Computer Databases

convert

Are there any programmes are helpful for setting up databases?

I've mostly used excel in the past, which has worked fine for me as I've never really had to do too much cross referencing, but as the project has expanded, I'm obviously going to have to be able to cross reference more.

I'm looking at family histories - ie - marriages, areas where they lived, careers, etc. if that's any help?

Any advice/tips would be much appreciated.

Tom Dunne

Hmm, it depends on what you want to do.

(ex-Database Administrator here)

What format is the data in? How many people will be working on it at one time? If more than one, are they in the same building/room, or are the spread across continents?

What exactly do you want to do with the data? What format do you need it in (i.e. paper printouts, on-screen, on the web, etc.).

So many more questions I could ask.

Red Alert

An SQL-type database (MySQL is free) or even MS Access (bundled with most editions of office) would probably be what you need... as long as you actually use it as a database, not as a harder version of excel! That means strictly defining the records, normalizing everything so names are just in once for example, and that keying and validation rules are set up.