table design newbie question

From: sanket <sanket_at_wcommunities.com>
Date: 10 May 2002 23:39:27 -0700
Message-ID: <91bce909.0205102239.60e41401@posting.google.com>

This is a question that has been bugging me for some time now.

I am making an ERP for a small Packaging Company in Oracle and VB

It has an Item Master (Parts Table/ Item Header) Its got certain fields that take in a Unit of Measurement(UOM) . I want to restrict the UOM entries to those found in the table 'UnitsOfMeasure'

Table UnitsofMeasure as it currently looks: UOM (Text) : The name of of UOM UOMDescription (Text) : Short Description for the UOM

What are the advantages of:

1. Adding a dummy serial number Primary Key in the Units of Measure Table
2. Alternatively, making the Field 'UOM' as Primary Key
3. Alternatively, Changing the design to
UOMID               (Text) : A 5 Character Unique ID

UOMShortDescription (Text) : The displayed UOM UOMLongdescription (Text) : Available only in certain reports

What are the issues that should have bearing on this decision: Number of rows in table?
Maintainability of Code?
Others?

Your answers will be applicable to all my future table design decisions.

Regards,
Sanket Saraf Received on Sat May 11 2002 - 01:39:27 CDT