Table structure?

[nikko50]

Hello,
I have a table with about 20 fields. Just wanted some advice from you guys that maybe this is to many fields for a table. Should I break this table up into 2 tables. What advice do you have for structuring tables. Thanks
Tracy🙂

[bastien]

Hard to say without knowing what the data is and datatypes are. 20 is not a lot for a table. We have one a work with over 200(which is way to big) but managble in the short term)

generally, you don't want to repeat data and data that is repeated should be repeated in the smallest data type possible (ie state / country info, as part of an address table. You have a table or array that provides the list of possibilities for the item and only store the numeric equivalent of that value)

[mourisj]

You should always try to organize your data in a way that information that does not change needs not to be stored multiple times:

Imagine you have cusomers, with multiple orders and multiple items per order:

You put your customer's adress data, identificationetc. in one table.

Information about orders (Date submitted, date delivered, value, payment date, ...) goes in another table. If you repeat your customer data in this table, your design is not good.

Then, every order has multiple items: make sure not to repeat data about the order (see above) in this table; only store item ID, number, ... here..

Examine your table with these things in mind. Maybe you end up with several tables, maybe you can keep your single table.

I would not bother about a 20-column table if I knew my design is fine!

Have a nice day,

JJ Mouris

[nikko50]

You guys are the best! Your comments were extremely helpful. I guess 20 fields is not to much as long as it is managable.
Tracy