Using Query to Return a Calculation...Returning Way too Many Values

[nick404]

I am using a query to conduct a simple calculation from my tables. Here is SQL statement:

SELECT [tbl_Cell].[TargetSkids]*[tbl_Cell].[Canisters_Skid]*[tbl_DataEntry].[DownTime] AS CansLost
FROM tbl_Cell, tbl_DataEntry;

The query should only be returning 9 records. But for whatever reason I get over 60 results. Mixed in there is the correct values I seek, but I am not sure where these other numbers are originating from. Here is some screenshots to help you, reader, better understand my problem.



First part, should be multiplying these two columns by this one >
My query then looks likes this below. The highlighted records are actual correct values, the rest are 'extras'.

[knarfreppep]

You appear to be doing a join which returns every row from your first table with every row from the second.

I think you need to specify the joins - e.g. -

[knarfreppep]

..........

[JoeM]

If you don't have a Join defined between the two tables, the results will be a Cartesian product.
That means every record in Table A will be joined with every record in Table B.
So if you have 9 records in Table A, and 7 records in Table B, the resulting query will return 63 records (9 times 7).

[nick404]

Ah, so I joined the two tables on the field "Cell" which they share in common.

SELECT ([tbl_Cell].[TargetSkids]*[tbl_Cell].[Canisters_Skid]*[tbl_DataEntry].[DownTime]) AS CansLostFROM tbl_Cell
INNER JOIN tbl_DataEntry
ON tbl_Cell.Cell = tbl_DataEntry.Cell;

Still returns some incorrect answers, but volume of results has drastically improved (63 down to 16).

However, "Cell" is not a primary key...if it were would this help? My tbl_Cell is the first image in my OP. I can't have the specific cell field be the PK since it repeats, but I can have the record be a Pk per Cell + product combo.

[nick404]

^^ I believe this is what my problem is..
I have been asked to make the db off of some excel spreadsheets that have old data i am entering right now to test some things..and in the table i am joining it to (tbl_DataEntry) they do not include the Cell and Product combo that I would need for a PK-FK relationship.