Multiple Selections for Single Field

[oftenconfused]

I'm building a database where I have a bunch of names (e.g., John, Peter,
Alice, Tom) and several tasks (e.g., Read, Write, Run). I'd like to
associate the appropriate names to each task -- for example, John and Alice
read -- and am looking for suggestions for the best way to do this. Right
now, I'm leaning towards creating four tables (continuing the example above):
Names Table, Read Table, Write Table, Run Table, then linking the tables, so
that the Names Table is dependent, for example, to the Read Table. But, is
there a better way to do this? Is there another way to make multiple
selections from a field (here Names) without making the Names field a
separate database?

Also, I am very new at building database, so I appreciate answers written
from that perspective.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Wayne-I-M]

Hi

This is known as a Many-to-Many relationship.
Many people can have many tasks
Many task can have many people

So - as a minimum - you need 3 tables.

tblName = NameID, Name, personal details
tblTasks = TaskID, Details of the task
tblJoin = TaskID, NameID, details relating the that person on that task eg.
Date