Chosing appropriate db software 3

[smiffy47]

I'm new to databases. I am involved in collecting an collating information about one hundred or so yachts and their crews for a regatta later this year and am aware that a database could be very useful.
I do have MS Access on my computer and have just started to look at it, but it seems unnecessarily complex for the sort of record keeping I need. Is it complicated to learn? Shoul I be looking for something less elaborate? If so can you recommend an alternative, (not expensive!)
I have produced a website for collecting the first tranche of information through a Pre-Reistration form which you can see at

http://www.abclassicyachts.org/Tems/registration3.htm

The product of this form comes to me in the form of an email. I would need to enter it in a data base by hand, I suppose.

 

[mrdenny]

Access would work well for this. It may seam complex, but databases are not simple things. Microsoft Access is one of the more basic databases available.

Denny

--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)

http://www.mrdenny.com

(My very old site)

 

[paulrw1]

I agree with mrdenny. Access is fairly straight forward and easy to set up. What might be a help is a Access for Dummies type book (NO! Not saying your a dummy).

 

[willir]

smiffy47

Why use a database? Why use a relational database?
- It allows you to record your data without duplicating data entry.
- Allows you to categorize and sort data easily including query-by-example
- It allows you to quickly find data.
- Allows you to easily summerize data.
- A large amount of data can be captured into a database that would be impossible to collect in a spreadsheet

Why use MS Access?
- Easy to create forms for data entry and search
- Easy to create reports
- Tools to create relationships, wizards to simplify tasks, and sample databases
- Access is well suited to smaller databases with only a few people or only one person accessing the data (Having said that, there are those who have designed Access for use with large databases and many users -- but this takes experience)
- Cost is quite modest

Why use a database instead of a word processing programming? Word processors...
- Very poor search fascilities
- Very difficult to categorize and sort data

Why use a database instead of a spreadsheet program? Spreadsheet programs...
- Able to sort data and summerize data
- Often requires duplication of data
- Can be tedious if working with long formulas

What is different with a database
- work with "tables" with data "parsed" out to different tables (part of normalization process)
- link data in different tables to join the data together as "information"
- forms and reports may extract data from different tables

Keep in mind that once you learn to use Access, it may make future tasks much easier.

Before you start, a good database requires some thought and a good design. I usually start out asking what information do I need. Backtrack this to what type of data I need to capture and how to organize the data.

Some links...
Designing
Fundamentals of Relational Database Design by Paul Litwin
Download document
Read on-line (HTML)

Micro$oft's answer...
283878 - Description of the database normalization basics
304467 - ACC2000 Defining Relationships Between Tables in a Microsoft Access Database

Some links to the basics...
MS Access Fundamentals (FunctionX)
Database Journal
ACCESS Design Tips & Code
Web Thang Tutorials
Introduction to Relational Databases - Part 1: Theoretical Foundation - 15 sec articles
Databases - step by step guide (GeekGirls)


More advanced...
Microsoft Access Help Centre
Access solutions
Help with Microsoft Access Table Design - Blue Claw
The Access Web - Dev Ashish & Arvin Meyer

Richard

 

[ceh4702]

If all you want is a list of vessels Excel may work fine for that. It depends if what you need to keep can fit in one table. For more complex information like manufacturer lists, and multiple addresses and phone numbers a database may make sense.

If you do not like my post feel free to point out your opinion or my errors.

 

[pbrodsky]

The other limitation of spreadsheets is that they do very little error checking -- you can pretty much put any value in any cell or overwrite something that is already there. A database can be set up to help prevent this.
Access has a pretty good balance between power and ease-of-use. That is something that is difficult to achieve in a database package.