Multiple entries to one record without adding new field?

[Yamilet]

Hi,



I am creating a database for credentialing purposes of medical personnel. This should track licenses and certifications expiration dates but some of them have more than one license and/or more than one certificate. Is there a way to add to a record (i.e drop down) without having to add a field? Any help and/or suggestions is greatly appreciated.

[orange]

You should review Normalization. Here's one link http://support.microsoft.com/kb/209534
Here is a tutorial to help you with database and table design.
http://www.rogersaccesslibrary.com/T...lationship.zip

This process for creating/designing a database will help you.

[Yamilet]

Thanks, I will give that a try. I was reading a bit on the normalization and if I understand it correctly I would have to create an additional table each time? The database will be just for my personal use to make it easier for me to pull a report of the licenses and certifications that will expire that month.

[orange]

Work through the tutorial with the sample data in the "business write up" then try it with your own data.

I see

MedicalPersonnel

MedicalCategory

Certificate

Licence


Medical personnel could be from various categories (Dr, Nurse, Dental Hygenist.....
A MedicalPersonnel may have 1 or many Licences { could they have 0 licences or certificates}
A Certificate is from some "Officail body" and has an expiry date???

Whats the difference between a Licence and a Certificate? Define each of them until you're sure of the answer. Maybe they are the same thing, or maybe you can collapse them into a "Document"???

Good luck.

[Yamilet]

I guess I bit on more than I can chew LOL! I don't find the tutorial, do you know where could I find examples of similar databases? In the medical field the difference between a license and a certification is that the license is given by the state and allows you to exercise your profession as long as it is valid, a certificate can be granted by any organization (i.e school, training attended, etc) and in some instances does not expire but you have to retest every so often.

[orange]

Here's the tutorial. Open the pdf. Read it, try it.
http://www.rogersaccesslibrary.com/T...lationship.zip

The definitions are for your use. Are the differences significant? Do they represent truly different things? Do you need different attributes to record each? etc. etc. This is key to defining entities and relationships.

[Yamilet]

Great, thank you so much. I will attempt first to learn the "language" and then maybe give it another try. I appreciate all your help.

[orange]

Work through the sample, and there are more samples on this page
http://www.rogersaccesslibrary.com/forum/topic238.html

Then try it with your own data. You could try writing a small paragraph about your "business" similar to the sample, Then work though it using the guidelines in the tutorial.

There are steps to follow in order to build/design a database. Unfortunately, the M$oft marketing would have you believe that buy the software and "somehow" databases will get created. Hmmm... I don't think so.

But the process by Roger Carlson and Hernandez is very good.

Good luck with your project.