I need to build a database with containing all of our customers who are retailers, some have just one shop, some have many shops. What I need to do is just have one entry for each organisation and the multiples to have some kind of an expansion to show all of the branches. Am I able to do this, if so how? I'm using Access 2007.

I also want the users in my company to just be able to see the forms rather than the 'raw data', is this possible whilst still showing branches as an expansion.


I also have a start up screen asking users to 'enable content', with an button which takes you to the switchboard - is there a way of closing this start up screen when it moves to the switchboard?

Sorry if I seem a bit stupid :p I'm teaching myself Access as I go along!!

Thanks in advance!

I need to build a database with containing all of our customers who are retailers, some have just one shop, some have many shops. What I need to do is just have one entry for each organisation and the multiples to have some kind of an expansion to show all of the branches. Am I able to do this, if so how? I'm using Access 2007.


sounds like you need
1) normalised tables
2) a many-to-many (junction) table

if you don't know about either, both those will give you a billion hits using the search tool on these forums.


I also want the users in my company to just be able to see the forms rather than the 'raw data', is this possible whilst still showing branches as an expansion.


first, you need to have all your data entry to be done via forms. what i think you're describing sounds a lot like cascading combos (search for that in the forum).

then there are security settings you can set to make the database open with only forms displaying for the user (and any queries/reports the forms envoke). i don't know what the settings are (never done it myself) but again, i'm sure you can search the forum for that.

to go back to seeing tables/design view, you need to hold down the SHIFT key.


I also have a start up screen asking users to 'enable content', with an button which takes you to the switchboard - is there a way of closing this start up screen when it moves to the switchboard?


in the button's on click event you'll need to add code to close the startup form. something like:

DoCmd.CloseForm "frmStartup"

That's great thanks, I will have a search for those terms.

in general even if a customer has one shop only it still ought to fit a standard model

i would have a table for customers, and a table for shops -even if there is only one shop.

You still may have a customer who has a lock up shop, and therefore his customer(home) address would be different from his shop (trading) address.

Far easier to set the whole system up as a general case, than have a special cases for some customers. This way it makes it trivial to add a second shop for a single outlet trader. If you need the control you could always have a customer setting to restrict the number of shops to 1.