I could just create fields in the table called, Phone, Mobile, Home etc?
It becomes an Issue
Well yes, you could do it like that and I suspect many do. It becomes an issue for two reasons, if you wanted to search phone numbers, and if you want to add an extra communication type. Let's say the phone rang, a number popped up and you wonder if that's so & so ringing. If you store numbers in multiple places, it makes the searching more of a challenge, it's much easier just to search one field.
Require Adding another Field
The other problem is, 20 years ago all you had was phone, fax and possibly one or two other communication related Fields. Now you have phone, mobile phone, email, WhatsApp, Skype, web pages, all sorts of mediums for making contact with people. And they are being added to all the time. Skype and WhatsApp being recent additions. So if you were storing your communication data in separate fields, then adding WhatsApp would require adding another field.
Add an Entry in a Combo Box
However if you develop your database properly, along the recommended guidelines, then you just add the new communication method to a list which appears in a combobox. One entry and you've completely redesigned your database. Adding an extra field doesn't sound to onerous particularly when you first set up your database it isn't, but imagine in six months or a year, your database will be much bigger and more complicated. It's very likely that you will have queries and reports based on the information in those communication Fields. Now when you add an extra field, you're going to have to change those queries and reports and any other parts of your database that use that information.
Video Instructions HERE:-
I have a set of videos on my website which demonstrate how to change a communication table, your telephone list table with individual fields for the different sorts of telephone numbers into the correct structure. See this link here:-
(Parts 1, 2 and 3 as Video Instructions)
Free Transpose Tool Here:-
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