Computer Forum For Database Needs
Microsoft Access will be ideal for you to start with. Microsoft Access is a relational database management system that utilizes relational aspects in data to store and retrieve information. The parent-child relationship applied in it helps database information in two ways. Firstly, your database now does not have to input redundant information.
For instance, once you enter permanent details about your customers in say Customer Detail table, you need not have to enter same repetitive information a number of times related with present transaction as well as future transactions. This not only reduces your disk space, but more importantly, makes data entry much faster and systematic. The second is the gain you make in terms of data being synchronized with time. Past information that you will be using only rarely may be stored in archives.
The parent-child relationship links a table with one unique primary key into number of other tables known as child table. For instance, Customer Detail table has Customer ID as primary key in Customer Detail table. This Customer Detail table with Customer ID can have links with other table making Customer ID as the source of link. For instance, Work-Order file that records details of goods supplied will have Customer ID as linking field for relevant customers. This Work-Order file is then a child table for Customer ID field in the parent Customer Detail table.
The referential integrity ensures that no important data is removed while the transaction is still needed for the application's purpose. For instance, if there is a transaction in process with a customer, referential integrity ensures that you will not be allowed to delete Customer ID in the Customer Detail table. Referential integrity maintains serenity of data. For instance, you will not be allowed to change Customer ID in Work-Order table. If you want to change Customer ID, you can only do it through parent table which is Customer Detail table in this case.
One-to-one relationship or one-to-many relationship applies in most of the relational database tables. For instance, an example of one-to-one relationship is if there is a Bid Date table that records the date in which a particular bid is won for a contract and the middleman who facilitated that bid and a Bid Summary table that records the whole cost associated for processing that bid. For each bid in the Bid Date table, there is only one linking record in Bid Summary table. The linking field is Bid No which assigns incremental number to each subsequent bid automatically in Bid Date table. For each particular bid, there is only one historical archive that contains historical detail of that bid.
Many-to-one relationship is when primary key in parent table relates to many child tables. For instance, a particular Customer ID in the Customer Detail table may have many linking tables. One may be Work Order table recording the details of delivery of the transaction. Another may be Bills Receivable table, recording amount due from that customer on a particular date. So there are two child tables in this case. This is an example of one-to-many parent-child relationship.
In some cases, there is also many-to-many relationship which has to be connected with a junction table. You will learn about such interesting relational features while working with Access. Your tech help expert in a good computer forum may also help you side-by-side while working on such relational database management system. Tech help experts will also help you know whether Microsoft Access is ideal for your growing business or more advanced Microsoft SQL Server will be ideal for you. You will also have peer-to-peer review in terms of other powerful RDBMS packages like Oracle and Sybase.
Features like a custom form allow you to enter and edit data in a convenient way. Instead of scrolling the entire table, a custom form allows you to enter or edit record on one-by-one record basis. By making easy-to-use SQL queries, you can locate and retrieve information as per your specifications. A custom report allows you to present information using multiple tables. There is so much new that you will be learning and implementing in your database while working on RDBMS like Microsoft Access.
Today, you need a powerful information management system that is flexible and easy-to-use. RDBMS like Microsoft Access is right for you to start with. Information technology professionals in a computer forum may help you as you make progress working on it.
Lisa Collins is a database application developer and also does computer consulting work. She is an accomplished computer technology writer. You can seek tech help regarding your database needs from her in her online computer forums.
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