best way to save time

[The BIG O]

Hello all,

I have an entry form that currently stores all of the data in one table.
The user is to enter requests received by the branch into the entry form.
However, the user has to enter this request multiple times depending on the
number of finalists receiving the request from the user. example branch
sends a request that is to go to company a, company b, and company c. THe
user will enter each as a separate record for several reasons with the main
one being able to keep a count of the total number of requests he has to work
on.

Essentially most of the data entered into the table is the details about the
request and is going to be duplicated on multiple records. Other than
copying/pasting the first record in the request table and updating each new
record with the data that pertinent to the finalist; is the a better way of
doing this?

I am using Access2003. There is an autonumber field in the database as well.

Thanks

Michael

THE BIG O

 

[John W. Vinson]

Essentially most of the data entered into the table is the details about the
request and is going to be duplicated on multiple records. Other than
copying/pasting the first record in the request table and updating each new
record with the data that pertinent to the finalist; is the a better way of
doing this?

Yes. Use Access as a relational database (with multiple tables in one to many
relationships) rather than as if it were a spreadsheet (with only one table)!

Any time you have repeating fields, you need to consider splitting the table
into two - one "parent" table with the constant data, related one to many to a
"child" table with the unique data.

See:

Jeff Conrad's resources page:
http://www.accessmvp.com/JConrad/accessjunkie/resources.html

The Access Web resources page:
http://www.mvps.org/access/resources/index.html

A free tutorial written by Crystal (MS Access MVP):
http://allenbrowne.com/casu-22.html

A video how-to series by Crystal:
http://www.YouTube.com/user/LearnAccessByCrystal

MVP Allen Browne's tutorials:
http://allenbrowne.com/links.html#Tutorials

especially the last three links.