How to link data i have to database

[Guest]

I am not sure to put this here or in excel.
Ok i am really frusterated and i am not even sure it is worth making a
database with the mess i have. I have only done very simple databases and
this is more complex. I have spreadsheets that have data in them all mixed
together with other data just to get the chart to look like they want it.
Some numbers are input in 3 different sheets in 2 different work books. (all
of the data goes from left to right instead of up and down) On a weekly
basis information is exported from our system to a tab delimited file. It is
then sorted,counted and subtotaled in excel. Those numbers are used to create
new spreadsheets for each month and entered in others then made into charts.
Some actual excel charts others excel charts with averaged data on top.
There are some formulas that figure averages and percentages.

Should i make this a database? How do i take the information i have and
figure out what tables to create in the database? Where can i go to get more
help on creating a database with what i have, and how to get the reports i
need?

 

[John W. Vinson]

I am not sure to put this here or in excel.
Ok i am really frusterated and i am not even sure it is worth making a
database with the mess i have. I have only done very simple databases and
this is more complex. I have spreadsheets that have data in them all mixed
together with other data just to get the chart to look like they want it.
Some numbers are input in 3 different sheets in 2 different work books. (all
of the data goes from left to right instead of up and down) On a weekly
basis information is exported from our system to a tab delimited file. It is
then sorted,counted and subtotaled in excel. Those numbers are used to create
new spreadsheets for each month and entered in others then made into charts.
Some actual excel charts others excel charts with averaged data on top.
There are some formulas that figure averages and percentages.

Should i make this a database? How do i take the information i have and
figure out what tables to create in the database? Where can i go to get more
help on creating a database with what i have, and how to get the reports i
need?

Well, I'd make it a database. But then I'm a lot more familiar and
comfortable with Access than I am with Excel; and Excel expert might
advise otherwise, say just rationalizing your data storage in Excel.

If you do take the Access route, I'd strongly suggest storing JUST the
basic, real, non-calculated, non-redundant data in a normalized set of
tables; you can then export the data to Excel for reporting. DON'T
fall into the trap of designing your table structures to fit the
desired charts! That way madness lies. Instead read the database
design suggestions:

Jeff Conrad's resources page:
http://home.bendbroadband.com/conradsystems/accessjunkie/resources.html

The Access Web resources page:
http://www.mvps.org/access/resources/index.html

especially the Database Design 101 links on Jeff's page.

John W. Vinson [MVP]