Help with database design.

[Switchwork]

Hello people I want to ask you smart people for some advice.

Basically I am about to start designing an access database for a courier company. I have looked at other databases systems (like the northwind database that comes with access). They all deal with ordering and supplying and all the complex stuff.

The database that I will be designing is pretty simple as in it will only have four tables. Customers, Employees, Vehicles, and the main table JOB DETAILS.

Customers and employees will be linked to JOB DETAILS and employees will be linked to Vehicles.

I basically want to know if this is the right way of starting off the design.
What I want at the end of the design is a database that I can constantly update with new jobs daily. When a customer has a query regarding a job we have done i want to be able to look it up with no problems. And last and probably the most difficult thing I want the database to do is invoices at the end of the month. I know that you can generate an invoice report from a query which is the way I will be doing it however i do not know how to go about setting it up in a way so I can see who has paid and who hasn't. In the job details table one of the fields will be "Invoice paid" with a check box. I don't know how to sort out a way of seeing who has paid or not.

Someone please give me some pointers I would be most grateful.

One more thing I will be working on this database design at home and at work is there a way that I can save what I have done at home to take it into work? As i did try to save it to floppy disc and it was filled up to quick. Can I put a database onto a number of discs??

I don't want to work on it at home and then have to do it over again at work it will take longer that way. If there is a way please let me know. Probably sounds like a stupid question to you but I am relatively new to computers having just passed my C.L.A.I.T.

Thankyou for taking the time to read this thread and any suggestions will be gratefully received.

THANKS
CLARE aka SWITCHWORK

 

[KenReay]

For moving Application from Work to home and you need to use CD or you could EMail a zipped copy perhaps?

I think you are perhaps over simplifying your design, unless you expect every job to have a single Invoice and every Invoice to have a single payment, you probably need an Invoices table and a Payments received table

 

[Switchwork]

re nice one for answering so quick

Nice one. No there will be loads of invoices in the end if the database works properly. So Invoice table and payments received tab yeah?

See I was gonna set up a parameter query for the monthly invoice then generate a report from the query to print out the invoice. How will I get the data from the query into the invoice table? and the invoices that have been paid into the payments received table?


Please help me again????!!!

Respect to everyone willing to pass on there expertise to newbies like me??:!!??!!??!!>>

 

[dsomers]

For transporting my db around, I have a USB Flash ROM (aka Pen Drive). It has 128MB storage space which is plenty of room for my db and supporting documents. I got mine for like $69.

Later,
David Somers

 

[Switchwork]

Re carrying data aroung

Nice one pal.

I better start looking for one of them in England I've heard of them I hope there as cheap as you got one for.

Any tips on using access for invoicing??

let me know yeah??

Oh yeah people this is probably the most stupidest question anyone has ever asked on this forum but if I wanted to attach something or read an attachment how would I go about doing that?? I have just tried to view someones zip file and I don;t get nowhere. I have quick zip installed on my computer. So if anyone could let me know how to send and view attachments to the forum I would be most grateful. It may come in handy as you may know. I am off to bed now early I know but I need my beauty sleep!!!!!

Please let me know bout sending and viewing attachments as I know I will need someone to view my database in the future. THANX PEOPLES!!!!!! Night NIght!!!!!

 

[dsomers]

Well, I use Winzip. But you want to get your database small enough that when you "zip" it up, it is less than 102400 bytes (102kb). When you add a reply, there's an option to attach a file. Hit the browse button and browse to the zip file you created. Double click it and the pathname should be in the textfield. Just hit submit and it'll post the reply with the file attached.

Later
David Somers

 

[Switchwork]

Hello thanks for that I will no doubt posting my database on here at some point as I know that I will need help that maybe can't be explained by me writing it. You experts may need to see what is happening to advise me better init?

Thanx alot mate you helped me right out.

Any more advice you can give me on invoicing or any part of database design would be a great help so don't be shy!!!

 

[dsomers]

My advice is to ask someone with more advice than me. I'm just learning this stuff too!

Later,
David Somers