If I were to create a database table(s) to tract most common repairs to different appliances I can't decide if it would be better to create one table with a long ENUM column that contains repairs that could be attributed to any appliance or different repair tables for each appliance. All the tables would describe the same thing -- a repair -- however the the things being repaired are different in nature which means a great deal of types of repairs that do not relate. Here is an example.
repair_wash_mach ID INT, Date DATE, Tech_ID INT, Type ENUM( 'leak', 'motor_coupler', 'pump', 'controls', 'agitator') repair_dish_washer ID INT, Date DATE, Tech_ID INT, Type ENUM( 'drain_arm', 'drive_belt', 'door_latch', 'spray_arm', 'drain_valve') repair_refridgerator ID INT, Date DATE, Tech_ID INT, Type ENUM( 'circ_fan', 'compressor', 'disps_line', 'drain_pan', 'feeler_arm') Or since they are all repairs should they be in one table with a REALLY long ENUM table -- that will need to me altered as the number of appliances will most likely increase? ID INT, APPLIANCE VARCHAR(35), Date DATE, Tech_ID INT, Type ENUM( 'leak', 'motor_coupler', 'pump', 'controls', 'agitator', 'drain_arm', 'drive_belt', 'door_latch', 'spray_arm', 'drain_valve', 'circ_fan', 'compressor', 'disps_line', 'drain_pan', 'feeler_arm')
