This post discusses our experience of creating a relational database for company which to store all its information Excel files.

Excel spread sheets is good for analysis purposes like pivot tables, calculations but very inefficient for data storage purpose. We cannot access data easily and compiling reports for operational departments is very complicated.

How to model Flat file into RDBMS? For that reason we have to study business process then design an entity relation diagram. Here is a scenario we aced

The data was extracted from MS Excel flat files then transformed and loaded into MS Access and modeled into RDMS format. Created tables to store Master data about all accounts including customers, suppliers, employees and entity related to Altech business. Designed tables to record financial and material transactions and coordinated with Accounts departments to create general.

In the above case we did the iterative process first excel sheet data was imported MS Access.

Below is simple example to show how falt is modeled into RDBS and its advantages for data storage.

Excel Flat file

Products table

Sales transaction in RDBMS format

Additional tables were created to break up the one single large table.

Created customers table to hold their master data.

Created products table to hold their master data

Created transaction table business transaction like sales to customers.

Advantages of storing data in RDBMS.

1-In flat file if the customer move we have to change address in every transaction stored in Excel Sheet. In RDBMS if change address in master database of customer table we do not have to change address in every sales transaction because they transaction store the customer id which is foriegn key in transaction table.

2- Fast data entry

3- easy management of data

4- flexible reporting.

5-If want to analyze the data the data from RDBMS can be exported into Excel files for analyses purposes.

Data profeDemonstrated experience and expertise with SAS programming language required.
Demonstrated experience using advanced Excel features and techniques required. Demonstrated experience in analysis and presentation of data required. Experience working with a variety of information systems and data files, including large and complex files: analyzing file structure, using and creating file layouts, transforming raw data into finished products. Familiarity with various types and sources of health care information, including financial and patient-level data files.

Familiarity with Washington State Comprehensive Hospital Abstract Reporting System (CHARS) desirable.
Experience with database application development (e.g., Microsoft Access) desirable. Strong communication skills, both written and spoken. Comfortable working independently, with experience working in a team environment. Skills in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with WSHA members and staff. Physical ability to use computer hardware and software required. Ability to read, write, speak and understand English required. Educational, Experience and/or Licensing Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or higher in relevant field.
Undergraduate or graduate coursework in statistics, data analysis, research methods.
2-5 years experience in data analysis, decision support, including demonstrated proficiency with analytical software.

When I joined the company in 1995 most of the accounting data was recorded in Manual registers ledgers / spreadsheets consequently extensive time was spent on preparing reports and making timely decisions.

In 1996, I initiated utilization of MS Access and led the logical data modeling of the Altech, and gradual implementation of RDMB format in MS Access. The data in MS Excel flat files was imported into MS Access and transformed into RDMS format. Created tables to store Master data about all accounts including customers, suppliers, employees and entity related to Altech business. Designed tables to record financial and material transactions and coordinated with Accounts departments to create general ledger and related reports in Crystal reports 8-9.

In 2000 this data base was upgraded to SQL Server 7 utilizing MS Access as front end using Access data project. All the data entry forms and reports were upgraded accordingly. From 2000 to 2002 all the data was centralized in a SQL Server database on server. This facilitates the in-depth business analyses through Crystal reports 9-10 and fast and correct data entry using MS Access Forms.

During the approximately 10 year of my first job, I learned and mastered several concepts of data management such as changing dimensions, notably how to keep track of historical data. For example every month company’s 300 production employees were rotated into different departments and issue was to produce employee historical reports. Database was extended to keep the monthly production activities of employees. New reports were developed in Crystal Reports in Crystal Reports 10 for example complete individual employee performance for any time span, departmental performance. Labor cost by production activities.

Automated the posting of inventory data to financial ledgers for example as soon as new raw material received it was stored in inventory table and updates vendor accounts and material accounts.

My first job set the foundation of database technologies, logical data modeling techniques like entity relationship diagram and translating these into physical model. Understanding of transact SQL Statements, Data input strategies and mastering Crystal reports software for preparing meaningful information, data cleansing/scrubbing and when to use to text files for data and spread sheets.

Source: Data mining concepts and techniques by Jiawei Han and Micheline Kamber

Pulling data into unbound conrols

1- Fill the combo box; create a query (or use an existing table) that contains the data you want to present, plus any other fields you want filled in automatically once the user makes a choice. Later steps will be simpler if you make sure the value to be displayed in the combo box is the first field in the table or query, but doing so is’nt umperative.

2-Prepare the combo box; set the column widths property so that the correct column is visible and the othe columns are invisible. If the first column you want displayed and you have 5 columns total, your column widths setting would be :0:0;0;0

This value tells Access to use the default width for the first column and 0 width (hidden) for the next 4 columns.

3-Prepare the other controls: Set the controlsource property for each of the controls into which you want data pulled. In each case, set the control source property to

YourCombo.column(n)

where yourcombo is the control name property of the combo and n is the column number(Starting at 0) you want pulled into the control.

Once you set up the form Access take care of the rest. Anytime the Combo Box changes, the other controls on the form will recalculate and pull the value they need from combo box. It takes absolutely no programming.

Pushing Data into bound controls

If you need to fill in controls that are bound, their control source property is not empty; therefore, you can’t use the pull method described in the previous section. Instead you’ need to push data into controls you’ve madea choice from the combo or list box. That is also simple but would require very little programming. The steps are same as above but you need to leave the controlsource property of the text bound to data fields. To apply push method, you attach code to the afterupdate eventof the Combo or list box, which will fill the appropriate controls. In the example form,frm push text, the code just loop through all the columns and send out data to each of the four conveniently named text boxes;

dim intI as integer

for intI = 1to 4

Me.controls(“txtbox”&intI)=1st.column(intI)