DB design to eliminate duplicates while avoiding comppound key fields

[jamarogers]

Hi All,
I'm getting back into Access after retiring and about 10 years of isolation (from Access). I have 2010 version and know that one should avoid duplicate entries and a way to do this is make those fields unique key fields. I have a Customers table and have bounced back between CusID (AutoNumber) and Compound Keys (CusFName and CusLName) as the key fields. The compound keys prevent duplicates but become very hard to work with later in code and expressions. The CusID is preferable from that standpoint, but can't prevent inadvertent entry of duplicate names.

What to do???



Thanks for any help advise and/or reference.
Jake

[June7]

Try setting all three fields as compound key but only use the CusID to link tables in queries and form/subform arrangements.

Alternative is to use VBA code to validate names.

[jamarogers]

Thank you June7...sometimes I can't see the forest for the trees. That sounds like a very good workable solution.