Adding new customers help

[Garindan]

Hi everyone, firstly.. happy new year!

I just wondered if anybody could help with some idea's. I am fairly new to databases, and have made a customer database for a friend. It all works well and there are no problems.

The thing i'm having trouble with is that as it's my first database i'm finding things which could be done better, and the main one i'd like to ask for advice about is entering new customers.

I have various forms, one for entering a customers details such as name, address, telephone number, etc. One form for entering customer orders with a list box showing customer name on the left, and order details on the right. And then a main form which you can enter both customer details and their order details for new customers.

The trouble is, after using the database for a week or so i've found that i've overlooked a way to see if a customers details have already been entered, and so be able to just enter new order details. Basically i have been having to open the main form, and firstly place the cursor in the surname box, bring up the 'find' dialogue box, and enter the surname, then look through the entries to see if the customer has already been entered! Phew.

Obviously this means if i forget to do this, or someone else uses the database, it is all too easy to have a customer entered more than once, and time wasted on entering that data.

I just wanted to ask for some pointers/idea's about how i could make it easier to determine if a customer has already been entered, or more efficient ways of achieving what i want in general.

I can provide sample database/screenshots if needed. Thanks in advance for any help anybody can give!

 

[trucktime]

Customers

It would be helpful if you can post the table structure.

What you probably need is a main form for the Customers, a subform for the Orders and a Subsubform for the Order Details.

Using a ComboBox on the Main Form would make it easy to find a customer or add a new one (using the Not In List Event)

Making your mdb work correctly largely depends on how you have set up the tables.

 

[BLeslie88]

Something I have done...

Use a combo box on the entry screen. Have it read off of a 'customer table' / query ... or you can feed it off of a query grouping by customer name...

Don't force users to select from it, so limit to list is set to no.

If you opt for a table, what I have done, if they enter a customer not on the list, I then add it automatically...

Just some ideas for you....

 

[Garindan]

Hi, thanks for your replies. I have provided a screenshot of the relationships, and of the main form.

I believe the database is set up ok so hopefully that won't be a problem. And my main form is using a subform for orders, subsubform for products

So basically it is working out the best way to check for existing customers. I have already used combo boxes for the addresses so streets, area's, towns, etc only have to be entered fully once. I understand i could do that also for customer surname, but wouldn't it just show me if the surname has been entered already? As many customers have the same surname that wouldn't work. How could i make it so it brings up their details when chosen? So the first name, address, etc can be checked to see if its the same customer or a new customer? I hope that makes sense

Thanks alot for your help. Lee

 

[Garindan]

Does anybody have any ideas on this? Thanks in advance.
Lee.

 

[Garindan]

Anybody?

 

[IfButOnly]

Lee, I think the previous responses were correct and you should use a combo box on the surname. The combo box can be based on a query that shows Surname, FirstName, Address or whatever is needed to isolate a particular customer.

Alternatively, your combo box rowsource could concatenate the fields (eg:- [Surname] & " " & [FirstName] & " " & [Town] AS SeekClient. This way would can type "Smith J" in the combo box and it takes you a level further.

Hope that makes sense.. Luck.. Peter