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Sunday, January 18, 2009 – Permalink –

Normalization

Designing an efficient database

Here is an understandable article about how to put together a normalized database.

One topic covered is what should be used for a Primary or foreign key.

"In general, a key field should have these characteristics:

Should be One Field

It is possible to define multiple fields as the key fields of a table, but a single field is preferable. ...Far better to have a CustomerID number than a combination of other fields to define a customer.

Should be Numeric

Access offers an AutoNumber field that is a Long Integer which is ideal for key fields. These values are automatically unique for each record and supports multi-user data entry as well.

Should Not Change Over Time

A key field should not change over time. Once identified, like a social security number, it should never change.

Should be Meaningless

To ensure a key field doesn’t change over time, it should have no meaning and therefore no reason to change over time.

Here are a few of the other topic headings:

Understanding Your Data

What Data Do You Need?

What Are You Going to Do with the Data?

How Is Your Data Related to Each Other?

What Is Going to Happen to the Data Over Time?

Learn How to Use Queries

Database Normalization Tips By Luke Chung, Founder and CEO of FMS Inc
Also see: Knowledgebase #283878: Description of the database normalization basics
15seconds.com: Introduction to Relational Databases
and:
Normalization Model

See all Topics

access
Labels: General, Tables

<Doug Klippert@ 3:54 AM

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