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By Roger Pierce
Some small busines owners consider database development and maintenance tedious. For most businesses, a well designed and managed database delivers real value. It can improve your bottom line today and increase your company's worth in the future.
The initial step to designing a worthwhile database includes being aware of the following terms;
Record: Each contact has its own unique record which hold all the information of that contact. A database can keep increasing records almost indefinitely. Field: A field is a placeholder for a specific kind of information. It is advisable that you breakdown your contact's information into as many fields as possible for flexibility. Primary and Secondary ID's: These are fields that help organize the database and help with a quicksearch for the contact. Sort: you can usually sort your database by name, geography, sales etc.
To design a database with a future, choose software that is user-friendly. It is helpful to be able to draw statistics and make changes yourself rather than be dependent on a consultant. Also ensure that your database design includes a "last contact" date field that automatically changes when there is any change to the record. This will help you know how current your database is and which records need updating urgently updating.
Source: visa.ca
Added on September 15, 2008
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