Database Development
It is easy to get overwhelmed with the overabundance of information available. Yet, perhaps now more than ever information is extremely vital. If information is to be useful it must be organized and easily accessible.
We create databases using FileMaker Pro, Microsoft Access, and MySQL. The first two are considered rapid development applications. This means that a database can be created and deployed in less time than a larger, enterprise system (e.g. Oracle, DB2, etc.). This is possible because both FileMaker and Microsoft Access combine a database engine with user interface (UI) tools.
Moreover, New Leaf Data has developed a framework in FileMaker Pro to greatly enhance development when using that software. To view this framework, see the screenshots below (all data is for demonstration purposes only and does not represent actual transactions).
How do I know if I need a database?
Not sure you need a database? Here are a few scenarios that may call for a database:
- Your data is in your head
- Your data is in word processing documents
- Your data is in spreadsheets
- The primary column(s) contain duplicate rows. For example, if you have a spreadsheet with names and addresses, the primary columns are the first and last name column (or simply a name column if the first and last name are combined).
- Column headings are appended with numbers or years. For example, an event spreadsheet contains information on people who attended events. The rows contain all the people and the columns contain the events, such as Event 1, Event 2, Event 3, etc. or Golf Outing 07, Golf Outing 08, Golf Outing 09, etc.
- The spreadsheet has a lot of cells that are empty. Empty cells take up space and makes searching and analyzing data cumbersome.
- The spreadsheet has cells within a column that has inconsistent data. For instance the Golf Outing column might have an "x" to keep track of who came. However, in one of the cells, something like "Part of day." This is an inconsistency in the data and can make it difficult to search. Controlling data inconsistencies is much easier to manage in a database.
While it is great to have a mental grasp of your business, it also important to have that information available when you are not.
Word processors are perhaps the easiest software applications to use, especially for taking a quick note. However, finding information and preventing duplication can quickly become burdensome as documents increase.
This is may be the most common scenario. The matrix structure of a spreadsheet makes it ideal for viewing information. However, spreadsheets are primarily for accounting and processing numbers. Here are four quick ways to determine if your spreadsheet would be better as a database:
