Beginner Seeking Help: Building an Access Database for Volunteer Fire Department

[HerJoca]

Hello everyone,




I’m working on building a Microsoft Access database for a volunteer fire department, and as a beginner, I’m learning as I go with the help of ChatGPT. However, I’d love to get advice, guidance, and suggestions from experienced Access users to ensure I’m building this database effectively and efficiently.
Goals of the Database:

1. Member Management:
   
   
   
   
   • Store detailed information about members, including personal details, training, medical records, and roles within the organization.
   • Provide a way to easily search for and retrieve member data.
   
   
2. Data Export:
   
   
   
   
   • Allow users to export selected member data to Excel or PDF.
   • Enable flexible selection of which fields to include in the export.
   
   
3. Additional Features (Future Development):
   
   
   
   
   • Equipment Management: Track inventory and assign items (e.g., helmets, uniforms) to specific members.
   • Financial Records: Manage membership fees or donations.
   • Meeting and Activity Tracking: Record attendance at meetings, training sessions, and interventions.
   • Customizable Reports: Generate detailed reports based on filters and selected data.
   
   
4. Ease of Use:
   
   
   
   
   • The database will be used in Access Runtime, so it needs to be intuitive and secure, with minimal chance for users to make accidental changes.

Progress So Far:

1. Table for Members:
   
   
   
   
   • I’ve created a table that stores key member information, including name, contact details, medical data, training, and roles within the organization.
   
   
2. Basic Forms:
   
   
   
   
   • A data entry form for adding and updating member information.
   • A form that allows users to select fields for export.
   
   
3. Preliminary Export Functionality:
   
   
   
   
   • Currently, I’m working on exporting selected fields to Excel or PDF. I’m trying to do this with minimal or no VBA code.

Challenges and Questions:

1. Scalability: How can I structure the database so it’s efficient and easy to expand when new features are added (e.g., equipment management, financial tracking)?
2. Export Functionality: I want users to select fields to export (e.g., Name, Birth Date) through a form. Is there a way to achieve this without heavy reliance on VBA?
3. Best Practices for Access Runtime: What should I consider to make the database foolproof and secure for users who will work only in Runtime?

Why I’m Asking Here:While ChatGPT has been helpful for learning and troubleshooting, I believe the collective experience of this community can offer insights and best practices that will take my project to the next level. Every bit of advice, from structuring tables to optimizing forms, will be greatly appreciated!
Thank you in advance for your help! I’m eager to hear your suggestions and learn from your expertise.
Best regards,
A motivated beginner on a mission 😊

[Welshgasman]

Crossposted https://www.access-programmers.co.uk...rtment.333248/

[NoellaG]

Years ago (around 2000) I was contracted to create a similar application in Access. It was a contract of +/- 6 months and it took 2 weeks analysing to create an approved analysis document. So, forgive us if we can't give a meaningful answer.
In any case I would consider already existing applications in your case. It is not really a beginners mission :-) .

[June7]

• I’ve created a table that stores key member information, including name, contact details, medical data, training, and roles within the organization

Only one table for all this? If you want meaningful advice on your efforts so far, provide db for analysis. Follow instructions at bottom of my post.

Can certainly export without VBA by interacting with ribbon or using macros but why would you want to? And you will need VBA for the sort of dynamic export you described.

[davegri]

I suspect that reaching your final goal is going to be an effort greater than you currently imagine, especially without heavy use of VBA. Training and Certification is a whole project within itself.
Attached is a database that I worked developing about 5 years ago with a user that decided that the effort was indeed too great for his organization to embrace. As a result, the attached has loose ends and stubs, but is a fairly solid framework that you might get ideas from and grasp the amount of VBA required to get that far. This simple database has 25 tables, and 23 forms/subforms.

FireHouse-davegri-v03.zip

[alansidman]

this white paper may be helpful.

[jojowhite]

this white paper may be helpful.

you forgot to quote the source of this white paper for proper attribution.
there is also similar white paper from microsoft:
Database design basics - Microsoft Support

[alansidman]

@jojowhite
If you opened the document, then in the beginning you would see the following:

By Paul Litwin

This paper was part of a presentation at a Microsoft TechEd conference in the mid 1990s. It was adapted from Microsoft Access 2 Developer's Handbook, Sybex 1994, by Ken Getz, Paul Litwin and Greg Reddick. Reprinted with permission of the publisher.

[jojowhite]

i must have over read that part, sorry.