![Step 3: draw a map
● States have multiple customers (but only have one attribute)
● Customers have multiple contacts
States
● Contacts have multiple orders Customers [drop-down list]
● Products have multiple orders
● Orders have multiple products Contacts
Products Orders
Line Items](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/designagreatapplicationakadatamodeling101-111110131129-phpapp01/85/Design-a-great-cloud-application-10-320.jpg)
![Step 4a: think how it looks
States
[drop-down list]
Customers
Contacts
Products Orders
Line Items](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/designagreatapplicationakadatamodeling101-111110131129-phpapp01/85/Design-a-great-cloud-application-11-320.jpg)
![Step 4b: think how it looks
States
[drop-down list]
Customers
Contacts
Products Orders
Line Items](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/designagreatapplicationakadatamodeling101-111110131129-phpapp01/85/Design-a-great-cloud-application-12-320.jpg)
![Step 4c: think how it looks
States
[drop-down list]
Customers
Contacts
Products Orders
Line Items](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/designagreatapplicationakadatamodeling101-111110131129-phpapp01/85/Design-a-great-cloud-application-13-320.jpg)
![Step 5: proof of concept
States
Customers
[drop-down list]
Barebones framework!
● Only a few fields
Contacts
● Only a few records
Products Orders
Line Items
1. Start at the top; build out your tables
2. Build your Link-to-parent fields as you go
3. Start at the top; create a few sample records
4. See how you like it; make changes; repeat step 3!
5. ALWAYS update your map!](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/designagreatapplicationakadatamodeling101-111110131129-phpapp01/85/Design-a-great-cloud-application-14-320.jpg)
![Step 6: pimp your app*
States
[drop-down list]
Customers
Contacts
Products Orders *Don't do it until your design is final!
● Can't easily change Table names or Field names.
Line Items
● Parent lookups
○ Company mailing address for each contact
● Child lookups
○ Top-10 customers by revenue
○ Top-selling products this month](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/designagreatapplicationakadatamodeling101-111110131129-phpapp01/85/Design-a-great-cloud-application-15-320.jpg)
Design a great cloud application
- 1. Design a great application! aka Data Modeling 101
- 2. Why should I data model? Great data model = Your app just works ● Most business people use spreadsheets ○ But that doesn't work for an app... ○ Bad data; lots of hours to end up with bad reporting ● The right data model is like butter ○ Navigation is a breeze ○ Data entry makes sense ○ Reporting is accurate and easy ○ Workflow is just there
- 3. Laws of data modeling You can't break these and have a good app 1. Each unique item requires a unique ID ○ think SSN 2. Related items must be linked by unique ID ○ think 1040 3. End users will try to break these rules! ○ only allow them to link thru a structured choice ○ remove permission to create certain items 4. Sometimes you need a many-to-many!
- 4. We are here to help!!! Ahhhh, data modeling... ● It isn't easy ● There's no "right answer" ● Call us for help! 800.673.3302 Don't be shy. Call. It'll save us all time!
- 5. DB jargon to sound smart ● Primary key (think SSN) ● Foreign key (think SSN on 1040) ● Flat (think spreadsheet, think uh-oh) ● Many-to-one (think 1040s per citizen) ● Parent/Child (which is the one?) ● Many-to-many (think couples and 1040s) ● Join table (connects 2 tables for many-to-many) ● Self-reference (think Reports To) ● Compound key* (think Name & DOB & Zip) ○ compound, composite, whatever...
- 6. How does TrackVia do it? Link-to-parent thru search (think Rule 3...)
- 7. How does TrackVia do it? ● Child records organized into tabs ● Link-to-parent has green arrow
- 8. Step 1: think about it 1. Don't build anything yet; get pencil & paper 2. Make a list of things with names ○ these are tables, drop-downs or checkboxes 3. Repeat the list to the right 4. Connect top-level* items with arrows (1- or 2-way) Parent Child States States Customers Customers Contacts Contacts Products Products Orders Orders
- 9. Step 2: list the arrows Parent Child States States Customers Customers Contacts Contacts Products Products Orders Orders ● States have multiple customers (but only have one attribute) ● Customers have multiple contacts ● Contacts have multiple orders ● Products have multiple orders ● Orders have multiple products
- 10. Step 3: draw a map ● States have multiple customers (but only have one attribute) ● Customers have multiple contacts States ● Contacts have multiple orders Customers [drop-down list] ● Products have multiple orders ● Orders have multiple products Contacts Products Orders Line Items
- 11. Step 4a: think how it looks States [drop-down list] Customers Contacts Products Orders Line Items
- 12. Step 4b: think how it looks States [drop-down list] Customers Contacts Products Orders Line Items
- 13. Step 4c: think how it looks States [drop-down list] Customers Contacts Products Orders Line Items
- 14. Step 5: proof of concept States Customers [drop-down list] Barebones framework! ● Only a few fields Contacts ● Only a few records Products Orders Line Items 1. Start at the top; build out your tables 2. Build your Link-to-parent fields as you go 3. Start at the top; create a few sample records 4. See how you like it; make changes; repeat step 3! 5. ALWAYS update your map!
- 15. Step 6: pimp your app* States [drop-down list] Customers Contacts Products Orders *Don't do it until your design is final! ● Can't easily change Table names or Field names. Line Items ● Parent lookups ○ Company mailing address for each contact ● Child lookups ○ Top-10 customers by revenue ○ Top-selling products this month
- 16. Tips & tricks ● Design the BEST data model! ○ DON'T dumb it down based on the past ● Migrating legacy data will take planning and time! ○ But a stitch, in time, saves 9! ● Connecting 2 tables with many links to parent? ○ You probably need a join table (many-to-many) ● Find yourself creating copies of unique items so you can assign them to another person? ○ You definitely need a join table! ● DON'T let users create dupes!!!
- 17. Thanks for joining! ● Thanks for joining, please let me know what you think! ● Join us here every week!