MS Access (School database design)

[bobeboston]

Hi, I greet you all and thank you for all the help you have been giving people like us.
My name is Stanley, and i am just a beginner in access trying to upgrade my skills. I have a project i want to bring up, but i don't know how to start it up. Please read carefully and try to help me out.

I am in Cameroon and i need to design a school database for a Secondary School with about 2000 students. This database should have features as follows:
* Keep a student profile and their guardian,
* Keep record of each school fee transaction,
* Records the test marks of students and at the end produce an automatic report card sheet,
* Generate class council report sheets, master sheets, at the end of each academic year,
* Generate each students transcripts when demanded,
* Automatically promote students to next class, if the average is >=10
* Keep track of school teachers (employee),

The FIRST problem i face is organizing or structuring the tables. Each class in the school has sub classes E.g Form 1 has A, B, and C, likewise Form 2 = 2A, 2B, 2C; From 3 - 5 the same. Each class has about 11 subjects maximum, but not all students take all the subjects especially at higher classes as Form 4 and Form 5. I also want to take note of academic sessions. I want it to automatically promote a student at the end of each academic session to the next session and in a new class. E.g. A child just newly admitted into Form 1A, this session 2011/2012 should be automatically moved to say Form 2B in September 2012 when the academic session 2012/2013 starts.

Please, if anyone knows how to structure this database, let the person help me. Thank you very much. I really need to upgrade my little skills in database design.

 

[gadjet]

I just wrote a rather long reply, and posted it for you, somehow it was lost in the posting, very upsetting on my part.

first question I have, what version are you working with, next do you have MS Excel.

research the internet on `relational database design` I would recommend a book called `Database Design For Mere Mortals`by Micheal J. Hernandez.

Also `Access for Dummies`

Later on, look into gaining some knowledge with MS `Visual Basic` for help with macros etc.

I understand your fear, when I started it was like climbing a cliff! It does `level out`very quickly. ....then you start to realize what you go yourself into! It is a very powerful program!

 

[gadjet]

Also, what you ask is not impossible, just ... well, more involved than what can easily be explained here.

look at the tutourials included with the program and online at MIcrosoft, even some of the downloadable templates may be of use.

Then, start in Excel if you have it, set up some spreadsheets with the information you want to get an idea of where you want to go. Excel spreadsheets can be directly imported into Access and are a very useful tool for working it all out.

 

[bobeboston]

Gadjet, thank you for the quick reply. I will try my best to follow your steps. I have Excel 2003 and 2007. In fact, i have the office suit of both 2003 and 2007. What i didn't understand from your message was if Excel can still do the same work? If yes, will it provide the forms for me? Because i will want the database to be deployed on a network so that teachers can fill in their marks after issuing out tests. With excel, will that be possible? I know that with Access, you will be able to hide the tables from them, and only give them the front end (or forms).

Then i will also appreciate, if you can give me a clue of how to begin. By this i mean, the likely tables i will have to create, and how will i link them because i think tables are the most important. Thank you very much.

 

[gadjet]

the site did it again, I wrote, it erased it all, very frustrating! Start with Excel, when you create a spreadsheet it can be imported into Access, the top row of the spreadsheet becomes the "field titles" each row below that becomes a record.

Search the Microsoft website for templates, specific to your version, there is one for students and a few others that may be pertainent.

http://office.microsoft.com/en-ca/templates/results.aspx?qu=access&av=zac120#ai:TC001225355|


http://office.microsoft.com/en-ca/templates/

Also, if you plan to deploy on a network, you may really want to get into 2010, it has many built in features for that purpose, it would be beneficial for you, especially the web based aspect.

 

[gadjet]

A couple of books for you

 

[gadjet]

try again....

 

[gadjet]

I guess it doesn't like the second one

 

[bobeboston]

Gadjet, thank you for those notes. I am reading now.

 

[historian]

Gadjet, thank you for those notes. I am reading now.

Hi bobeboston.
Your English is very good. But I do wish that you would,when writing about your selve,that you would use the capital "I" not the small "i" It looks so much better.
And it`s grammatically correct.
historian

 

[bobeboston]

Hi Historian,
Thanks for the English lesson but i would be grateful if you should begin by using the dictionary.
1) Your selve is not spelt the way you wrote but like this "Yourself".
2) Avoid starting a sentence with a conjunction such as "And".

Once again, thanks for the corrections and please next time, try to find a solution to problems raised in the forum after correcting other member's english.

 

[gadjet]

Is this a engrush lesson, or a discussion on Access , next we will be discussing "Zed" or "Zee" or "Colour" or "Color"! There are so many versions of english, who really knows what is "right" anymore. Come on people, back to the topic!

 

[muckshifter]

Is this a engrush lesson, or a discussion on Access , next we will be discussing "Zed" or "Zee" or "Colour" or "Color"! There are so many versions of english, who really knows what is "right" anymore. Come on people, back to the topic!

aye, back to the topic please.

 

[bobeboston]

Sorry guys, it's not an english course, but i just had to reply to what Historian wrote. I was expecting him to give a suggestion, but he started correcting English. Not know that in forums, people use shortcuts but all is that the message should be passed on. This is not an english forum, but a computer forum.

Well, am back online and ready to receive any updates about my question.

 

[bobeboston]

Sorry guys, it's not an english course, but i just had to reply to what Historian wrote. I was expecting him to give a suggestion, but he started correcting English. Not know that in forums, people use shortcuts but all is that the message should be passed on. This is not an english forum, but a computer forum.

Well, am back online and ready to receive any updates about my question.