Database Design Question

[RoarCRM]

Hello,

I'm new here so apologies if this question is in the wrong place - feel free to shift it

I am looking at designing an access database that needs to record details of all of our clients, jobs that we currently work on with them, and every session that we work on for each job.

How do you think this would this be best set out in forms? Would it logical to have a client form and then have the project form 'embedded' within it, with the session form 'embedded' within that? If there is a better way please let me know.

Thanks

 

[jdraw]

Start with a complete business description; from that define your tables and relationships.
Here's a tutorial that leads you through the process. The sooner you work through this, the happier you'll be with database design.

Good luck.

 

[plog]

User interfaces are the gap between the technical side of the database and how your real world operates. Only you know your workflow, so we aren't going to be able to help much.

My suggestion would be to walk through the process of how data gets in your database. Identify when it occurs, what data gets captured/edited in each step and who does it exactly. Pay careful attention of what level each step works at (client, job, session) and how users will need to search to get to the right level to enter/edit the data for that step.

Again, telling us just the levels of data you have isn't enough for us to tell you how your forms should work.

 

[DeanFran]

I recently put together something similar to what I think you are describing. In my case, we needed a database to track work associated with upcoming and present products, by the different departments at our company. So I ended up with a Company table, a Product table, a WorkType table, a User table and a WorkLogging table. The WorkLogging table is where the rubber meets the road as it where, being related to all of the others. There are a few helper tables thrown into the mix as well. I created a login form to capture who is entering data and a main Nav form to guide the user through the process of entering data, whether it be a new company, product or work type as well as of course logging their activities. Add a few basic reports, a custom report design query tied to the fields in the work logging table, and there you go. The work flow goes like this. Login - check continuous forms to see if the company/product/worktype is already available, if so move on to the work logging form to enter work activities. If you have a new company/product/worktype then open the form to get it into the database then move onto logging work. The higher ups can then access the basic reports, or create a custom work report with any combination of company/product/user/worktype/date range, and format as different file types as desired.