Databases

Hello! I'm going to write about databases. A database (DB) is a 'bank' of information which classifies the data and creates relationships between the groups of data. This information is organised in a way that the desired pieces of data can be quickly selected, found and accessed. It is also an electronic filling system, as you can add information whenever you want to. If it is properly designed, it can ease administrative works a lot. For example, if you have an enterprise and you want to clasify your products, have the information about their prices, the clients or the dates of delivery... Databases can collect small pieces of information, for small things (like personal things) as well as huge pieces information for huge enterprises or managements.

Traditional databases are organized by fields, records, and files. A field is a single piece of information; a record is one complete set of fields; and a file is a collection of records. For example: a telephone book is a file with a list of records, consisted of three fields: name, address, and telephone number.

On the other hand, data in databases can normally be reorganized and accessed in a number of different ways. They have charts in which the fields are specified and the data and the kind of information they contain is also added; forms in which the data can be seen in an organised way and also new data can be added in the different fields; reports in which the recorded information can be seen in a glance; and consultations in which some specific information is ordered and seen in an specific way, also in a glance, like reports but more specific. Relationships between charts and their fields are made to ease the results of the forms and the components of the database.

Databases are accessed and edited through Database Management Systems (DBMS), like Access, the one we normally use, which belongs to Microsoft. They enable you to enter, organize, and select data once the database has been created and molded for its target.

Once you know what a database is you can create one to organise some information. You'll see my database project in Access in the next post. Have a nice day, and enjoy the good weather.