Using Excel as a database and textfield

  • Thread starter Thread starter C Tate
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C Tate

I have found that Excel has some excellent capabilities as a database.
However, it seems to me that it is not so good if you need a free text area.
For example, space to write a few notes about a particular record - perhaps a
paragraph or two. Am I right in saying this? Perhaps somebody can prove me
wrong. If so, I'd be grateful if you could point me in the direction of a
sample Excel database which uses text well!
 
Excel is not a database processor. It is a spreadsheet processor. There is a
great deal of difference between a database and a spreadsheet. If you want
to have a database, Access may be an option.

Tyro
 
You can put notes in a cell and things should work ok.

If your notes are pretty long (more than 1000 characters), you may find that you
can't see all the text in the cell.

But you can add alt-enters (to force new lines within the cell) every 80-100
characters so you can see lots more than 1000 characters.

But excel doesn't make much of a word processor.
 
Nor a database processor

Tyro

Dave Peterson said:
You can put notes in a cell and things should work ok.

If your notes are pretty long (more than 1000 characters), you may find
that you
can't see all the text in the cell.

But you can add alt-enters (to force new lines within the cell) every
80-100
characters so you can see lots more than 1000 characters.

But excel doesn't make much of a word processor.
 
A flat file is not a database. It is a flat file. Perhaps you might want to
look into databases, especially realational databases
Tyro
 
Thanks for the suggestion.

I'd bet when people use excel as a database, it looks more like a flat file--not
a relational database.


A flat file is not a database. It is a flat file. Perhaps you might want to
look into databases, especially realational databases
Tyro
 
Excel now has some powerful functions which give it database abilities,
(still lots of flat files, one on top of the other, like a layer cake) and it
is much easier to use than Access. Having said that the rule I think is that
if the number of cells which do calculations is less than the number of
columns in lists, use a database.

Try SUMIFS

Willy

Tyro said:
Grand response. In other words, Excel is not a database.
 
How do you want the text to be displayed? For yourself or some other user?

I find that if I have lots of text in a cell which I cant see, I just press
F2 and the formula bar expands to reveal all.
 
Excel is not a database. Does it have relational integrity, cascading
updates, etc?

Tyro

willy said:
Excel now has some powerful functions which give it database abilities,
(still lots of flat files, one on top of the other, like a layer cake) and
it
is much easier to use than Access. Having said that the rule I think is
that
if the number of cells which do calculations is less than the number of
columns in lists, use a database.

Try SUMIFS

Willy
 
True, but you have to admit Excel is a lot easier to use for small
databases, than Access is to use for spreadsheets!
Excel is not database software.
Excel is speadsheet software


Tyro
 
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