When it comes to handling data there is nothing better than IT for speed and efficiency!
The question is; is it a database or spreadsheet that would best fill your needs? It could be Microsoft Access or Microsoft Excel or maybe even one of the very good open source programs available, but whatever your choice you need get the right tool for the job.
Making the right choice is critical if you want to access and update your information with maximum performance and accuracy, so how do we pick the program that will work best for your data.
In both database and spreadsheet, you can:
- Run powerful queries to sort and filter your data.
- Run sophisticated calculations to derive the information you want.
- Generate reports on your data and view them in multiple formats.
- Use forms to add, change, delete, and navigate your data easily.
- Create a mail merge - for example, to mass-produce address labels.
Both types of programs organize data in columns, which are also called fields, that store a particular kind of information, or data. At the top of each column, the first cell is used to label the column. The One difference in terminology is that what is called a row in a spreadsheet is called a record in database.
Comparison?
Excel is a spreadsheet software program not a database management system. It stores units of information in rows and columns of cells, called worksheets. Common tasks performed in Excel are the management of lists such as telephone numbers and personnel data.
Access is a database system and stores its data in tables that look much the same as worksheets but are designed for complex querying in relation to data stored in other tables and locations, and even in fields in other tables.
While both programs work well for managing various types of data, each one has clear advantages depending on those types of data and what you want to do with it.
Which do I choose?
Firstly: Is your data relational or not?If you can store your data logically in a single table or worksheet, then you should do it. Meaning that the data in each column is directly related and needs only to reside in a single, flat table in either spreadsheet or database. It should reside in and be updated in the same view. Data of this kind, contained in a single page or sheet is called flat or non-relational data.
If your data needs to be stored in more than one table, then you need a relational database. Each table is basically a description of a type of data. If you require a relational database, you've identified a one-to-many relationship in your data. For example, if you have a customer order database, one table will contain customer names and contact details while another will contain their orders. Each single customer may have many orders. You might want to have another table for order details as each order can have many different product line. This type of Relational data is best stored in a database.
It is always a challenge to organize data effectively for retrieval in an efficient manner and the more data you have, the more likely you are to need to store it in multiple tables of a database. To help manage your data and keep it accurate, both spreadsheet and datbase will provide you with unique identifiers.
In Access for instance, a primary key uniquely identifies each record, wheras
In Excel, each row is numbered and each column is denoted by a letter, so each cell or range of cells has a reference such as B5.
When to use a Database
Use a database when you:
- Require a relational database (multiple tables) to store your data.
- You may need to expand and add more tables in the future to an originally flat or non-relational data set.
For example, if you want to keep track of customer information such as first and last names, addresses, and telephone numbers, but that information may grow to include actions by customers such as orders, then consider starting your data project in database.
- Have a very large amount of data (thousands of entries).
For example, if you work in a large company and are required to store personnel information, then use a database.
- Have data that is mostly of the seen as text.
- Want to run complex queries.
- You have many people working in the database and want robust options to expose that data for updating.
For example, Access offers data access pages for the more technical user and forms if you want to be more user friendly.
When to use a Spreadsheet
Use a spreadsheet when you:
- Require a flat or non-relational view of your data (you do not need a relational database with multiple tables).
This is especially true if that data is mostly numeric—for example, if you want to maintain a financial budget for a given year.
- Want to run primarily calculations and statistical comparisons on your data - for example, if you want to show a cost/benefit analysis in your company's budget.
- Know your dataset is manageable in size (no more than 15,000 rows).
Whether you choose a database or a spreadsheet, protecting your data is a must!
No matter which program you choose, it's important that you know how to help protect your data. So, here are a few tips:
- Always create a backup copy of your file each time you update your data.
- Avoid blank cells in your rows and columns that contain data.
- Use Show/Hide options to remove critical data from view where possible.
- Take measures to control user access to your data to help protect it. Security measures include:
Encryption
Password requirements
User-level permissions
Digital signatures
Read-only privileges
Creating a suitable spreadsheet or database can be a daunting prospect for those new to IT and the concept of theses options but getting rid of those old outdated filing systems will probably be the most effieciant and profitable step you'll ever take in your business.
If you would like to discuss your needs and recieve some helpful advice you can contact me for a no obligation chat about what you want to achieve and what I may be able to offer you!
I may be able to give you a little advice that will set you on the right path, I may recommend a ready made option or I may if I think its required offer to design and build an option to suit your requirements from bottom up! That shouldn't frighten you as simple spreadsheets can start at just £50
Contact me now to see if I can help
If you would like to see how a simple spreadsheet can be used as a cost risk analysis tool you can download an excel spreadsheet right here Free of charge
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