Single Data Form Put Data into Seperate specific tables

[trubry]

I am new to Microsoft Access. I have built two entry forms for product release information. I have a drop box under the label customer for each specific customer. I would like for this form to send the data entered in the form to the customer specific table from the customer names in the drop box. I have tried to research and execute this myself thus have been very unsuccessful. Any help is great appreciated.

[pbaldy]

It would typically be a serious design flaw to have customer specific tables. Do they hold different data for each customer (ie different fields)?

[trubry]

No the fields are the exact same for each table. I just want the form to recognize that when "A" Customer is selected in the form that the data entered moves to "A" Customer table.

[RayMilhon]

PBaldy is right your design is flawed badly. There is NO!! good reason to have multiple tables with exactly the same data elements.

[pbaldy]

I understand what you want, I'm just warning you that it would be a big violation of normalization rules. Typically you'd have one table, with a field to denote which customer the record is for. I suspect everything will flow much better for you with that design.

[trubry]

Understood. And thats what my original design was for. A field in the table noted which customer it was. I think my best route is to do a separate form and table for each customer. Thanks for your help

[pbaldy]

Trust me, you'll regret it in the long run (you did say you were new at this, so it's curious that you would disregard the advice of 2 experienced developers). Do it correctly now and you'll be much better off. You want one table and one form. It's easy to restrict a form to a specified customer. You don't want to have to create a new table and form every time you get a new customer.

[trubry]

O I wasnt trying to disregard your advice at all. I am new at this and guess I am just having issues wrapping my head around the whole thing. I like the idea of one table one form how does one restrict the form to specific customer? We only have a total of 5 clients (customers) and I dont see the number changing at all. Its basically a database for releases that we send to our clients. I really do appreciate your help and in no way disregarding it one bit.

[RayMilhon]

Without knowing the structure of your database it's hard to be specific. But you can create your form using the Form View you will only see one record at time. You can arrange the fields on the form in any manner you choose. The main thing to be aware of is if you're using a query to populate your form make sure it's an updateable query otherwise you will have to include a means in VBA to Save the record when modified.

[pbaldy]

It depends on how you want your application to flow. This is one way of restricting a form:

BaldyWeb wherecondition

If you're going to be in one form, another option is to base it on all customers and use a combo box to select which one you want to look at. That can be done with the combo box wizard, selecting the third option, "Find a record...".

[trubry]

I really do appreciate the help I really do. I figure if I provide a screen shot this could make it easier for you guys to see how my table is laid out. In the drop bar there is 5 customers in it. I would just want it to be organized in the one table like you guys have mentioned doing it the other way is a major flaw.
My fields go as following:
Customer (Contains Drop Box) Release Number Description (Drop Box) Install Date Notes.
Guess my question is now is there a way in the table that it would organize it for my five customers by customer? Once again thanks so much I know I am a pain in the arse!

[pbaldy]

A screen shot or sample db couldn't hurt. Did you try the combo box wizard on a form bound to that table? Do you have more than one record for each customer?

[trubry]

I did a combo box in the table which then transferred over to the Form. I will have multiple records for the customers since we have releases almost weekly and just want to have the actual table sort it by the customer name. I am working on getting you a screen shot

[pbaldy]

Most of us never let users into tables or queries; only forms and reports. Think of the table as a bucket you just dump data into. You give it order when you query it. In your case we might restrict the form to a given customer and also impose a sort order on it based on date.

It sounds like you may want two tables, but it depends on your data. Typically you might have a "customers" table with info about the customers, and a "releases" table with info about releases. That table would be related to the customers table on a customer ID field. More info about your data might yield better suggestions.

[trubry]

Ok I have a screen shot as to what my table is set up as what else would be helpful sorry for all these questions. screenshot is attached