Small business database? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Polyphobic · 08-08-2004, 10:30 AM

My father in-law is looking for a small business database.
The requirements are quite small and are:
1) Each record contains approximately 50 fields.
2) It needs to pass data to excel.
3) Have moderate reporting skills.
4) User friendly.

My problem is that I am trained with the larger databases (Oracle, etc) and do not have any recommendations to give him for more affordable software package. Does anyone have any recommendations?

So far I have the following:
1) File Maker Pro 7.0: expensive but looks full featured.
2) Database Professional by Avanquest: not familiar with this company but it has the features he is looking for. Plus it is inexpensive.

thanks for the help

ratbastid · 08-08-2004, 11:58 AM

Microsoft Access (much as I shudder to recommend a MS product) is probably exactly what he's looking for.

He can design the fields however he wants them. It integrates flawlessly with Excel. It has extensive reporting skills. And once he learns it, it's very user-friendly.

Problem with Access newbies (though it's true of new users of databases in general) is that they try to treat the database like a spreadsheet. It's not. It's not built for calculations and grids, it's built for record-and-field oriented data storage and retrieval.

sailor · 08-08-2004, 01:44 PM

Sounds like a job for Access.

Yes, Im serious.

steveincolumbus · 08-08-2004, 01:51 PM

Not that i know anything about databases, but I know we use Desktop engine in place of MS SQL for some small jobs and I run it on my laptop for testing software and giving demo's...
But i know nothing about it really.....

itlain · 08-08-2004, 02:09 PM

I'm in the Army and we use Access for our company database. It sounds exactly like what you are looking for. We have approx. 75 fields per person and close to 330 entries in there. Integrates flawlessly into excel and I learned the basics in less than 3 hours or so. Now I'm pretty good with it and can make them do whatever I want. While I don't agree with all of MS they do make a quality product and you really can't beat the integration on them. The price is pretty reasonable too compared to some of the pure database programs.

Polyphobic · 08-08-2004, 02:39 PM

I mentioned access to him as my first suggestion. Apparently, he finds it not very user friendly. My father in-law is not computer savy. Personally, I find it insanely easy after certifying in Oracle.
Any other suggestions?

thanks

sailor · 08-09-2004, 04:47 AM

If he finds Access difficult, good luck getting him set up on a real database...

glytch · 08-09-2004, 06:28 AM

Is there any way you could create forms for him using Access, so all he would have to worry about is typing in the information? That would make it insanely easy and he wouldn't have to worry about any of the backend stuff. Also, if you know any VB, it's incredibly easy to whip up a small program that can interact with his database and do anything you'd like.

onetime2 · 08-09-2004, 07:12 AM

I've used Filemaker extensively in the past and it is miles ahead of Access in terms of user friendliness. Its logic is also very intuitive.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

That being said, how much data is in each field and how many records will he be creating?

Excel allows for more than 16,000 rows and 250+ columns on each sheet. Unless the cells need to contain more characters than Excel allows, why not use Excel since he's already comfortable with it?

onetime2 · 08-09-2004, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by glytch
Is there any way you could create forms for him using Access, so all he would have to worry about is typing in the information? That would make it insanely easy and he wouldn't have to worry about any of the backend stuff. Also, if you know any VB, it's incredibly easy to whip up a small program that can interact with his database and do anything you'd like.

Very good thought.

Polyphobic · 08-09-2004, 07:43 AM

I convinced him to use Access. My plan is to throw together a database and use forms to make it easier for him. The requirements of this db are pathetically small and Access may even be an overkill. Something like 500 records with 15-50 fields.

thanks for the help

ratbastid · 08-09-2004, 08:50 AM

Are you really sure that a database is the thing he needs? The data you describe would work well in a spreadsheet, and some clever sorting would probably work in place of database queries. Especially given he's already proficient in Excel...

A lot of times my clients will tell me they need X when they really need Y. It's part of my job to gently convince them otherwise.

An Access forms interface might help him, but he'll be hamstrung if it ever needs structural changes. You know, if you move away or anything...

onetime2 · 08-09-2004, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by onetime2

That being said, how much data is in each field and how many records will he be creating?

Excel allows for more than 16,000 rows and 250+ columns on each sheet. Unless the cells need to contain more characters than Excel allows, why not use Excel since he's already comfortable with it?

Quote:

Originally posted by ratbastid
Are you really sure that a database is the thing he needs? The data you describe would work well in a spreadsheet, and some clever sorting would probably work in place of database queries. Especially given he's already proficient in Excel...

A lot of times my clients will tell me they need X when they really need Y. It's part of my job to gently convince them otherwise.

Great minds and all that good stuff.

08-08-2004, 10:30 AM	#1 (permalink)
Polyphobic Runt Location: Denver	Small business database? My father in-law is looking for a small business database. The requirements are quite small and are: 1) Each record contains approximately 50 fields. 2) It needs to pass data to excel. 3) Have moderate reporting skills. 4) User friendly. My problem is that I am trained with the larger databases (Oracle, etc) and do not have any recommendations to give him for more affordable software package. Does anyone have any recommendations? So far I have the following: 1) File Maker Pro 7.0: expensive but looks full featured. 2) Database Professional by Avanquest: not familiar with this company but it has the features he is looking for. Plus it is inexpensive. thanks for the help __________________ <--The great infidel-->

08-08-2004, 01:44 PM	#3 (permalink)
sailor beauty in the breakdown Location: Chapel Hill, NC	Sounds like a job for Access. Yes, Im serious. __________________ "Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." --Plato

08-08-2004, 02:09 PM	#5 (permalink)
itlain Upright Location: Fort Lewis, WA	I'm in the Army and we use Access for our company database. It sounds exactly like what you are looking for. We have approx. 75 fields per person and close to 330 entries in there. Integrates flawlessly into excel and I learned the basics in less than 3 hours or so. Now I'm pretty good with it and can make them do whatever I want. While I don't agree with all of MS they do make a quality product and you really can't beat the integration on them. The price is pretty reasonable too compared to some of the pure database programs. __________________ Support the troops, if not the war.

08-08-2004, 02:39 PM	#6 (permalink)
Polyphobic Runt Location: Denver	I mentioned access to him as my first suggestion. Apparently, he finds it not very user friendly. My father in-law is not computer savy. Personally, I find it insanely easy after certifying in Oracle. Any other suggestions? thanks __________________ <--The great infidel-->

08-09-2004, 04:47 AM	#7 (permalink)
sailor beauty in the breakdown Location: Chapel Hill, NC	If he finds Access difficult, good luck getting him set up on a real database... __________________ "Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." --Plato

08-08-2004, 11:58 AM	#2 (permalink)
ratbastid Darth Papa Location: Yonder	Microsoft Access (much as I shudder to recommend a MS product) is probably exactly what he's looking for. He can design the fields however he wants them. It integrates flawlessly with Excel. It has extensive reporting skills. And once he learns it, it's very user-friendly. Problem with Access newbies (though it's true of new users of databases in general) is that they try to treat the database like a spreadsheet. It's not. It's not built for calculations and grids, it's built for record-and-field oriented data storage and retrieval.

08-08-2004, 01:51 PM	#4 (permalink)
steveincolumbus Psycho Location: BFE, Kentucky	Not that i know anything about databases, but I know we use Desktop engine in place of MS SQL for some small jobs and I run it on my laptop for testing software and giving demo's... But i know nothing about it really.....

08-09-2004, 06:28 AM	#8 (permalink)
glytch I am not permanent. Location: Tennessee	Is there any way you could create forms for him using Access, so all he would have to worry about is typing in the information? That would make it insanely easy and he wouldn't have to worry about any of the backend stuff. Also, if you know any VB, it's incredibly easy to whip up a small program that can interact with his database and do anything you'd like. __________________ If you're flammable and have legs, you are never blocking a fire exit. - Mitch Hedberg

08-09-2004, 07:12 AM	#9 (permalink)
onetime2 Junkie Location: NJ	I've used Filemaker extensively in the past and it is miles ahead of Access in terms of user friendliness. Its logic is also very intuitive. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. That being said, how much data is in each field and how many records will he be creating? Excel allows for more than 16,000 rows and 250+ columns on each sheet. Unless the cells need to contain more characters than Excel allows, why not use Excel since he's already comfortable with it? __________________ Strive to be more curious than ignorant.

08-09-2004, 07:43 AM	#11 (permalink)
Polyphobic Runt Location: Denver	I convinced him to use Access. My plan is to throw together a database and use forms to make it easier for him. The requirements of this db are pathetically small and Access may even be an overkill. Something like 500 records with 15-50 fields. thanks for the help __________________ <--The great infidel-->

08-09-2004, 08:50 AM	#12 (permalink)
ratbastid Darth Papa Location: Yonder	Are you really sure that a database is the thing he needs? The data you describe would work well in a spreadsheet, and some clever sorting would probably work in place of database queries. Especially given he's already proficient in Excel... A lot of times my clients will tell me they need X when they really need Y. It's part of my job to gently convince them otherwise. An Access forms interface might help him, but he'll be hamstrung if it ever needs structural changes. You know, if you move away or anything...