Is this structure going too far?

[Isidore]

I'm in the process of revamping my database, splitting the one table
it's currently once based on into several related tables. I'm now
trying to decide how to organize my Customer area.

I normally do business with bookstores, but I also occasionally deal
with publishers, libraries, reviewers and editors. In addition to the
usual contact information, each of these has different sets of
information to track (i.e. fields).

I also deal with individuals, for whom I keep track of only the data
common to all of these categories.

So I made a Contacts table, with ContactID as its key field and
containing the fields I use for all Customers. I also made one table
for each of the types of customer listed above, related to the
Contacts table via ContactID, each containing the fields specific to
its category.

Is this going too far? Would I be better off simply keeping one
contacts table containing all fields?

If anyone can suggest a better way to structure these tables, I'll be
very grateful.

Thanks in advance,
Isidore

 

[Isidore]

More details about my database:

The entire database has three areas: Products, Customers and
Transactions. Products consists simply of the titles of articles and
the names of their authors. Customers consists of what I described in
my previous messages.

Both of these areas will be linked in the Transactions area, which
will contain records of dealings with Customers about Products. Each
interaction with a customer about a product will be a record in that
area.

Ultimately there will be separate forms that show us:
- what transactions about a specific product we've had with a specific
customer;
- all of the products we've dealt with a specific customer about;
- all of the Customers we've dealt with or are dealing with about a
specific product

I don't know if this makes my original question more or less clear,
but I certainly appreciate your attention.

 

[Jeff Boyce]

Isidore

You haven't indicated how many fields are involved. You did say "fields",
so I'll infer more than one, but are you saying you have 3 fields that are
unique to each customer type, or 30?

And what do you intend to do with the data? If you need to bring it all
back together on a form or a report, are you going to prepare sub-forms and
sub-reports for each different type?

 

[Isidore]

On Fri, 21 May 2004 05:10:03 -0700, "Jeff Boyce"

Thanks for replying.

You haven't indicated how many fields are involved. You did say "fields",
so I'll infer more than one, but are you saying you have 3 fields that are
unique to each customer type, or 30?

All have address, phone, etc. fields Most of them presently have 2
unique fields that basically identify what kind of business they are,
but I expect to be adding more (though not to Individuals). One has
about 20 fields that are absolutely irrelevent to the others.

And what do you intend to do with the data? If you need to bring it all
back together on a form or a report, are you going to prepare sub-forms and
sub-reports for each different type?

Sub-forms for each different type. This database is mostly used for
onscreen reference.