Re: How can I make my spreadsheet data relational?

On Sun, 26 Aug 2001 16:54:24 -0700, "M.L." <mel2000_at_hotmaildot.com> wrote:

>I'm trying to move my data from a flat-file spreadsheet to a relational
>database. The problem is that one of my fields points to a list of choices.
>For example:
>
>where the (shortened) header is
>
>sku,category,price,wt,size, description
>
>The category field could be one of many store departments such as
>1. computers,
>2. automotive,
>3. jewelry, etc.
>
>I'm having trouble modeling the category in relation to its sku number. I'm
>sure they're related but I don't know how to link them in a relational
>database.

It depends on whether "category" means

 a group of related products
 a group of products you might find shelved in a particular department  a group of products rung up in a particular department  or something else entirely

If I were working on it, I'd look into just buying some accounting software. Quickbooks works for me. YMMV.

>And does each table need to be in a separate file?

How a table is stored is irrelevant when you're doing logical design. That's part of the power of relational systems. You don't need to worry about how things are stored; you just worry about what they're called. "Tables is tables, 'n that's all there is to't."

>I've tried
>looking at some info on schema and ERD data modeling but could not get much
>out of it. This is all new to me.

Chances are that, if you're using desktop database software like Access, Approach, or dBASE, the manuals have a gentle introduction to database design.

>Should I continue using my spreadsheet for
>this case?

For the time being, you should probably use the spreadsheet. Better to use a spreadsheet you understand than to rush headlong into something you don't. ("Running headlong into a briar patch is easy. Running headlong out of one is a whole different story.")

-- 
Mike Sherrill
Information Management Systems