What is the best way to handle Domestic vs. International customer information?

[RickDB]

What is the best way to handle Domestic vs. International customer information?

Such as Address and Phone Numbers.

Here in the US, we format like so:

Phone:
(888) 888-8888

Address:
Address1
Address2
City
State
ZIP (5 digit number only)


I know this only works in the US, what is a good model to use for allowing international information entry?

Is this post going down the right path: http://www.access-programmers.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=66149&highlight=domestic+international

Or is there better suggestions on the matter out there? Thanks!!!

 

[Len Boorman]

The post certainly has some merit but think that this is going to be one that you have to decide for yourself.

How many different countries are you going to deal with.
Are you sure you know all of them
How different are address, phone etc formats

The address is important in that you may well use this for creating letters etc direct from the database.

Phone numbers are more for information to a user who will then dial the number I suggest

So my thought would be to carefully work out the number of address lines you need with the last one being Country. Make this a mandatory field and have a preset list of acceptable countries.

How may ways do you believe there are to indicate USA. I inherited a database and there was every variant you could think of and some that were plain mis typed as well. So control Country field.

If there are too many address lines for some countries that is not a problem...too few is a problem

Hope comments are some use

Len

 

[RickDB]

Thank you Len!

I think what I am going to do is this:

- Set up first for US addresses / phone numbers (95% of our business).

- Set up an international address / phone buttons. Make these pop a second window for data entry that has no input masks, and larger field sizes to allow for any number of possible entries.

The big negative though is seperating single entities into different tables, but given my limited know how, this seems the best / easiest way to go about it. Especially considering international customers are by far the exception and not the rule.

I just hope this does not ruin queries / reports!