The following list shows a few tips for determining your columns:
1. Don’t include calculated data:
In most cases, you should not store the result of calculations in tables. Instead, you can have Access perform the calculations when you want to see the result.
2. Store information in its smallest logical parts:
You may be tempted to have a single field for full names, or for product names along with product descriptions. If you combine more than one kind of information in a field, it is difficult to retrieve individual facts later. Try to break down information into logical parts; for example, create separate fields for first and last name, or for product name, category, and description.
Once you have refined the data columns in each table, you are ready to choose each table's primary key.
1. Don’t include calculated data:
In most cases, you should not store the result of calculations in tables. Instead, you can have Access perform the calculations when you want to see the result.
2. Store information in its smallest logical parts:
You may be tempted to have a single field for full names, or for product names along with product descriptions. If you combine more than one kind of information in a field, it is difficult to retrieve individual facts later. Try to break down information into logical parts; for example, create separate fields for first and last name, or for product name, category, and description.
Once you have refined the data columns in each table, you are ready to choose each table's primary key.
