Access 2K3 Append/Update ignore non null cells!

[bazdaa]

Hi,

I have been tasked with completing an audit of approximately 10,000 items, to which I have generated a list of 40 questions (fields) for each record. I began collating the information in Excel, but found myself getting lost and even experienced major data loss on at least 2 occasions. I have now decided to ditch Excel and use Access 2003 instead.

I have imported my master spreadsheet, however as I have various contacts sending in their respective information in Excel spreadsheets with same types of fields, and also need to import data that has already been sent in. I’m thinking that it would be better for me to create update and append queries, especially as there is going to be a stage 2, where I will be requesting additional (field) information.

There is a big chance that some of the contacts will send in info for the same item (record), which means that there is a risk of duplication, which I have removed as I have a unique identifier which will be the primary key! Is that right or should it be indexed?

The main problem that I have is that I want Access to ignore the target cell if it has a value in it! Meaning that I would not like Access 2003 to overwrite the cell with valid data in it, with a blank cell! As I need the database to grow!

Can anyone suggest a way that I can do this please.

TIA

Bazdaa

 

[Guus2005]

I hope that you mean fields and not cells otherwise i can't help you.

How is the data delivered to you? Using spreadsheets?
Is your database normalised? Which means that user data is separated from the results of the questions. You speak of a primary key. What does it look like? Is it a number or is it a persons name.
You don't need to do anything with indexes. For now. Only when your queries get slow, we're not there yet.

Could you post the database or a subset? It is easier to work with.