Order Entry Database

Hello,

I'm a Access Newbie, attempting to create an order entry database for work.
I'm trying to create it using the Order Entry template. Here's the problem:
The Order Entry template contains more information than we need. We don't
need any invoicing, payment, or inventory information (we would like to build
the product list by entering product information). All we want to do is
manage the customers and orders. But when I try to remove this information
(in tables, forms and reports), I get expression errors. Can anyone help me?

removing elements completely from a database is tedious, and often
difficult, work - even when you built it yourself. and when somebody else
built it...

rather than trying to remove elements you don't want from the *entire*
database (tables, queries, forms, reports, macros, modules, and
expressions/references in any of those objects), suggest you try some
hopefully minor adjustments to the forms first. open a form in design view,
and look at the controls you *don't* want to use. set the Visible property
of each of those controls to False. then enter some test data in the form.
if you get a message that data is required in certain fields, you'll have to
check the underlying table's fields in Table Design view; if that unwanted
field has its' Required property set to Yes, change it to No. if necessary,
go back to the form's design view, and check for code in the form's
BeforeUpdate event that checks for data in those fields; if you find it,
*don't* delete it - instead, "comment" it out by typing a single quote in
front of each line. then test the data entry in the form again. try a
printing a report that you *do* want. if it errs out on a particular
expression or code, you'll have to analyze the report for references to the
fields that you are *not* entering data into. you can comment out offending
code in the report's module, but expressions in calculated controls will
have to be deleted. recommend you make a backup copy of a report before
deleting anything from it. after making changes, make sure you test the
database *thoroughly* before using it in your daily business process.

even doing the above is tedious work, and often tricky because of the
inter-connections throughout most databases. and it's especially tricky if
you're trying to make adjustments to VBA code without a certain level of
familiarity with VBA. but there's not much else you can do. you might want
to consider using the template database as a model only, and building your
own database from scratch. if you've never built a relational database
before, you'll want to familiarize yourself with data normalization
principles first, so that you structure the tables/relationships correctly
(just looking at another database is not really enough - you have to not
only see the what, but also understand the why.) for more on data
normalization, see http://home.att.net/~california.db/tips.html#aTip1

hth


"D. M." D. wrote in message
...
Hello,

I'm a Access Newbie, attempting to create an order entry database for
work.
I'm trying to create it using the Order Entry template. Here's the
problem:
The Order Entry template contains more information than we need. We don't
need any invoicing, payment, or inventory information (we would like to
build
the product list by entering product information). All we want to do is
manage the customers and orders. But when I try to remove this
information
(in tables, forms and reports), I get expression errors. Can anyone help
me?

In addition to tina's suggestions, you could decide it was worth it to pick
up one of the programs that shows you all the interconnections and objects.
Black Moshannon and FMS, Inc both have such products for saile, and I seem
to recall seeing posts mentioning a free product as well.

--
Regards

Jeff Boyce
Office/Access MVP

"D. M." D. wrote in message
...
Hello,

I'm a Access Newbie, attempting to create an order entry database for
work.
I'm trying to create it using the Order Entry template. Here's the
problem:
The Order Entry template contains more information than we need. We don't
need any invoicing, payment, or inventory information (we would like to
build
the product list by entering product information). All we want to do is
manage the customers and orders. But when I try to remove this
information
(in tables, forms and reports), I get expression errors. Can anyone help
me?