Microsoft® Access® Small Business Solutions: State-of-the-Art Database Models for Sales, Marketing, Customer Management, and More Key Business Activities

Chapter 14. Implementing the Models

This chapter combines models from three other chapters to illustrate how easy it is to design and implement a powerful database. Earlier chapters walked you through several approaches to creating the necessary tables and fields; this chapter builds on that experience. We briefly describe the business model to be addressed and provide the required tables. Then we move directly into discussing the user interface by showing you how to create some basic forms and reports, and the queries that they rely on.

We'll show you, step by step, how to create a functional application, including multiple ways to accomplish the same results. As with most areas of database development, there is more than one way to achieve the desired outcome. We will show you the easy way to create database objects using built-in wizards, and we'll also demonstrate how to build objects from scratch.

Our sample application is based on a fictitious not-for-profit organization (NFP), the National Spreadsheet Developers Support Group (NSDSG). It has dues-paying members and donors, and sells specialtymerchandise to produce revenue. This organization is staffed by volunteers, and most supplies and operating expenses are donated or purchased using the money from dues.

The organization intends to track the membership and the donors by maintaining mailing addresses, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers for every customer, member, and donor. They must also bill members for annual dues and ...