Stressed new member! (1 Viewer)

Hi All

First of all just to say hello to fellow database gurus (I wouldn't say I'm a guru - yet!)

I'm feeling the pressure to produce a new database system for a new employer. First time I've managed my own database project and I'm struggling to organise myself and to cope with the overwhelming requirements of this new system and its users.
Basically, the old system has been patched up repeatedly over the years - by non-database people. I've been brought in to update the system! Job description didn't mention I would have to re-design the database entirely!
I'm stressed. I've been looking at this project for the last 3 months and I'm still messing about with the ER Diagram, learning SQL Server, learning VBA with Access 2003, designing the front-end, Project management....AAARRGGHHHH!!!

My contract expires in 2 months - and I'm hoping to get it extended - but probably only if I get some sort of working system up and running before then. I just feel like I sit at the computer for hours on end and don't really get anything achieved.

it's a challenge

depends how big the system is, but two months to completely specify, design and implement a large system is next to impossible.

and patching other people's work if it isn't done well, and nicely documented is ALSO a difficult challenge.

could you not come clean to your employers, and get some outside help in to assist you with the analysis phase.

what sort of system is it?

Hi - it's a Project Management System essentially. Right through from Customer Enquiry to Invoice, Stock Management, workload per Employee, After Sales Service. I'm being trained up as an in-house developer - to save on costs otherwise spent on a new CRM system. The employees have been stuck with an incapable system for some years now (Access 2003!) - and I can sense their eagerness for something that fits their needs. I'm the sole database "expert" there - non-database people seem to think that building a database should be "easy" !! I spent a huge chunk of time trying to get to grips with this old Access 2003 database (no documentation at all exists).
It's such a clunky big database I gave up - and decided it would be easier to start again.
The company plan is to keep Access 2003 as the front-end (but to re-design the whole thing) - and to build the back-end tables, queries etc in SQL Server 2005.
the old database is basically a flat-file. So somehow I have to pull through that data into the new table relationships.
If I wanted a challenge - I certainly got one.
The company is very good on giving training and support - but I feel this big pressure to churn something out that "proves my worth" !!

It may be you need some external assistance to point you in the right direction from the start. Setting off on the right foot will only pay dividends later on. It may be that your employer is not aware of the implications of making a silk purse out of a pigs ear. You only need to ring this to his attention, you never know he may like your upfrontness.

Make sure you limit or elliminate denormalised data
Create the correct relationships
Install correct naming conventions
Think about data migration
Think about future proofing

Document your changes
and finally
Backup Modify Backup Modify Backup Modify....

who developed the A2003 system?

it should give you some pointers though - firstly there is absolutely nothing wrong with A2003. What it does point to, is that if the previous developers - assuming with adequate experience, coulddn't get it right - then you with little experience - will not improve it as quickly as you hope.

Moving to SQL won't really help - all it will do, is give you another product to learn, as well as access.


and finally, you mentioned stock management - that alone is one of the hardest things to do. distinctly non-trivial

Starson all you can do is do your best..

If it is too big a project that is hardly your fault that is a management oversight.

If it is too big a project it could still be a great opportunity to learn. It sounds like its a massive system. Break it down into sections and try and get one part working first.

You should really think about the structure of the whole thing initially however you can probably concentrate on one section initially bearing in mind that the other sections may come in later. I'd probably start with a valuable small part that you can get your head round at the present.

The good news is that if the existing system is one flat file means that it was very probably not particularly good and yet it must still have been useful. I personally would think as a beginner you have therefore more chance of making an improvement in a shorter time period.