Help on new program

[colemauro]

Hi all

My name is Mauro Fernandes, i'm from Portugal and this is my 1st post.

I'm currently working on a program to manage a small business for my girl.

I do this for the practice and to help her out.

She's an hairdresser so this is for her to use.

Im doing a lot stuff right now just to get a hang of it before doing the final version.

Here's what i have right now.

Tables

Customers:
IDCostumer
Name
...
Date of Birth
Date of Registration

Suppliers:
IDSupplier
SupplierName
...

Products:
IDProduct
Family (For Air Products)
TProduct (1- Air Products 2 - Air Services (like cut, and wash)
Supplier

Orders:
IDOrder
Supplier
OrderDate

OrdersDetails:
IDOrder
IDProduct
Stock
PriceperUnit
Discount
Taxe
PriceTotal

Sails:
IDSail
IDCostumer
SaleDate

SailsDetails:
IDSail
Stock
PriceperUnit
Discount
Taxe
PriceTotal

Balance:
IDBalance
IDProduct
Stock
BuyPrice
SailsPrice

Agenda:
Here i don't know how to do this. i wanna do a calendar so that she can make the costumer appointments. My idea is:
IDAgenda
Date (something like 12/08/08 10:30, appointments every 30 min)
IDCliente

I've done some research here and and at google and the biggest problem is the stock..

It's a very small business so there is no need for FIFOs and LIFOs.. she will always have low stock, and the main activity is to do air things and not products.

For now i have to 2 type of products, air products and air services.
For the stock of air products i have came out with 3 tables, on for the suppliers stock, other for the sails and a balance that will give me the actual current stock.

I'm having many problems with this..because when i launch an order, that order regards one supplier only, but can have many products..
If i put 3 orders, with the same product on all 3, it will create 3 products with the same name, and not update the existing one.

Then there is the agenda thing..i have no ideia on how to acomplish that..

I could be here all day telling u what's wrong right now, but would love to get your opinion on this first.

 

[statsman]

I wonder if you are trying to do too much with one database.

My tendancy would be to go with one database for the customers, appointments etc. and a second database for the supplies. Unless you want to tie it all together in order to do the books.

Regarding the supplies, you should have a re-order point. That is, when your supply of a certain article reaches a certain level, the database should flash a message that its time to re-order that article. That way you don't run out.

 

[Mike375]

I would leave Agenda/Diary/Appointment Maker to last. In fact for a hairdresser. that is, someone not sitting at a desk in front of a computer I think a diary/book is best.

Doing a diary that actually works can be tough.

 

[colemauro]

Yes the agenda is not the priority.. i also thought on using the Outlook calendar that is perfect for the job.. would be nice to find a way to integrate that calendar in a access form, but like you said and well the agenda is the last thing on my mind.

As for the rest..i have no experience in mixing 2 or more databases, and for this matter never that idea crossed my mind, since this is suppose to be a simple program..still i would prefere to do everything on the same database.. if possible

But i wanna do the best job possible..that's the best way to learn..

I wonder if any of you haver attemped to do something like this, or has a program that does something similar..

Until then please..give me your input on this..

Best regards

 

[NigelShaw]

Hi,

not that im a quitter here as i usually always have an answer related to access but, as you dont have much experinece with Database building, my guess is your program will take a long time to achieve the results you want. Im guessing your Daughter is already running her business by the way you describe things.

obviously, everyone is here to help and will suggest all possible scenarios for you but have you considered just buying a program? there are ready made ones specifically for your need without the heartache of a long build. i googled it and this come up http://www.saloniris.com/clienttracking.htm

another suggestion would be to download a trial, see how it works / what it covers and then build your db from there. its not a copyright infringement, more a free guide to show you what you want.

only a suggestion


NS

 

[colemauro]

You got me wrong..it's not for my daughter..it's for my girlfriend..and i have some experience with programming.. i've just gradueted from my university (Tecnologies of System of Information).

I have experience with VB (having worked on a SW company for a few months) and C# and am currently doing this to improve my skills on this, since at my work i only work with SAP Security...but what i wanna do in the future is programming so everytime i get a chance of improve my skills i'll take it..

The thing is im doing this at work when i don't have anything to do there...and since i have no internet it takes more time to make progress but i'm getting there.

Today i solved the problem i had with the select thing in VB...and now i can already introduce suppliers products and update the StockBalance when it comes to PurchasePrice and Stock, so the rest should be not to hard to do it..

If i could have 5 full days to work on this, it would probably be done, but at this rate it takes more time..

All i want is your opinion on this..anything that can help out it's more then welcome.

Best regards