Setting up Access for SQL

[Yecenia]

I am currently building an Access database that will be up graded to SQL
within the next few months. We need the database now that is why we can't
wait until we receive a server to start building the database.

Right now there are several combo boxes in the tables. These combo boxes do
not come from a seperate lookup table, the content is inside the table. Will
I have issues in SQL if I don't changes these combo boxes to lookup tables?
Please advise.

I'm working with Access 2007. If there are any other suggestion you may
have about how I should be structuring the DB for SQL in Access, all
suggestions are welcomed!

[Stefan Hoffmann]

hi Yecenia,

Post by Yecenia
I am currently building an Access database that will be up graded to SQL
within the next few months. We need the database now that is why we can't
wait until we receive a server to start building the database.

Depending on the number of users, you should consider using SQL Server
Express 2008:

http://www.microsoft.com/express/sql/default.aspx

It's free and you can build your Access front-end against it. So you
don't have the extra migration costs later.

Post by Yecenia
Right now there are several combo boxes in the tables.

You never shouldn't do that, even if you will stay on an Access/Jet
back-end, because it has a severe performance impact. See ("Lookup Fields"):

http://www.mvps.org/access/tencommandments.htm

Post by Yecenia
These combo boxes do not come from a seperate lookup table, the content is inside the table. Will
I have issues in SQL if I don't changes these combo boxes to lookup tables?

This is in most cases a violation of the rules of normalization:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Database_normalization

Post by Yecenia
[..] all suggestions are welcomed!

Build an properly normalized database using SQL Server 2008 Express and
use linked tables.

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access/HA102004941033.aspx


mfG
--> stefan <--

[John W. Vinson]

On Mon, 27 Apr 2009 10:51:01 -0700, Yecenia

Post by Yecenia
I am currently building an Access database that will be up graded to SQL
within the next few months. We need the database now that is why we can't
wait until we receive a server to start building the database.
Right now there are several combo boxes in the tables. These combo boxes do
not come from a seperate lookup table, the content is inside the table. Will
I have issues in SQL if I don't changes these combo boxes to lookup tables?
Please advise.

Yes, you will have issues, whether you go to SQL or not. See
http://www.mvps.org/access/lookupfields.htm for a critique of this misfeature.

The combo boxes DO come from separate lookup tables! Access carefully conceals
this very basic fact from your view, but the table does not contain the text
that you see; instead it *looks up* a value in a (concealed) lookup table.

Post by Yecenia
I'm working with Access 2007. If there are any other suggestion you may
have about how I should be structuring the DB for SQL in Access, all
suggestions are welcomed!

Develop a forms-based user interface so that the user NEVER under any
circumstances needs to edit - or even *see* - a table datasheet.