to

[Fieldname] & "the new data"

to concatenate the current contents of the field with the new
contents. But it's still A Bad Way To Go.

John W. Vinson[MVP]
 
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