Double data input

[Accessdummy]

Hi everyone,

In the database I have created, I want patient data to be
filled in twice (double data entry) using forms. This
means that I will get every line twice in every table,
only with two different data entrist IDs. In the end I
will run queries which then compares the lines, and see if
any mistakes have occurred.

However, I want to know if it is possible that two data
entrists will be filling data in the same database at the
same time ? (Most likely it won't be happening that they
fill in data for the same patient at the same time.) And
if it is not possible, then how can I make it happen
anyway ?

And, like my 'name' will tell you, I am an Access Dummy,
so can you explain it in a simple way ?

 

[Nikos Yannacopoulos]

The real question here is not how to do it, it's why! Your aim to duplicate
data cries out your design is poor. If you explain your current design and
what your aim is through duplicating data, someone will be able to guide you
to a much better design which will eliminate the duplication.
A key learning in development with Access is: Spend as much time as required
in your data structure design, to make sure you have not made any
compromises. It will always pay back. Poor designs are proven to yield more
and more problems as the development advances, and will require more and
more "tricks" around them, resulting in applications that are hard to
maintain and poor in terms of storage space and execution speed.

HTH,
Nikos

 

[Accessdummy]

Hi Nikos,

Thanks for the anwer, but I reckon your not familiair with
double data entry in medical/farmaceutical databases. It
is a MUST according to all sorts of regulations, and our
company has to comply with that. It has NOTHING to do with
poor design.

So let's get back to my question... I have found some
pointers (splitting, back-end and front-end ?), but I'm
not sure if it will do the trick ?

 

[John Vinson]

However, I want to know if it is possible that two data
entrists will be filling data in the same database at the
same time ? (Most likely it won't be happening that they
fill in data for the same patient at the same time.) And
if it is not possible, then how can I make it happen
anyway ?

Access is multiuser "out of the box". Yes, it's perfectly possible -
even routine - for multiple data entry people to enter data into the
same database at the same time. The only constraint is that they
cannot edit the same *table record* at the same time.

For your double data entry requirement, I've had to deal with such in
the past. You may want to consider having a second "scratchpad" table
just for data entry; your update process would compare records in this
table, and append the correct records to the master table (and then
delete them from the data entry table). Any records which are not
identical would be left in the data entry table with some way of
notifying the data entry personnel that there's a problem to be
resolved.

This can get tricky since it can be nontrivial to determine when two
records are or are not "the same"; memo and long text fields are
notorious problems since trivial differences in spacing or punctuation
can cause mismatches and can be the very Devil to find and fix.

John W. Vinson[MVP]
(no longer chatting for now)

 

[Nikos Yannacopoulos]

Dead right, I'd never encountered that, and your nickname led me to assume
poor design. Apologies for that.

Like John Vinson has already replied, there is no problem with several users
entering / editing data at he same time, as long as they are not working on
the same record. Just note you will have to observe the multi-user best
practices at some point during your development, before you deliver the
final app to production. These include splitting to FE/BE with a separate FE
copy for each user (the absolute minimum), quite likely a few tweaks to
improve performance etc. Browsing through the multi-user group will give you
some idea.

Post back with specific problems if you need, you're likely to get some good
answers here.

Nikos

 

[Accessdummy]

Thanks, also for the apoligies. Appearances can be
deceiving ;-)
I will try to figure it out from here, and come back in
case of any new questions.