Computer and Software Database Design

[nchickens]

I'm currently trying to make a database to use at work to track users, their computers, and the software they use.

Attached are 2 databases that I've started but I'm not sure if they are designed properly. The non test database works but when you use the User's Software Form you have to do things in a certain order or you get errors. Example: if you have to add the new user before you can change any software or computers to their name.

Also the reason for having a different table for each type of software is because many of the software use different fields. Some just product key and some need many more like serial number, date purchased.

Any help or suggestions are appreciated.

 

[HiTechCoach]

Also the reason for having a different table for each type of software is because many of the software use different fields. Some just product key and some need many more like serial number, date purchased.

Any help or suggestions are appreciated.

You should use only one table for all software. Use a second "attributes" table to store all the various info about each software package. So you only need two tables to store all the information for all software packages.

Just like for software, this would be also be true for hardware (printers, routers, laptops, desktops, servers, etc). The "attribute" fields should be records in a related table.

I took a quick look at your database and have a few things:

1) *****>>> Do not use spaces in names <<< **** See: The Ten Commandments of Access

2) I would highly urge you to use a system assigned primary key for all tables. It is common to use the autonumber data type for this.

According to the way you have defined the table relationships:

Software license/serial numbers are assigned to user, not the computer.

So when a user changes computer, you will un-installed the software and reinstall it on their new computer to keep the software assign to the user. Is that correct?

The way I have always handled this is to assign the software to the computer and then the computer to a user.

How many computers do you have? There is some great open source software that will do this and even gather a lot of the information automatically.by searching the computers when they are on the network. You might want to look at these to at least get some ideas on how to properly set this up.