Rhonda The order in which the tables are created does not really matter. You can start with any table.
- Create a new database - In the database window and on tables tab click New and then Design View - Type the field name in the Field Name column, select data type in the Data Type column and description in the Description column. If this is the primary key (unique key in the table that must not be duplicated) then click on the key icon on the toolbar - Create the other fields. - Save and exit table design - Do the same for the remaining tables Once all the tables have been created, select Relationships from the Tools menu. A relationship window will appear. Add all the tables to the window. Drag the primary key of each table to the corresponding foreign key in the other tables (a field in one table which is not a primary key in this table but is a primary key in another table is called a foreign key). Check Enforce Referential Integrity and also check particularly Cascade Update Related Fields. Depending on your preference you may also check Cascade Delete Related Records. I hope this can keep you going for the next hour or so!!! Regards Liveson ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rhonda Jenkins" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, 10 April, 2006 17:52 Subject: RE: [ms_access] questions Hi Liveson Don't assume anything. I am familiar with the concept of databases but I have not used Access before other than to play around with the templates - trying to change them to suit my needs and ending up pulling my hair out in frustration. I *basically* understand what you told me. Here is what I am planning to do. Please tell me if this is correct. I should start a new database and create the five tables as you stated below. Should I start with the inventory table (Items with primary key ItemNo) first? Then move on to the customers table? Or do I have to build all five tables before I can do anything? ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Rhonda Sugar Bearz ~ Fine Quality Children's Gifts & Clothing www.sugarbearz.com -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Liveson Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 11:43 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [ms_access] questions Rhonda I assume you are a bit familiar with relational database management system which MS Access is all about. From your description I feel you should have the following tables with their primary and foreign keys: Customers with primary key CustomerID Orders with primary key OrderID and foreign keys, CustomerID and ItemNo Invoices with primary key InvoiceNo and foreign keys OrderID Items with primary key ItemNo Receipts with primary key ReceiptNo and foreign keys InvoiceNo and optionally CustomerID (it may not be necessary to have CustomerID field in this table because this table is related to Customers table through Invoices and Orders tables). These 5 basic tables can get you started. From your spreadsheet you should know which fields to add to each table. Create relationships of these tables based on primary and foreign keys. It is a good practice to enforce referential integrity at this point. Thereafter you can build your forms, queries, reports, etc but first the table structure should be solid. Once you have these properly set up let the group members know so that they can guide along the way. HTH Liveson ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rhonda Jenkins" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, 10 April, 2006 16:18 Subject: RE: [ms_access] questions I run a small internet retail store. Thus far I have been keeping my records (orders, inventory, invoices) in separate Excel spreadsheets. I want to start keeping my records in Access so that everything can be connected and I won't have to open several spreadsheets and enter the same information repeatedly. I just don't know where to start. I have found templates for customer order databases, inventory databases, etc. Wouldn't all of this need to be in one database to do what I want to do? In a nutshell, I want to be able to enter a customers name and address, the items they ordered, method of payment, etc. one time and have it spit out an invoice, and update my inventory records, update my expense sheet for shipping costs, etc. Is this possible? Where do I start? ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Rhonda Sugar Bearz ~ Fine Quality Children's Gifts & Clothing www.sugarbearz.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Yahoo! Groups Links _____ YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS * Visit your group "ms_access <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ms_access> " on the web. * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> . _____ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Yahoo! Groups Links Yahoo! 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