Add a Fields to a Table w/ Existing Data

[Miguelito Bain]

hi everyone-

i inheritrd a database that wasn't designed very well. i'm trying to
decide whether or not it is a good idea to add at least 8 more fields
to a table that already has existing records in it- about 800.

right now, a combo box records the reason why a particular person
called. i want to add 3 more combo boxes to record the other reasons
why someone called.

the table with the records in it has 6 six firlds. i want to add like
eight more fields. the records already in the database will not be
updated. we aren't going to go back to the old calls records and add
more reasons for the call. we're only going to start recording more
reasons why a person calls from now on or whenever i find the best
solution to this.

so is it safe/ ok to add more fields to a table that already has a lot
of existing records? in the different books i've read, the authors say
to never do this.

i'm thinking about creating a new table with all of the fields i need
and then somehow copying the old records and pasting them into the new
table. does this sound like a better idea?

thanks for your time,

miguelito

[Allen Browne]

No problem with adding additional fields to an existing table.

For a good database, though, you would be better creating a new related
table to handle the reasons for the call. With a one-to-many relation, you
would use a subform to enter the reasons - one per row - as many reasons as
needed.

If you do need to add data to the new fields, you can do that with an Update
query.

--
Allen Browne - Microsoft MVP. Perth, Western Australia.
Tips for Access users - http://allenbrowne.com/tips.html
Reply to group, rather than allenbrowne at mvps dot org.

"Miguelito Bain" <mi***********@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1b**************************@posting.google.c om...

hi everyone-

i inheritrd a database that wasn't designed very well. i'm trying to
decide whether or not it is a good idea to add at least 8 more fields
to a table that already has existing records in it- about 800.

right now, a combo box records the reason why a particular person
called. i want to add 3 more combo boxes to record the other reasons
why someone called.

the table with the records in it has 6 six firlds. i want to add like
eight more fields. the records already in the database will not be
updated. we aren't going to go back to the old calls records and add
more reasons for the call. we're only going to start recording more
reasons why a person calls from now on or whenever i find the best
solution to this.

so is it safe/ ok to add more fields to a table that already has a lot
of existing records? in the different books i've read, the authors say
to never do this.

i'm thinking about creating a new table with all of the fields i need
and then somehow copying the old records and pasting them into the new
table. does this sound like a better idea?

thanks for your time,

miguelito

[Alan Webb]

Mr. Bain,
Like the other person posting here, I'd think about listing reasons why a
person called along with the details recorded about the call in a row.
There would be a single column called "call_reason" that tied to another
table listing call reasons, perhaps a column to store a date/time of the
call, a large text column (255 is the limit in Access XP unless you are
working with MSDE, then the limit increases to 4000 characters) to store
notes about the call, a column indicating status (open, closed, on-hold,
etc.) and some way of linking the call to the contact calling, if possible.
Then again, MS Outlook does all of this and more, comes with some versions
of MS Office, and . . . would put you out of a job, never mind.

"Miguelito Bain" <mi***********@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1b**************************@posting.google.c om...

hi everyone-

i inheritrd a database that wasn't designed very well. i'm trying to
decide whether or not it is a good idea to add at least 8 more fields
to a table that already has existing records in it- about 800.

right now, a combo box records the reason why a particular person
called. i want to add 3 more combo boxes to record the other reasons
why someone called.

the table with the records in it has 6 six firlds. i want to add like
eight more fields. the records already in the database will not be
updated. we aren't going to go back to the old calls records and add
more reasons for the call. we're only going to start recording more
reasons why a person calls from now on or whenever i find the best
solution to this.

so is it safe/ ok to add more fields to a table that already has a lot
of existing records? in the different books i've read, the authors say
to never do this.

i'm thinking about creating a new table with all of the fields i need
and then somehow copying the old records and pasting them into the new
table. does this sound like a better idea?

thanks for your time,

miguelito