I am creating a new field for our d/b

[Guest]

to be able to show which records came through to us via our website. There
is a form on the site which visitors can fill out. We receive this from the
webmaster with a transaction number accompanying the information submitted.

I have decided to enter the new registrants and to use a new field to show
which records these would be. However, some web visitors fill out the form
and are already in our d/b.

I am calling the new field "WebForm" but can't decide how to have the
information appear. I don't know if a simple yes/no could be used. I also
am not sure if I need that transaction number. Assuming I need that number,
I am of two thoughts as to what to do next. I could name the new field
"WebTrans" and just enter the transaction number (even though I can't really
see a use for that number, other than for the Webmaster's billing purposes,
which doesn't concern me as pertaining to the d/b). Or maybe I should set up
the "WebTrans" field as the yes/no field, and add another field for the
transaction number (so I'd have 2 new fields).

Eventually the d/b will conceivable contain many new records that came
through the website, and maybe a third (about 1,000) of the existing records
would also have gone through the webform (but not as new registrants).

How can I decide which is best to do?

Thanks in advance again!

 

[Guest]

Max:

The solutions, you have mentioned, are both potentially correct.
Ultimately, the decision of what is best, is yours.

IMHO, I would recommend adding the 2 fields. This will give you the web
indicator, and you might just need that transaction number, someday. And it
certainly wouldn't be difficult to go ahead and add the extra field now,
instead of later.

HTH.

Sharkbyte

 

[Guest]

Thank you, Sharkbyte, for adding your opinion; I need an informed source!
(Cute screenname, btw.) I am going to add the two fields now. Thankfully I
only have about a dozen new records to add, and doing it now is by far
simpler than not!

And with the yes/no field type, we would be able to approximately judge
whether the record was an existing one. (At this time, I can't really see
why we'd need to know that, but who knows what the boss and soon-to-be-hired
assistant will someday want, LOL. I'm just a lowly Administrative Assistant
::wink, wink: