Documenting a database

[umair434]

Hi guys,

so I need to document the entire database so It can be used and looked over by any future employee. I tried to run the database document option from Access 2007, but it crashes everytime I run it.

also, the information from there is so wide and broad.

Just asking opinions here, how should I start to document? explain each tables/queries/reports and modules?

where should I put the code?


thanks,

 

[plog]

This is probably blasphemy in an Access forum, but whenever I work on a large database project I create a spreadsheet with tabs for Tables, Queries and Functions. At the tob of each tab I provide general overview of my naming convention (i.e. tables prefixed with "SYS_" hold this type of data, queries that contain '_append_' append data, functions that are prefixed with 'validate_' determine if data is valid, etc).

Then for Tables I have columns for Table Name, Key Fields, Purpose and Notes. For Queries I have Query Name, Underlying Data Sources, Criteria, Purpose and Notes. For Functions I leave the heavy notes in the actual code and just have n Name, Purpose and Notes field just to use as a handy quick reference of what functions are in my database.


You could also add tabs for forms and reports. I don't because from a developer's point of view (not a user's manual) forms are pretty straightforward and reports are based on tables/queries which are already documented.

 

[umair434]

thanks! that sounds like a reasonable approach. I guess I can start documenting and make changes as I go.

 

[Simon_MT]

The other option is writing the documentation in html.

Simon