database question

[GB]

Hi All,

I have a client with a simple requirement for a database. It involves
machinery eg lawnmowers and power tools with a service history. now the
dilemma is because the same piece of equipment is serviced more than once
and also possibly spare parts assigned to it, what would be the best way to
put this into a database without having to re-enter the same information a
lot of times for the same piece if the only thing that changes in that
specific day is a change of oil??

THanks in advance and regards

GB

 

[Van T. Dinh]

Access is a Relational Database so you should use it
relationally and NOT like an Excel spreadsheet. You
should have separate Tables for each entity in your
database. From what you described, you should have at
least 3 Tables:

* tblMachinery
* tblMachineryService
(1-to-M relationship to tblMachinery)
* tblServiceSparePart
(1-to-M relationship to tblMachineryService)

If you want to break up each Sevice to a number of
different Jobs then you will need more Tables.

If you do commercial database programming for clients then
you really should read up on Relational Database Theory
and Database Normalisation.

HTH
Van T. Dinh
MVP (Access)