Nonnormal Excel data Access - Microsoft Access Forum


	Back to Access Forum Comments List

Nonnormal Excel data Access

Tim Gilbert

5 years ago

Thank you for your time.  I would appreciate any specific topic for study or videos to watch to help me with a project.

I am learning Access with the hopes of converting (? importing ?) my huge Excel based Health-Fitness log into Access which seems like a better fit. I have about 20 years of data in Excel with a mostly, not wholly, consistent format (it made sense at the time....less so in retrospect).  The way I laid out the Excel data makes a straight import seem far from practical.

Based on the Excel data, I have built a preliminary structure for the tables (image attached).  It seems like improving my Access Forms skill would be my best next study topic. I have a very basic understanding, but my aspiration is to have a forms for each activity type that would allow all the data entry that activity regardless of how many parts it has - such as the date and each movement/set/reps/weight for a strength training activity. (FYI - I am taking the Access Beginner classes...very good stuff!)

The attached image shows the table relationship I am considering for the database. I would also appreciate any constructive suggestions for the database relationships.

Thanks again
Tim

	Tim Gilbert OP @Reply 5 years ago

Richard Rost @Reply

5 years ago

Hi Tim. Moving your data from Excel to Access is definitely a step in the right direction. Excel is fine for small bits of data, but if you've got YEARS worth of data, then yes, it's time. Your relationships look OK to me "at a glance." However, without analyzing your needs in depth, I really can't tell if everything is exactly as it should be. I will suggest you wait until you have at least finished Expert Level 1 and Level 2. I spend a lot of time on relationships in those lessons. I see you're only up to Beginner Level 4 right now. Just be patient. LEARN the concepts I'm covering. Build MY database. Then once you've finished at least the first 2 Expert classes, then start modeling your database.

	Richard Rost @Reply 5 years ago
Plus, I'm sure with a database that complicated, you're going to need some Many to Many relationships, which I cover in Access Expert 7. Importing data from Excel is mostly covered in Access Expert 20, however I do have a TechHelp video coming up soon discussing how to import data from two sheets that "should" be related (Customers and Orders).

Tim Gilbert OP @Reply

5 years ago

Great! Thank you for the quick reply! I know I have a long way to go and I am patient...it took me a long time to build the Excel file so if I take a few months (or more) to make the transition. I am OK. While also learning Access I am slowly working on reorganizing the Excel data to make it more normal.

I am also thinking of ideas for other databases that would be on a smaller scale. One is the created a database for all the Engineering articles (I'm a structural engineer) I have saved over my career. That might only have 4 or 5 tables.

Thanks again!

	Richard Rost @Reply 5 years ago
Great idea. One of the ways I learned Access was to take some things that were hobbies and I turned them into databases. I made one for my baseball card collection, and at the time I used to play Dungeons & Dragons so I made a database to store my characters, their stats, equipment, etc. It was a lot of fun. You learn more when you don't equate it with WORK. :)

This thread is now CLOSED. If you wish to comment, start a NEW discussion in Access Forum.

Next Unseen