Comboboxes and Listboxes

[Switchwork]

Combo boxes!! List Boxes!!

Just need a little bit of information really. Basically I want to add a Combo or a List box to my Job Details Form as I am getting annoyed in keep inserting the same thing over and over again.

I have the JobDetailsTble with fields Customer and Employees.
I also have seperate tables for these two fields for Normalisation puposes.
However I still need to enter the same names and same customers completely.
For one thing I was advised not to have both EmpName and EmpID on the form same for the CustName and CustID. However when my boss wants to view PODS or wants to look up a job he won't know what ID belongs to which customer (PODS=Proof of Delivery) ya understand. I need to make it as simple as I can possibly make it for him as he is not at all computer literate.

So that is one of the questions I would like answered. What is the best thing to do about the situation I have explained above??

ANd the next question is about Combo Boxes or List boxes.
Like I mentioned above I have to constantly type in the same names over and over again and would like it a bit simpler for me and other users. (Bit tedious) So I was thinking about Combo /List boxes. I know they are different I was just wondering what would be the best one to use and if there is any websites or any thing at all on the web to show me how to go about putting the combo / list boxes into my forms..

Are they easy-ish to do??

I am hoping that they are!

Thanx for listening to me going on and thanx in advance for your help.
Just a few pointers on websites explaining Combo/list boxes. And any ideas on what to do with the first question i asked

THANK YOU AGAIN

 

[Tay]

Can you post a screen dump of the Relationships Window?
I'm not sure why you have fields for Customers and Employees in your JobDetails table if you have tables for each of these. I'm presuming that one job can have many employess and customers and the customers and employees can have more than one job?
If I were you I think I'd have join tables to link the customer to the job (same for employees).

What I've done in the past is to have a form for adding new contacts, and on here is a subform where I can join the contact to a job. Then on the main form, as you have already linked that person to a job, you can then easily make them appear on there. Then you could use a tab control, so that on one page your customers appear, and on another, the employees appear. This is presuming that you (or someone else) will be doing the main data entry, and your boss just wishes to view the results.

You don't want to be entering the same names over and over again - this defeats the object of a relational database. You need to link that contact (who is entered into the db once) to the job. This will then eliminate your need for a combo/listbox.

I hope this has made sense - if not, post back.

 

[Switchwork]

Thankyou and respect for your reply thing is I was thinking the exact same thing about defeating the whole object of a relational database.

I have a jobDetails table , CustomersTble Employees table and Vehicles table.

The JobsDetails table is the main one this is linked to both the customers and the employees table through the EmpID (PK) {number} and the Customers table through the CustomerID (PK) {Autonumber]

A job can have only one customer but a customer can have many jobs. A job can have a maximum of two to three employees getting the job completed. But an employee can do many jobs.

I am not sure how exactly to get my relationship window to you or infact my whole database so if you know what to do I will do it happilly as I could do with an opinion on what to do.

If I do zip it up does that copy it?? Can I still use it here while you have got it?? Cos see I am at work now and am using it at the moment.

The problem I have is I have never designed a database before and have no-one I can ask to help me. I have no funds so I want these to be simple but efficient do you understand. I am out to make a good impression and also to prove alot of people wrong so I need to do this and if i can get as much help as I can then I will. I appreciate all the help that I have received from this and other forums as i would never have got this far if it hadn't been fot the experts and other people taking time to answer my sometimes stupid questions

Anyway I am waffling on here. I really could use your help quite a bit if you are willing to give it!! I just need to know how to share my database with you and other people who would like to offer me some help. I have never zipped and posted to the internet before and its all kinda new to me. So i would appreciate the help,

I do not like to have to write the names over and over again however I do have all the relationships i need, I just don't know how to go about showing my data without including those fields that I don't really need.

Please help me.. Help is needed very much.

 

[Tay]

Which version of Access are you using? Most people on here (and myself) use Access 97, so if it's 2k or higher, please convert it to 97. Then zip it, and when you reply to the post, go to the Attach File bit, and you can add it there. It will be a copy, so you can carry on using your version, but we won't see any recent changes.

 

[Switchwork]

Sorry for taking so long to reply had to get on with my work and then finished work and had to do the xmas family rounds thing. So sorry about that.

I use Microsoft XP so I suppose thats Access 2002 however I do actually use Access 2000. Did start by using 97 is that one better then?? I will do as you asked and I will look forward to what you believe I should do to improve the working and function of my database. I can't send you anything now as I am at home and I don't have a copy of the database here. I am trying to sort out a USB Pen Drive so's I can work on the design at home as well.
At one stage I was designing the database at home and it was working then I would go to work and do (what I thought) was the exact same thing on works computer and couldn;t get the thing working at work and that was a total nightmare as you could imagine. So thats what i will do in the tomorrow I will send in the database for you to look at if that is ok??

I look forward to your input.
Regards and Respect/