Join multiple tables

[SeadnaS]

I keep being told that I have too many tables. How can I join them? Most of them have fields named the same. Could I join say 24 tables together and add a field that shows the name of the table each record originally came from?

I didn't understand it at first but now I see how this would be more efficient.

Each table has a different name so i'd like a field with the name of each table as i need to be able to differentiate between my records in this way.

 

[MajP]

Normally it requires adding a field.
Assume you have tables of customers, suppliers, employees.

Each of these tables has first name, last name, MI, telephone, email.

this can be one table, "tblPersons". You can then add a field personType with values of Customer, Supplier, Employee. If you want to see/work with just the employees you query the table "where personType = 'Employee'".

If these tables have a lot of fields in common, but also a lot not in common then you may not want a single table.

 

[MajP]

FYI, the term is not "Join", that means something else in database lingo. You want to "merge" records into a single table. Also this can be automated through SQL through either an "append" query or "make table" query. You will not have to copy/paste or do any of this manually

 

[SeadnaS]

Hey,

The time difference is a real pain between here and America! I successfully merged the tables. Took a while but i've it done!

Thanks anyway.