Table Calculations

  • Thread starter Thread starter Nick Read III
  • Start date Start date
N

Nick Read III

Help please,

Can anyone let me know how to create a column in access in
which the data is calculated by the addtion of the values
in the two previous columns.
 
You don't.

That would be redundant. Why would you store a value in the table that is
the sum of two other fields in the table?

You can perform this calculation in your forms, queries, and reports when
you ened it.

Proper database design would prevent storig calculated values.
 
Thanks

I know this already but I do have a legitimate reason to do this in a table

Can you help
 
I know this already but I do have a legitimate reason to do this in a
table
Click to expand...

Thirty years of mathematical theory and R design practice say you don't...


Tim F
 
Tim, Rick B, others, do you think we should be a bit less presumptuous?

I know it's frustrating seeing these spreadsheet questions all the time, but
there may be a legitimate reason. For me, the rule of thumb is: Would it be
an error if the field were not the same as the calculation?
- Yes: you must not store this field.
- No: you really need this field, so you can set it to something different.
 
For me, the rule of thumb is: Would it be
an error if the field were not the same as the calculation?
Click to expand...

I looked again at the original post, and Nick was clearly asking for a
column calculated from the "two previous fields". The other guise this
question comes up is the "Default Value based on another field". It is an
understandable mistake, and most of us usually put sufficient loopholes in
the first response for the follow up to indicate that his situation is
actually a bit different. In this case, the follow up (I don't even know if
it was the same person) just claimed that he knew better than the advice,
and then the responses get a bit shorter...

As a rule I try to give some positive advice at the same time as the "you
don't want to do it like that...[1]" because, after all, nobody benefits if
people are put off posting. But sometimes the post just does not offer
anything to play with. It's a bit like posting on the Word group "Why won't
the spell checker let me spell Colour with a ""w""?"

All the best


Tim F

[1] Catchphrase from erstwhile UK comedian on the telly... :-)
 
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