Adding fields to tables

  • Thread starter Thread starter Alan Nicoll
  • Start date Start date
A

Alan Nicoll

What is the best query to use to add calculated and lookup
fields to a table? I've been using Select and Make Table
queries, but am beginning to think that some other method
might be faster or less confusing.

Thank you.

Alan
 
What is the best query to use to add calculated and lookup
fields to a table? I've been using Select and Make Table
queries, but am beginning to think that some other method
might be faster or less confusing.
Click to expand...

The best solution is NOT TO DO SO AT ALL.

Storing derived data such as this in your table accomplishes
three things: it wastes disk space; it wastes time (almost
any calculation will be MUCH faster than a disk fetch); and
most importantly, it risks data corruption. If one of the
underlying fields is subsequently edited, you will have data
in your table WHICH IS WRONG, and no automatic way to detect
that fact.

Just redo the calculation whenever you need it, either as a
calculated field in a Query or just as you're now doing it -
in the control source of a Form or a Report textbox.
 
I see your point, but the calculations I need to do are
pretty complicated and I need to do them step-by-step
simply to manage the complexity.

When I've tried to draw upon a calculated field in a query
I get error messages, which I don't get when I use the
query to create a table which I then draw on in subsequent
calculations. But I'll keep your advice in mind and aim
to do as many calculations as I can in the reports I'll
get around to creating eventually.

Thanks.

Alan
 
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