CDT - Creating and Managing a Database Lesson
Creating and Managing a Database Lesson
Introduction:
Every business and organization handles vast amounts of information. For example, building a customer or client base is essential to the growth and ultimate success. How would you organize and utilize customer records, preferences, communication records, feedback, survey results, and other related information?
A database is an organized collection of data. It allows you to add new data, edit existing data, and create various reports.
While there are specialized database software packages like Access, we can use Excel for managing our customer or client records. Excel allows you to sort, format, filter, edit, organize, and structure information. That’s all you need for working with databases!
Steps to Create a Database
Since you already know how to create tables in Excel, creating a database will not be too difficult for you! In this tutorial, you are the new clerk at the municipal courthouse, working in the traffic violations department. The previous clerk, who did not trust computer records, retired and you need to create an electronic database.
1. Create a new Excel workbook and save as Traffic Violations Database.
2. Rename the first worksheet to Master.
3. Enter the names of database fields (column headings) – use Traffic Violations Database Handout. (located under the Book Icon)
4. Enter data.
5. Adjust column widths if necessary.
6. Select all data and click Format as Table, on the Home menu.
7. Click Table Tools tab, select Design, and type in MASTER under Table Name (upper left corner).
8. Notice that our table now shows down arrows beside each field name.
9. If you click one of the down arrows, the dialog menu box appears.
10. This box contains Sort options that include filters, which allow you to display specific information based on the selected filter.
11. There is also Text Filters option on the Filters drop-down menu, with options like Equals, Does Not Equal, etc.
12. Filters are awesome for locating the specific data you need!
Because it’s possible to have multiple people with the same name, address, phone number, and email, our unique number (key field) is License Number. We now have a database but it’s not a relational database yet, as relational databases contain the master table and linked tables. The key field is used to connect a flat-file database (like the one we created in this lesson) to other associated databases (called relational databases).
If you need to make any changes, it’s very easy to add or edit tables, records, and fields. For example, you may want to update a customer address or phone number or add additional fields. In the next lesson, you will learn more about building related database tables.
Click on the interactive to learn more:
IMAGES CREATED BY GAVS