Basics of Database Design

As with any project, taking time to plan for the future now will save you and your company a lot of time down the road. A common mistake with the development of the database is that the designer can not think of the future. This usually leads to the development of a database that is able to manage all the demands of society. Unfortunately, once a database is created and implemented, it is very difficult to go back and make changes. This is why planning ahead is so important. I provided some tips below that will help you avoid these common mistakes. With a bit 'of planning and hard work, the database will be able to work to its full potential.

Before you even look at your computer, sit with a pad of paper and brainstorm. Create a list of all the things you want your database to do (ie, inventory tracking, customer contact, billing, shipping, etc..) Once you have done this, create a sub-list for each object who came up with the previous step. This list should include all items or information that should be collected. For example, if you want to track a shipment, you will probably want to collect information such as date of shipment, the shipping method, shipping cost, shipping details such as weight and dimensions, delivery date, etc. Remember to think in advance for what you want to do with this information later. This information, for example, can be used to estimate the shipping costs for the following year based on the costs of the previous year.

After completing the list, it's time to start the basic design of the database. At this point, many designers start thinking about creating forms and reports. However, the most important step after brainstorming is to develop your own tables. Once these tables are created, it will be difficult to change later. For this reason, take your time and make sure you have everything you need.

The next step is to test the tables. Take the information you have at your disposal (previous sales records, etc.) and see if all the information can be placed somewhere that is easily accessible. This will ensure that you can at least collect what you have already collected.

As a last suggestion, add a "comment" to your tables so that notes can be made to the data. This is particularly useful when trying to look back to the information later. A simple comment may help clarify the information that could otherwise be very difficult to understand ....