Price of building a database

[bking]

Hello everyone

I am trying to build a database for my work and I am running into serious trouble. Can anyone give me a rough idea of the cost of building it for us?

Details:

The purpose of the database is to automate a report of the current jobs we have that pull information from various sources. Right now it is an excel sheet and a mess when multiple things happen. What we would like is a database that is used by approximately 20 people. There will be 5 groups that will have control over different parts of the report. There will be a main menu screen where the employee can log in using there id and password and then options will come up for whatever position they hold. For example an engineer would have control of 4 or 5 parts of the report and would be able to make changes only to his or her assigned jobs. Also we need a way to track every time a change is made to a job and by who. There would be one main report and then another report could be pulled up in relation to a certain job that contains all of the update information. I believe I have the starting tables set up but trying to make the forms where people information and tracking them is my problem. Sorry for being long winded just trying to give the most information possible

Thanks in advance for any help with this

[orange]

In order for anyone to give you a cost estimate for designing and developing a database, you will need a clear statement of requirements. If you plan on building the database yourself, you also need a more detailed specification AND your need to be familiar with Database Principles and some basic database concepts ( naming conventions, Normalization ...) and application development and testing.

Do you have a clear statement of the things (subjects/entities) involved? The business facts involved? Do you have a data model?
see http://www.databaseanswers.org/index.htm for various models and tutorials.
see http://www.rogersaccesslibrary.com/T...lationship.zip for a tutorial on Normalization and data modelling.

If you really want a "legit" cost estimate, you might consider requesting a quote from a few local consultants/designer/developers.

[bking]

OEM.zip Here is the excel sheet I made up to start with, the tab labeled OEM is what the report looks like and who controls the data entry and then the tab labeled forms has what each form would look like at a user level

orange, I think this will help show what I am after more, as of now the excel sheet is controlled by one person. The purpose of putting it on a database is so that multiple users can access the same information and make changes.

[orange]

bking,

Is there anyone "championing" any sort of data management/data sharing in your organization? To move from an environment where each person controls "their own" data or one where the "data" is controlled by one individual to an environment where data is standardized and the data and processes surrounding the data are shared is a major step. Rarely is this a technical issue. Most often it is political and requires someone in authority to lead.

This typically needs a lot of communication; training and marketing sessions.
Who wants to share this data? Can they make a cost/benefit pitch to those who have to be influenced? Are there problems associated with the current approach? Are these related to customer satisfaction, work scheduling, recognized inefficiencies, duplication of effort, missed deadlines etc? Management often relates to these and will influence decisions to reduce these "irritants".

You are trying to change the way information is currently handled. You might wish to consider requests for quotation from experienced firms. Trying to go it alone, especially without database and data management experience, is a tough road.

Maybe I'm reading too much into your request, but you might want to consider the comments as they relate to your organization.

What business are you in? How many people? What is your current IT organization? Do you have integrated systems? Do you have databases under RDBMS control? Is this excel that you're wishing to change a small thing, or is it a symptom of each has his/her own? Who is ultimately responsible for data/information in your business?

Any specs you have will have to be clear and complete if someone who does not know your business is going to give you an honest price to build a database that will be shared by groups and individuals each representing parts of an integrated whole.

[June7]

Cost will depend on scope of the project. I can offer my experience as some sort of guide. We were using dBase DOS app that had been running fine for 20 years but decision made to replace because the developer/administrator would soon retire. Time to upgrade and Access was chosen. A student intern started the project and spent 2 years on it then found a real job elsewhere. Boss says 'let June finish it'. Boss was considerate enough to pay a consultant to help me get up to speed on Access/VBA. I quit calling the consultant after a few months. Took me 2 more years to get the db into Beta stage. A year of side-by-side data entry then full implementation. Estimated cost in consultant fees and payroll, $80,000+.

Since then I have built databases that took anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. Nothing near as major as that first effort.

From what I see in the Excel mockup, an experienced developer could probably have a functional db within a few weeks. Keep in mind the more 'user friendly' the more code and the more cost. $50-$100 an hour.

[bking]

orange,

The project was given to me by my boss, because the system we have now is not something very usable. My boss is on vacation this week so I am not sure what our budget is for this project or where it falls on the priority list. I have no database expierence and a tough road is a good description. I have the forms and tables set up for what we need right now, making them all interact with each other is where I am lost.

june7,

Well I know we are not going to spend that much, but from what you said and other examples online I don't think this would be a very difficult project for an experienced programmer to tackle.

[alansidman]

Since you appear to be jumping in on your own on this, here are two good sites for beginners to understand the fundamentals.

http://sbuweb.tcu.edu/bjones/20263/A...sDB_Design.pdf

http://www.accessmvp.com/strive4peace/