Help With Database Solution

[Stephen]

I volunteer for a non-for profit group and they have alot of names in a
multiple databases. the problem is that some people are in multiple
databases. and if they send out a mailing from multiple databases some
people get 2 and 3 of the same thing. my idea was to either make or find a
program that has everyone is 1 database and then make the people part of
multiple groups. (ex: bill is part of group a and b and im doing a mailing
from both group i only want 1 piece of mail to go to him).

It can be a separate program or with access. that use access now but i cant
figure out how to make my idea work.

any question please ask.
tia
Stephen

[strawberry]

Stephen wrote:

I volunteer for a non-for profit group and they have alot of names in a
multiple databases. the problem is that some people are in multiple
databases. and if they send out a mailing from multiple databases some
people get 2 and 3 of the same thing. my idea was to either make or find a
program that has everyone is 1 database and then make the people part of
multiple groups. (ex: bill is part of group a and b and im doing a mailing
from both group i only want 1 piece of mail to go to him).

It can be a separate program or with access. that use access now but i cant
figure out how to make my idea work.

any question please ask.
tia
Stephen

First off you should only have ONE database!!!

Within that database there should be 3 tables:

contacts(contact_id,f_name,l_name,street1,street2, email1address,etc,etc)
groups(group_id,group_name,group_description)
groups_contacts(group_id,contact_id)

Your query would then look like this (untested)

SELECT DISTINCT(gc.contact_id),c.*
FROM group_contacts AS gc
LEFT JOIN contacts c ON c.contact_id = gc.contact_id;

[strawberry]

strawberry wrote:

Stephen wrote:

I volunteer for a non-for profit group and they have alot of names in a
multiple databases. the problem is that some people are in multiple
databases. and if they send out a mailing from multiple databases some
people get 2 and 3 of the same thing. my idea was to either make or find a
program that has everyone is 1 database and then make the people part of
multiple groups. (ex: bill is part of group a and b and im doing a mailing
from both group i only want 1 piece of mail to go to him).

It can be a separate program or with access. that use access now but i cant
figure out how to make my idea work.

any question please ask.
tia
Stephen

First off you should only have ONE database!!!

Within that database there should be 3 tables:

contacts(contact_id,f_name,l_name,street1,street2, email1address,etc,etc)
groups(group_id,group_name,group_description)
groups_contacts(group_id,contact_id)

Your query would then look like this (untested)

SELECT DISTINCT(gc.contact_id),c.*
FROM group_contacts AS gc
LEFT JOIN contacts c ON c.contact_id = gc.contact_id;

Oops, that query should be like this (again untested):

SELECT DISTINCT(gc.contact_id),c.*
FROM group_contacts AS gc
LEFT JOIN contacts c ON c.contact_id = gc.contact_id
WHERE gc.group_id = 1
OR gc.group_id = 2;

[strawberry]

strawberry wrote:

Stephen wrote:

I volunteer for a non-for profit group and they have alot of names in a
multiple databases. the problem is that some people are in multiple
databases. and if they send out a mailing from multiple databases some
people get 2 and 3 of the same thing. my idea was to either make or find a
program that has everyone is 1 database and then make the people part of
multiple groups. (ex: bill is part of group a and b and im doing a mailing
from both group i only want 1 piece of mail to go to him).

It can be a separate program or with access. that use access now but i cant
figure out how to make my idea work.

any question please ask.
tia
Stephen

First off you should only have ONE database!!!

Within that database there should be 3 tables:

contacts(contact_id,f_name,l_name,street1,street2, email1address,etc,etc)
groups(group_id,group_name,group_description)
groups_contacts(group_id,contact_id)

Your query would then look like this (untested)

SELECT DISTINCT(gc.contact_id),c.*
FROM group_contacts AS gc
LEFT JOIN contacts c ON c.contact_id = gc.contact_id;

Oops, that query should be like this (again untested):

SELECT DISTINCT(gc.contact_id),c.*
FROM group_contacts AS gc
LEFT JOIN contacts c ON c.contact_id = gc.contact_id
WHERE gc.group_id = 1
OR gc.group_id = 2;

[Stephen]

yopu say 3 tables...contacts is the table and the stuff in the () is the
fiels names?
"strawberry" <za*******@gmail.comwrote in message
news:11**********************@h48g2000cwc.googlegr oups.com...

strawberry wrote:

>Stephen wrote:

I volunteer for a non-for profit group and they have alot of names in a
multiple databases. the problem is that some people are in multiple
databases. and if they send out a mailing from multiple databases some
people get 2 and 3 of the same thing. my idea was to either make or
find a
program that has everyone is 1 database and then make the people part
of
multiple groups. (ex: bill is part of group a and b and im doing a
mailing
from both group i only want 1 piece of mail to go to him).

It can be a separate program or with access. that use access now but i
cant
figure out how to make my idea work.

any question please ask.
tia
Stephen

First off you should only have ONE database!!!

Within that database there should be 3 tables:

contacts(contact_id,f_name,l_name,street1,street2 ,email1address,etc,etc)
groups(group_id,group_name,group_description)
groups_contacts(group_id,contact_id)

Your query would then look like this (untested)

SELECT DISTINCT(gc.contact_id),c.*
FROM group_contacts AS gc
LEFT JOIN contacts c ON c.contact_id = gc.contact_id;

Oops, that query should be like this (again untested):

SELECT DISTINCT(gc.contact_id),c.*
FROM group_contacts AS gc
LEFT JOIN contacts c ON c.contact_id = gc.contact_id
WHERE gc.group_id = 1
OR gc.group_id = 2;

[strawberry]

Stephen wrote:

yopu say 3 tables...contacts is the table and the stuff in the () is the
fiels names?
"strawberry" <za*******@gmail.comwrote in message
news:11**********************@h48g2000cwc.googlegr oups.com...

strawberry wrote:

Stephen wrote:
I volunteer for a non-for profit group and they have alot of names in a
multiple databases. the problem is that some people are in multiple
databases. and if they send out a mailing from multiple databases some
people get 2 and 3 of the same thing. my idea was to either make or
find a
program that has everyone is 1 database and then make the people part
of
multiple groups. (ex: bill is part of group a and b and im doing a
mailing
from both group i only want 1 piece of mail to go to him).

It can be a separate program or with access. that use access now but i
cant
figure out how to make my idea work.

any question please ask.
tia
Stephen

First off you should only have ONE database!!!

Within that database there should be 3 tables:

contacts(contact_id,f_name,l_name,street1,street2, email1address,etc,etc)
groups(group_id,group_name,group_description)
groups_contacts(group_id,contact_id)

Your query would then look like this (untested)

SELECT DISTINCT(gc.contact_id),c.*
FROM group_contacts AS gc
LEFT JOIN contacts c ON c.contact_id = gc.contact_id;

Oops, that query should be like this (again untested):

SELECT DISTINCT(gc.contact_id),c.*
FROM group_contacts AS gc
LEFT JOIN contacts c ON c.contact_id = gc.contact_id
WHERE gc.group_id = 1
OR gc.group_id = 2;

yes, that's right

[Stephen]

another uestion. i know there is a way to make drop downs so that can only
pick a certian item...they only use like 5 or 10 sgroups how do i make the
drop down so it can be selected
"strawberry" <za*******@gmail.comwrote in message
news:11**********************@s13g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...

>
Stephen wrote:

>yopu say 3 tables...contacts is the table and the stuff in the () is the
fiels names?
"strawberry" <za*******@gmail.comwrote in message
news:11**********************@h48g2000cwc.googleg roups.com...

strawberry wrote:
Stephen wrote:
I volunteer for a non-for profit group and they have alot of names
in a
multiple databases. the problem is that some people are in multiple
databases. and if they send out a mailing from multiple databases
some
people get 2 and 3 of the same thing. my idea was to either make or
find a
program that has everyone is 1 database and then make the people
part
of
multiple groups. (ex: bill is part of group a and b and im doing a
mailing
from both group i only want 1 piece of mail to go to him).

It can be a separate program or with access. that use access now but
i
cant
figure out how to make my idea work.

any question please ask.
tia
Stephen

First off you should only have ONE database!!!

Within that database there should be 3 tables:

contacts(contact_id,f_name,l_name,street1,street2 ,email1address,etc,etc)
groups(group_id,group_name,group_description)
groups_contacts(group_id,contact_id)

Your query would then look like this (untested)

SELECT DISTINCT(gc.contact_id),c.*
FROM group_contacts AS gc
LEFT JOIN contacts c ON c.contact_id = gc.contact_id;

Oops, that query should be like this (again untested):

SELECT DISTINCT(gc.contact_id),c.*
FROM group_contacts AS gc
LEFT JOIN contacts c ON c.contact_id = gc.contact_id
WHERE gc.group_id = 1
OR gc.group_id = 2;

yes, that's right

[Stephen]

and do i need a primary key
"strawberry" <za*******@gmail.comwrote in message
news:11**********************@s13g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...

>
Stephen wrote:

>yopu say 3 tables...contacts is the table and the stuff in the () is the
fiels names?
"strawberry" <za*******@gmail.comwrote in message
news:11**********************@h48g2000cwc.googleg roups.com...

strawberry wrote:
Stephen wrote:
I volunteer for a non-for profit group and they have alot of names
in a
multiple databases. the problem is that some people are in multiple
databases. and if they send out a mailing from multiple databases
some
people get 2 and 3 of the same thing. my idea was to either make or
find a
program that has everyone is 1 database and then make the people
part
of
multiple groups. (ex: bill is part of group a and b and im doing a
mailing
from both group i only want 1 piece of mail to go to him).

It can be a separate program or with access. that use access now but
i
cant
figure out how to make my idea work.

any question please ask.
tia
Stephen

First off you should only have ONE database!!!

Within that database there should be 3 tables:

contacts(contact_id,f_name,l_name,street1,street2 ,email1address,etc,etc)
groups(group_id,group_name,group_description)
groups_contacts(group_id,contact_id)

Your query would then look like this (untested)

SELECT DISTINCT(gc.contact_id),c.*
FROM group_contacts AS gc
LEFT JOIN contacts c ON c.contact_id = gc.contact_id;

Oops, that query should be like this (again untested):

SELECT DISTINCT(gc.contact_id),c.*
FROM group_contacts AS gc
LEFT JOIN contacts c ON c.contact_id = gc.contact_id
WHERE gc.group_id = 1
OR gc.group_id = 2;

yes, that's right

[strawberry]

Stephen wrote:

and do i need a primary key

contacts(contact_id*,f_name,l_name,street1,street2 ,email1address,etc,etc)
groups(group_id*,group_name,group_description)
groups_contacts(group_id*,contact_id*)

* = Primary Key

Note that the Primary Key for the groups_contacts table is a
combination of both the group_id and the contact_id

[strawberry]

Stephen wrote:

another uestion. i know there is a way to make drop downs so that can only
pick a certian item...they only use like 5 or 10 sgroups how do i make the
drop down so it can be selected

This sounds like an access question. Sorry, I don't anything about
access!

[Stephen]

ok ty
"strawberry" <za*******@gmail.comwrote in message
news:11**********************@h48g2000cwc.googlegr oups.com...

>
Stephen wrote:

>and do i need a primary key

contacts(contact_id*,f_name,l_name,street1,street2 ,email1address,etc,etc)
groups(group_id*,group_name,group_description)
groups_contacts(group_id*,contact_id*)

* = Primary Key

Note that the Primary Key for the groups_contacts table is a
combination of both the group_id and the contact_id