When you are starting off writing an Access database the temptation is to launch straight into it. My advice is to start off with a large white piece of flip chart paper and map out all your data tables with their fields and relationships on it. This will really help you to focus on the data which is most important and where fields should be stored.
Top five tips for creating a database
- Map out your data tables on paper first
- Don’t duplicate data fields other than the primary keys where necessary
- Test out using data table entry first before creating forms
- Introduce some simple queries to test out the relationships
- Always involve your customers from the start – never develop in isolation
