Business Boosters
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Spreadsheet
to Database
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Make entering and
changing information easy and consistent: Why do this? In addition to making data entry much easier, a database allows you to administer and analyse your business accurately and flexibly because you control the way information is added or changed. You can find the record you want quickly, standardise information added using drop down lists, avoid repeating information, ensure dates are formatted, sort and search records quickly and safely, isolate different groups of records, run detailed and summary reports. Perhaps you are already using Access but not benefiting from some of its many features. Spreadsheets are great for all manner of calculations and, up to a point, handling records like your list of members, contacts, clients, suppliers, customers, staff, employees, products and so on. But the design of a spreadsheet can become complex and difficult to update because it is not easily documented. As a result, a spreadsheet can contain calculation errors which are hard to identify. Some user operations can unintentionally introduce errors - for example, when sorting records which aren't in table form. A database solves all these and other difficulties, and provides many advantages. Consider making such a change if any of what follows seems relevant: You need easier, faster and safer sorting and searching of your records or you need to isolate groups of records and treat them differently. You are sometimes repeating information that you enter. A database usually only requires you to add details once for each customer, product, order, etc. And for your sales analysis and other annual measurements there is no need to create new worksheets from one year to the next. Data entry is a chore. A database can at least simplify the task by providing a form for each customer, product, member of staff etc which makes viewing, adding, editing and deleting records easier and less prone to error. The simple illustrations above illustrate the use of a database data entry form, compared to a standard spreadsheet view. A database can ensure that information is added systematically, so that only the correct model number, account number, product description, week commencing date, job title etc can be selected and entered. Differently formatted date entries (and even invalid dates) are often encountered in spreadsheets. Database reports can easily summarise by required period, customer, model, region etc. A database structure is more clearly defined and therefore more easily modified or updated. Its also easier to ensure the accuracy of summary reports. A database can ensure that duplicated or blank entries are avoided. A database can make it impossible to repeat existing account or model numbers etc when adding a new record, or ensure that required information is always added. A database can allow more than one person to use the same application file at the same time and ensure that adding and editing data is controlled. Do any of these considerations seem relevant to drawbacks you may encounter when using a spreadsheet? We’ll be happy to have a chat about your requirements and if you wish give you a free illustration of how a database alternative would look plus a competitive quotation and timescale for conversion. You might also want to talk to us if you are already using an Access database simply as a table of rows and columns, and would like to improve what it does for you and your organisation. |
