Search

Every business collects data. Whether it's something as simple as keeping track of contacts or as complicated as a full-scale inventory, data is vital to every businesses' bottom-line.

All important data is stored in some sort of database - sometimes it's a small Microsoft Access database or an enterprise-level Oracle database - but the database is always the nerve-center of the business.

Any statistic you need or information you must find can be extracted from a properly designed database. And that's the key: there is only one correct way to design databases.

This is where many businesses run into trouble. Errors occur, data is wrong, and headaches abound when a database isn't designed following a strict set of rules. How do you know if your database isn't designed well? Think about your business and answer these questions:

1. Are you keeping track of information in Microsoft Excel?

If you're only keeping track of information in Microsoft Excel, then you're not using a database. Excel is wonderful for crunching numbers, but not for storing related data. Using Excel as a database, even for basic information, is like using a hammer for brain surgery. Technically it's possible, but it's not the right tool, and you'll likely end up with a massive headache when you're done.

2. When entering information, do you repeatedly type the same word or phrase?

A tell-tale sign of bad databases is the need to purposely duplicate data. For example, entering someone's name in two different places means the database is designed improperly, creating an environment that's doing more harm than good. Typos always happen, but in a well-designed database they don't create nearly as much trouble.