Page 232 - Using MIS

200 Chapter 5 Database Processing

Figure 5-34
Columns in the Piano Table

To resolve this issue, Dean created a Microsoft Access data- Because of the dynamic nature of his needs, Dean uses
base with only one table: Piano. To fill the database with data, the Access query facility. Figure 5-35 shows an example
Dean had to first take an inventory of all the pianos and record query that returns all of the pianos of a sound quality higher
the data shown in the columns of Figure 5-34. than 4 that are located in a tent and figure 5-36 shows the
As you know, a one-table database could just as easily have result of that query. Dean also suspects that the quality de-
been stored in Excel, but Dean used Access because he wants to teriorates faster in the tents than in the shed or the shop. To
query his data in a variety of ways. He wants to know, for example, determine if this is the case, he created the report shown in
all of the pianos located in a tent that have a sound quality of 4 or figure 5-37.
higher. And he wants to know which pianos have a sound quality
of 1 or less so he can dispose of them. Further, customers have Questions
particular needs. One might, for example, want a Baldwin spinet 5-10. Explain why a one-table database could be stored just
(a type of piano); without a database he has no idea whether he as readily in Excel as in Access.
has one or where. Or, when he needs a replacement key top, he
might want to know the location of all the pianos in the workshop 5-11. Justify the decision to use Access to store the piano
that have ivory keys and a sound quality of 2 or less, and so on. database.