Data Input Database Design Help

[Mike]

Hi

I have been tasked with converting my pulp and paper mills weekly
projected and actual contractor hrs excel spreadsheet into a an Access
97 database.

So far my design has been to use a form with a button for each to day
navigate the recordset of a single table using .findfirst and .nomatch
and I am worried about performance as I'm basically creating a flat
file.

I could explain the scenario but I think it will be easier to display
data

For: weekending 13/12/03
Planner: Jimmy Smith Business Area: Causticizing Plant

Day: Monday

Work Types
Maintenance Capital Production
Contractor Types

Electrical 2hrs 4hrs
Scaffolders
Fitters 1hrs 4hrs
Welders 8hrs
etc

This is repeated for Days Tuesday
,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday,Weekend,Week2,Week3,Wee k4 for the five
different business areas by the 5 different users on a weekly basis. I
think the weekending date is very important for grouping.

The problem is if I normalise the datastructure and use continuous
subforms to input the data it will be slower and complicated for users
to input data. Does anyone have any suggestions for a more logical
way of designing this database? If not does anyone know how to set a
form to display a recordset row after finding it using the seek
method? Ive got it working using bookmarks with findfirst but it
oesn't seem to work with seek which is a shame as I've read it's alot
faster.

Any advice would be much appreciated

Thankyou

Michael Black

[TC]

Mike, just two respond to three points:

The problem is if I normalise the datastructure and use continuous subforms to input the data it will be slower and complicated for users to
input data.

No. Databases are totally different to spreadsheets. Producing a normalized
design, is a fundamental requirement for any competent database. This is
nothing to do with user interface issues. Once you have designed a properly
normalized database, you can then produce forms, subforms, reports etc. for
data entry, enquiry & reporting. It is the "flat file" approach that will
give you grief in the long run; not the "normalizing" approach.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a more logical way of designing this database?

Yes. Read:
http://support.microsoft.com/support...es/Q100139.ASP

If not does anyone know how to set a form to display a recordset row after finding it using the seek method?

Forget about user interface issues at this stage. They are really >>not
important<< (in 99.999% of cases) until your table design is correct. >Then<
design the user interface.

HTH,
TC
"Mike" <mb*********@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:7a**************************@posting.google.c om... Hi

I have been tasked with converting my pulp and paper mills weekly
projected and actual contractor hrs excel spreadsheet into a an Access
97 database.

So far my design has been to use a form with a button for each to day
navigate the recordset of a single table using .findfirst and .nomatch
and I am worried about performance as I'm basically creating a flat
file.

I could explain the scenario but I think it will be easier to display
data

For: weekending 13/12/03
Planner: Jimmy Smith Business Area: Causticizing Plant

Day: Monday

Work Types
Maintenance Capital Production
Contractor Types

Electrical 2hrs 4hrs
Scaffolders
Fitters 1hrs 4hrs
Welders 8hrs
etc

This is repeated for Days Tuesday
,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday,Weekend,Week2,Week3,Wee k4 for the five
different business areas by the 5 different users on a weekly basis. I
think the weekending date is very important for grouping.

The problem is if I normalise the datastructure and use continuous
subforms to input the data it will be slower and complicated for users
to input data. Does anyone have any suggestions for a more logical
way of designing this database? If not does anyone know how to set a
form to display a recordset row after finding it using the seek
method? Ive got it working using bookmarks with findfirst but it
oesn't seem to work with seek which is a shame as I've read it's alot
faster.

Any advice would be much appreciated

Thankyou

Michael Black

[Roger]

I've build a small d/b using a 'query form' to handle the 'week
ending' (I use a date range', the planner id and business area id in
your example

a subform prompts for the other fields in your example

with pull downs for work type and contractor type.. minimal entry is
required

let me know if you're interested

mb*********@hotmail.com (Mike) wrote in message news:<7a**************************@posting.google. com>...

Hi

I have been tasked with converting my pulp and paper mills weekly
projected and actual contractor hrs excel spreadsheet into a an Access
97 database.

So far my design has been to use a form with a button for each to day
navigate the recordset of a single table using .findfirst and .nomatch
and I am worried about performance as I'm basically creating a flat
file.

I could explain the scenario but I think it will be easier to display
data

For: weekending 13/12/03
Planner: Jimmy Smith Business Area: Causticizing Plant

Day: Monday

Work Types
Maintenance Capital Production
Contractor Types

Electrical 2hrs 4hrs
Scaffolders
Fitters 1hrs 4hrs
Welders 8hrs
etc

This is repeated for Days Tuesday
,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday,Weekend,Week2,Week3,Wee k4 for the five
different business areas by the 5 different users on a weekly basis. I
think the weekending date is very important for grouping.

The problem is if I normalise the datastructure and use continuous
subforms to input the data it will be slower and complicated for users
to input data. Does anyone have any suggestions for a more logical
way of designing this database? If not does anyone know how to set a
form to display a recordset row after finding it using the seek
method? Ive got it working using bookmarks with findfirst but it
oesn't seem to work with seek which is a shame as I've read it's alot
faster.

Any advice would be much appreciated

Thankyou

Michael Black