how to create a staff database

[booster]

Hi, I have done the basics in Access but I am struggling to build or even
find out if its possible to build a database for the following purpose. - I
want to record all staff details and incorporate a shop rota for 8 stores
with the ability to log shfts and hours worked, lateness, holidays and
sickness also comission earned?

Can anyone advise me as to the best way on how to proceed please?

 

[John Waller]

Can anyone advise me as to the best way on how to proceed please?

I'm guessing that you have hundreds of hours work ahead of you?

Would it be feasible to look for an off-the-shelf solution first?

 

[Jeff Boyce]

I'm with John on this ... unless you have a burning desire and plenty of
time to get past the fairly steep learning curve, you may want to consider
looking for a package that already does this. Have you done any Google
searches yet?

 

[Ed Warren]

1. Study the details of good database design.

2. As a start you will need to write out in very explicit detail what you
really mean.
a. Convert this into required data elements
b. Combined these into logical data tables
c. Build the tables and their relationships
d. Build a set of forms to display the data
e. Build a set of reports to report the data
Return to (a.) and start over again to fix the things you did wrong the
first time.

The problem with 'off-the-shelf' software, is that it 'almost works the way
you want', in some cases you can work around these limitations and sort-of
make it work.
The problem with a custom solution is: expense, and frequently
incompatability with other software you may want to use. For example, at
the end of the day you may want to use all this great data you have
collected and link it to a payroll solution and/or something like
Quickbooks. If you have not anticipated this, you then have a bit of work
to do to put it into the correct format.

Note: I'm not an expert, but I'm familar with database design, adequate in
MsAccess, and Visual Baisc -- the last project like this (not this
complicated) has taken about six months to get it working really the way it
should.

Ed Warren.

 

[TedMi]

a. Convert this into required data elements
b. Combined these into logical data tables

Conventional DB design wisdom has it the other way: First, you identify the
entities ("things") in your problem space, which become tables; then you
determine what attributes (data elements) each "thing" requires. But the
iteration to fix things is absolutely correct.

 

[Ed Warren]

Guess it depends on what school of data-design you want to subscribe to OO,
ER, B-tree,Flat files, Heirarchical. You still gotta decide what data
elements are important to store and how they relate to each other.

Ed Warren.

 

[booster]

I have already started building all the data tables and I am more than
willing for it o be a working project to iron out all the kinks and I am sure
there will be many, It's relationships that I am struggling with also to link
dates I have tried to build in a calender but this doesnt seem to work
properly. I have done extensive google searches which is how I found you in
the end. Can any one explain to me about the relationship side of Access in
an easy to understand way?

I appreciate all your efforts and advise so far. Thanks