Forum Discussion
Very New Please help
Trying to make a defi crypto tracker but cannot seem to understand linking, relationshps, and totals. I cant connect the totals row in my one sheet to the master sheet im trying to make and am wondering how to do that. ( i want too past the totals on the btc sheet in to the coin key sheet)
Now is a good time to stop work on the specifics here and invest time in learning about proper table design. The principle is called "Normalization". It lays out the rules for proper table design for a relational database application. Here another resource that also covers normalization. And one more.
The point is that trying to put tables together without a valid table design leads to problems.
Once you've done that, lay out what you decide the tables might look like and show them to us for review and feedback. The one thing you DON'T want to do is put a lot of data into an improperly designed table and have to abandon all that work later.
The table called Coin Key in the screen shot is not valid and needs to be deleted and replaced with queries that summarize data for display.
The other problem is that the totals row in the datasheet is ONLY intended for display. In my opinion, it's a shame that Microsoft decided to make that compromise in table design, because it misleads people new to Access into thinking that they can be used for something like what you describe. It's not going to work, unfortunately. Don't waste time on it.
You are obviously much more knowledgeable than I am about crypto currency, and that's important in designing the proper database to track it. I'm more of an expert on database design, so I do have a lot to say about doing that properly.
thank you for the great reply, looking at my data and since i have to track so many things im guessing im gonna want to make a decent amount of tables, excel seems far easier to do this in but if you dont mind please give some tips or tell me what tables i should have, thank you!
Excel is great at analyzing data. It is not great at storing it safely. The data is in the same object as the formulas, formatting and other interface features. There are no constraints on values. You can put text and numbers in the same column. And so on. It's easier in the sense that you can easily slap data into it.
Access is a relational database application, strong at storing data safely and reliably in tables. There are other objects--forms and reports--for reporting and display.
You need to invest the time in learning normalization. I can give you a table design, but you need to understand whether it fits your situation or not! It's no better than any random design, in other words, unless it comes out of your own business rules.
What do you need to track? What things? There will be one table for each of these things. We call them entities in the relational database model. Each entity has many attributes, or characteristics, of importance to you according to the business rules.
You are tracking at least two types of Cryptocurrencies, as nearly as I can tell from the screen shots.
That probably calls for a table of Cryptocurrencies. What attributes are important to you in tracking Cryptocurrencies? Here's where you knowledge comes into play. Other than the names, (Bitcoin, Etherium, etc.) what do you need to know about them. These attributes are generally stable, although not always static. Other attributes, such as value, are highly volatile. If an attribute is volatile and if you need to track those changes, i.e. the daily values of a Cryptocurrency, you need a separate transaction history table for that.
Whatever else you need to track depends on what the purpose of the relational database application . Do you need to keep track of the entities from which, or to which, you buy and sell Cryptocurrencies? If so, that's a table. And if you need to keep that information as part of the history of transactions, you will need a field in the transaction history table for that.
As noted, create a proposed set of tables, based on your current understanding of what has to be tracked. We'll help you refine it.
