Rookie user: Access 2007, Using “Picture Yourself Learning: Microsoft Access
2007” as reference guide.
Need suggestions for how to structure what seems to me to be a very
complicated DB. I want to build it the best way the first time, so I don’t do
a lot of work and not have it do what I need.
Here’s what I need to do:
Track GIS datasets for about 50 natural and environmental hazards.
The data itself does not need to be tracked. I do need to track its source
(National, State, County or City data) and know its date of creation, and
frequency of updates for example.
I don’t know whether to create one Table with tons of fields, and then try
to figure out queries. Or should I create tables for each specific hazard
like Earthquake, Flood, etc.? Should I create tables for each source of data
such as National, State, County and each City from which I obtain data?
What I want to be able to do is easily determine which updates to which data
need to happen when, which data came from which source, what data is
available for each specific hazard and what datasets overlap at the National,
State, County and City levels.

Here’s an example: I have data from the National Wetlands Inventory that is
updated annually.
I also have data from the County that is updated quarterly. The State and
the Cities have no additional data. I need to be able to know, for 50
different hazards or issues, the source of the data, how often it’s updated,
a scheduled reminder when it’s time to update if possible, and a field with
a hyperlink to the actual data or metadata.

My reference book includes instructions on Creating a DB, Creating and
Editing Tables, Improving Table Design and Creating Relationships, Creating
Forms, Creating Simple Queries, Creating Queries that filter and Summarize
Data and Creating Reports. I think it’s a beginner type book – well it must
be, if I’m able to sort of understand it. But I’m hoping someone who
understands the whole picture can tell me what parts to build and where. I
can follow directions, but can’t see the forest for the trees at this point.

Any help would be extremely appreciated, and paid forward!