duplicate information

Hi All - I have a table with a lot of information. I am using this table to
enter data relating to real property transactions. For instance, I may have
3 names (John Doe, Jane Doe, Harry Smith), and 5 legal descriptions
(Township, Range, Section, Qtr\Qtr) for 1 instrument that is recorded. Is
there any easy way to enter this information without having to duplicate. I
have the table set up the fields listed above. For the example above, each
name I have five records (5 legal descriptions), the legal descriptions are
duplicated 2 more times for each of the additional names. Is there any way I
can make this easier? Thanks for your help.
--
AlanaBanana In MT

You need to be a bit more specific, do the legal descriptione belong to the
people or can other people refer to the same legal description. What relates
the multiple people? Are they the owners of the property or what? Can one of
the people relate to a different set of legal descriptions? Tell us what you
are trying to do.
It sounds as if yoiu need at least three tables
You might need something like:
Owner:
--Person ID
--Person Name, Address etc.
Property:
--Property ID
--Property Description
Transaction:
--Transaction ID
--OwnerID
--Property ID

Dorian

"Alana" wrote:

Hi All - I have a table with a lot of information. I am using this table to
enter data relating to real property transactions. For instance, I may have
3 names (John Doe, Jane Doe, Harry Smith), and 5 legal descriptions
(Township, Range, Section, Qtr\Qtr) for 1 instrument that is recorded. Is
there any easy way to enter this information without having to duplicate. I
have the table set up the fields listed above. For the example above, each
name I have five records (5 legal descriptions), the legal descriptions are
duplicated 2 more times for each of the additional names. Is there any way I
can make this easier? Thanks for your help.
--
AlanaBanana In MT

On Mon, 7 Nov 2005 11:16:11 -0800, "Alana"
wrote:

Hi All - I have a table with a lot of information. I am using this table to
enter data relating to real property transactions. For instance, I may have
3 names (John Doe, Jane Doe, Harry Smith), and 5 legal descriptions
(Township, Range, Section, Qtr\Qtr) for 1 instrument that is recorded. Is
there any easy way to enter this information without having to duplicate. I
have the table set up the fields listed above. For the example above, each
name I have five records (5 legal descriptions), the legal descriptions are
duplicated 2 more times for each of the additional names. Is there any way I
can make this easier? Thanks for your help.

You're using a relational database. Use it relationally!

You need more than one table to avoid this kind of duplication. You
should have a separate table for each type of Entity of importance to
your database; each such table should have one and only one record for
a particular instance of that entity.

I'd see that you have at least three Entities he People;
Properties; and Transactions. Since there are undoubtedly many-to-many
relationships amongst all these, you will need at least one additional
table to link them; if you will always be considering people,
transactions, and properties together, then one table with fields for
the PersonID (a link to the primary key of People), PropertyID (a link
to the primary key of Properties), and TransactionID (well, you get
the idea...) would be appropriate.

John W. Vinson[MVP]

Yes - the legal descriptions belong to the people. If the property sells,
other people would be referred to the same legal description. What relates
the people - they are either seller(s) or buyer(s). I am trying to keep all
parties in a transaction relating to particular legal description(s) together.
--
AlanaBanana In MT


"mscertified" wrote:

You need to be a bit more specific, do the legal descriptione belong to the
people or can other people refer to the same legal description. What relates
the multiple people? Are they the owners of the property or what? Can one of
the people relate to a different set of legal descriptions? Tell us what you
are trying to do.
It sounds as if yoiu need at least three tables
You might need something like:
Owner:
--Person ID
--Person Name, Address etc.
Property:
--Property ID
--Property Description
Transaction:
--Transaction ID
--OwnerID
--Property ID

Dorian

"Alana" wrote:

Hi All - I have a table with a lot of information. I am using this table to
enter data relating to real property transactions. For instance, I may have
3 names (John Doe, Jane Doe, Harry Smith), and 5 legal descriptions
(Township, Range, Section, Qtr\Qtr) for 1 instrument that is recorded. Is
there any easy way to enter this information without having to duplicate. I
have the table set up the fields listed above. For the example above, each
name I have five records (5 legal descriptions), the legal descriptions are
duplicated 2 more times for each of the additional names. Is there any way I
can make this easier? Thanks for your help.
--
AlanaBanana In MT

thanks for your helpful information
--
AlanaBanana In MT


"John Vinson" wrote:

On Mon, 7 Nov 2005 11:16:11 -0800, "Alana"
wrote:

Hi All - I have a table with a lot of information. I am using this table to
enter data relating to real property transactions. For instance, I may have
3 names (John Doe, Jane Doe, Harry Smith), and 5 legal descriptions
(Township, Range, Section, Qtr\Qtr) for 1 instrument that is recorded. Is
there any easy way to enter this information without having to duplicate. I
have the table set up the fields listed above. For the example above, each
name I have five records (5 legal descriptions), the legal descriptions are
duplicated 2 more times for each of the additional names. Is there any way I
can make this easier? Thanks for your help.

You're using a relational database. Use it relationally!

You need more than one table to avoid this kind of duplication. You
should have a separate table for each type of Entity of importance to
your database; each such table should have one and only one record for
a particular instance of that entity.

I'd see that you have at least three Entities he People;
Properties; and Transactions. Since there are undoubtedly many-to-many
relationships amongst all these, you will need at least one additional
table to link them; if you will always be considering people,
transactions, and properties together, then one table with fields for
the PersonID (a link to the primary key of People), PropertyID (a link
to the primary key of Properties), and TransactionID (well, you get
the idea...) would be appropriate.

John W. Vinson[MVP]

Thanks for your helpful information
--
AlanaBanana In MT


"Alana" wrote:

Yes - the legal descriptions belong to the people. If the property sells,
other people would be referred to the same legal description. What relates
the people - they are either seller(s) or buyer(s). I am trying to keep all
parties in a transaction relating to particular legal description(s) together.
--
AlanaBanana In MT


"mscertified" wrote:

You need to be a bit more specific, do the legal descriptione belong to the
people or can other people refer to the same legal description. What relates
the multiple people? Are they the owners of the property or what? Can one of
the people relate to a different set of legal descriptions? Tell us what you
are trying to do.
It sounds as if yoiu need at least three tables
You might need something like:
Owner:
--Person ID
--Person Name, Address etc.
Property:
--Property ID
--Property Description
Transaction:
--Transaction ID
--OwnerID
--Property ID

Dorian

"Alana" wrote:

Hi All - I have a table with a lot of information. I am using this table to
enter data relating to real property transactions. For instance, I may have
3 names (John Doe, Jane Doe, Harry Smith), and 5 legal descriptions
(Township, Range, Section, Qtr\Qtr) for 1 instrument that is recorded. Is
there any easy way to enter this information without having to duplicate. I
have the table set up the fields listed above. For the example above, each
name I have five records (5 legal descriptions), the legal descriptions are
duplicated 2 more times for each of the additional names. Is there any way I
can make this easier? Thanks for your help.
--
AlanaBanana In MT

In that case you will need a column in the Transaction table indicating Buyer
or Seller for each person. I presume a person can both buy and sell in
different transactions but not in the same transaction.
Dorian

"Alana" wrote:

Yes - the legal descriptions belong to the people. If the property sells,
other people would be referred to the same legal description. What relates
the people - they are either seller(s) or buyer(s). I am trying to keep all
parties in a transaction relating to particular legal description(s) together.
--
AlanaBanana In MT


"mscertified" wrote:

You need to be a bit more specific, do the legal descriptione belong to the
people or can other people refer to the same legal description. What relates
the multiple people? Are they the owners of the property or what? Can one of
the people relate to a different set of legal descriptions? Tell us what you
are trying to do.
It sounds as if yoiu need at least three tables
You might need something like:
Owner:
--Person ID
--Person Name, Address etc.
Property:
--Property ID
--Property Description
Transaction:
--Transaction ID
--OwnerID
--Property ID

Dorian

"Alana" wrote:

Hi All - I have a table with a lot of information. I am using this table to
enter data relating to real property transactions. For instance, I may have
3 names (John Doe, Jane Doe, Harry Smith), and 5 legal descriptions
(Township, Range, Section, Qtr\Qtr) for 1 instrument that is recorded. Is
there any easy way to enter this information without having to duplicate. I
have the table set up the fields listed above. For the example above, each
name I have five records (5 legal descriptions), the legal descriptions are
duplicated 2 more times for each of the additional names. Is there any way I
can make this easier? Thanks for your help.
--
AlanaBanana In MT