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Database design issue

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    Database design issue

    Hopefully, someone can help with this issue. Our company uses Alpha 5 (currently 5 ver 7) to manage information related to our employees. The type of information includes HR information as well as a large stack of safety and security certifications. Approx 12 office users access and use the system on a daily basis.

    The problem I've run into, is the constantly evolving and changing nature of the information we have to record. I get constant requests to update the database to ad new fields for the latest safety or security certification.

    What I would like to do is create an administrative module for my program (please note, all access is through the web, no desktop) so that end users can
    add new fields into the database.

    Anyone out there have experience with this?

    #2
    Re: Database design issue

    May be time to normalize the tables. Sounds like you add a new field and change the structure when a new certification crops up. If I'm guessing correctly you could use one table for all the possible certifications. Think of it as a supporting list, the users must choose from. Then convert the separate columns in your existing table into separate records.

    Example:

    If the data structure is like this:

    Name, Fire Cert, First Aid Cert, Top secret Cert

    change it into three records like this:
    Name, Cert
    Name, Cert
    Name, Cert

    In the first the Cert field would hold "Fire"
    In the second, "First Aid"
    In the third, "Top Secret"

    Doing it this way your users could add new "certifications" to the lookup (supporting list) table and then anyone could use them. No change in table structure needed.

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Database design issue

      Tom,

      Thanks for taking the time to post. I think I understand what your saying, however, I'm not exactly sure how to implement it. Do I create one table
      listing all of the certifications? Then how do I reference that in the master
      table containing the actual data associated with each employee.

      -

      To further explain our system. The system was created after the workload of maintaining all of this data on an excel spreadsheet became too much.
      For each of our employees, dozens of certifications, security data, etc is
      associated. Currently, approximately 150 unique information points are associated with each employee. Each employee has a unique set of data associated. For example, under first aid, each employee has an expiry date, certificate number, trainer.

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Database design issue

        Maybe I can expound on this a bit.

        you have a master table called employee.

        one to many to certifications that can hold as many certifications as you need.

        in a form you would have that emplyee record and possibly a browse on the child for the certs.

        May I suggest going one more step and have a lookup table lookcerts not connected but as a lookup for certifications. This way all possible certs are there and can be added to. set the lookup so it gets the closest lookup, but has to be in that table. fire is not the same as fre and certified technician is not the same as cert tech. Any searches for fire will show up all of them correctly and there will be noone missed becaues it is fre.
        Dave Mason
        [email protected]
        Skype is dave.mason46

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