changing table structure

[Funkbuqet]

I have a table that I have been using for data collection for a job. However, as the job moves into it's next phase the data collection requirements have changed a bit. Some of the data I had been collecting I no longer need to collect and there is some new types of data I will need as well. I have read that is is not good to have null values in a DB table if it is avoidable. I am not sure if it is better to add new fields to the table and use them for the new data and just enter 0 values in the un-used fields in the future or to try and use some of the un-used fields to collect the new data. I foresee problems with changing the data type a field is collecting. I do not want to threaten data integrity.
Unfortunately, I don't really want to create a new table for it because I will still need to do trending on the shared data fields from before and after the shift and have found it quite a pain to combine similar data from 2 different tables due to the linear direction SQL flows.
Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

 

[MSAccessRookie]

I have a table that I have been using for data collection for a job. However, as the job moves into it's next phase the data collection requirements have changed a bit. Some of the data I had been collecting I no longer need to collect and there is some new types of data I will need as well. I have read that is is not good to have null values in a DB table if it is avoidable. I am not sure if it is better to add new fields to the table and use them for the new data and just enter 0 values in the un-used fields in the future or to try and use some of the un-used fields to collect the new data. I foresee problems with changing the data type a field is collecting. I do not want to threaten data integrity.
Unfortunately, I don't really want to create a new table for it because I will still need to do trending on the shared data fields from before and after the shift and have found it quite a pain to combine similar data from 2 different tables due to the linear direction SQL flows.
Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

While I suspect that dividing the Table is probably going to be the way to go, you will most likely need to give more information before any definitive answer can be provided.

In order to determine of a Table should be extended, divided, or something else, we need to know the structure of the Initial Table, as well as the proposed modifications/deletions. No data (or even Table/Column Names) is required, only the Column Data Types. Once we have those, a more appropriate answer mkight be able to be provided.