Unit 6: Advanced Databases

OCR Nationals Level 3

Lesson Objectives

Design a relational database to include: • purpose of database • audience of database • minimum of 3 tables • complete an ERD (entity-relationship) diagram for the

database • normalise data to the 3rd normal form • a user interface to access all parts of the database , (NB: we

will look at this later when the basic database has been set up).

• forms for adding/amending data • designs for reports both printed and on screens, (NB: we will

review t section at a later date also). • data validation

AO1

Lesson Objectives

• S-Cars Database structure• Apply validation rules and input

masks• Import the raw data

AO2

Importing Data

• Some data can be input into the database from the original text files.

• Import the Driver and Customers data using the External Data tab and follow the simple steps.

• However, not all data fits exactly and we must manipulate this data using an APPEND QUERY.

Create a simple query, select only the fields required for tblCars from the raw data bookings.

Select “APPEND” and choose to append to the tblCars.

Ensure that the fields match.

Duplicate fields will have been removed.

Have any cars not been accepted? Why?

Why will the data not import into tblBookings?

We must have a composite primary key,so that a customer can make multiple bookings.

Are these correct? Why? Why not?What would you choose?

Evidence to be submitted

With one screen dump per A4 page, provide:• A screen dump showing the entities and

relationships in your database system.• For each table, a screen dump showing the table

structure you have created, including field names and data types.

• Printouts or screen dumps of all tables after import, showing either at least twenty records or the whole file (whichever is the smaller). This must be done before any other data is entered.

• On one A4 page, produce a table listing the rejected records and explaining why each is invalid.

Add, Edit and Delete Records

• Create a basic form for each table and show evidence that you have added, edited and deleted records.

AO2

For example, add a new customer, new car and new booking using the simple form you have created.Evidence of this can be given in screenshots. NB: These basic forms are evidence for AO2, but we will customise them later for AO4.

Lesson Objectives

• Develop the S-Cars Database by creating queries based on actual business scenarios, including calculating monthly wages and finding bookings.

AO3

Scenarios

• A customer, “Amaren”, would like to know all of the makes of car that will allow a party of more than 10 and cost less than £180.

• A business customer, “Copley”, would like to have a list of all previous bookings.

• The manager would like to find out the most popular car type.

• The manager would like to find out the most popular month for booking cars.

• A driver, “Wilson”, would like to know how many sessions he has worked since he started with the company.

AO3

Scenarios

• The manager would like to know the most popular car.

• The accountant would like a grand total for all bookings for 2003. In addition he would like to have the Vat paid for each booking in 2003.

• The manager would like to find the most popular session.

• The manager would like to find each driver’s sessions totals.

AO3

Query conditions can include comparisons based on:

• = (equal to) • < (less than)• > (greater than) • <>, >=, <= • the logical operators AND, OR and

NOT;

Lesson Objectives

• Create the user interface to manage your system.

The system must enable a user to:• add and edit customer details• add and edit driver details• add and edit car details• add and edit booking details• Access other relevant information and

functions

AO4

Lesson Objectives

• Create reports based on the queries you have provided.

• You must incorporate sorting on single and multiple fields and grouping on a single and multiple fields.

• You must create one report that shows grouped and overall summaries.

AO5

Lesson Objectives

• Create a formal business letter for customers who have outstanding payments.

• Mail merge the “Outstanding Payments” query with the letter.

AO5

Lesson ObjectivesOnce a month the system must produce: • invoices for all outstanding payments (outstanding means those bookings which have taken

place but haven’t yet been paid for)• a list of all the invoices produced, and the amount of each, with a total of how much money

has been invoiced that month.An invoice must include at least the following:• S-Cars name, address and logo, telephone number, fax number • the word ‘INVOICE’• the booking numbers (it is possible that a customer may have more than one booking

payment outstanding)• the customer’s ID number, name and address to which the invoice will be sent• an itemised list of all bookings by that customer showing for each booking the registration

number, date and cost (Note that cost is the total cost of hiring that vehicle and not necessarily cost per session.)

• the total cost of all the itemised hires exclusive of VAT• the amount of VAT (charged at 15%)• the total including VAT.• For invoices with payments outstanding for more than three months the following statement

should be printed in red on the bottom:• “Please note that this invoice contains payments which have been outstanding for over three

months. Please pay within the next 14 days to avoid legal action”.

AO5

Lesson Objectives

AO7 – Testing• Produce a test plan covering the following

checks: e.g. • database meets original design brief • validation • forms • queries • Reports

• Changes are made as appropriate to the database.

AO7

Lesson Objectives

User Documentation• Produce a user guide.• Produce a technical guide for the database• “A technical manual should also be

produced containing information about details of the hardware, software and other resources required, a detailed entity-relationship diagram, a detailed data dictionary and details of validation and verification procedures. “

AO6

Lesson Objectives

AO8 – Evaluation• Evaluate the database against the

user needs, (purpose and audience), and database specification.

• Describe improvements needed for the user.

AO8