@GPGeorge, Does NW2 provide a guide that thoroughly explains how to properly design and build a normalised Access application?
Most newbies who explore Access are Excel users, and by habit, they will build denormalized Excel_like Access apps, unless we thoroughly educate them about normalized database design. This is sorely needed, as I have not seen any adequate content about the subject matter.
A guide? Not a document as such. That's actually beyond the scope of the charter for Microsoft templates in general.
We went to some trouble to provide a consistent Relationship Diagram for the Developer version because otherwise it's generated in the muddled state typical of newly created databases.
Over the years, I've seen dozens of articles that attempt to explain database Normalization, Normal Forms, table design, etc. A typical web search should turn up a boatload of them. You can even find very good YouTube videos on the subject.
I doubt there would be much incremental value to trying to limit one to Access applications in particular, though. All relational databases are built on the same principles, regardless of the database itself. A Primary Key is a Primary Key, in other words. So building a normalized Access database application differs only in the degree of complexity starters will implement.
My own original attempt at explaining it was in my first book, back in 2004. I did a marginal job of it, unfortunately for my pride, but I felt good about it at the time.
It doesn't matter that much, though, in a practical sense, with regard to Excel users. They don't know what they don't know when the decide to tackle Access. So, unless they are brilliant, or just unusually lucky, they blunder on until they realize what they've created doesn't work. At that point, many of them begin their search for help, eventually stumbling into someone who shakes a finger in their face and shouts "Normalize" at them.
