Databases are essential tools for managing businesses. Whether you use handwritten notes, Baserow, Excel, Access, or another option, databases play a role in your work. Even a simple list of customers on a notepad is a basic form of a database.
To effectively use a database, it’s important to understand certain terms. When you grasp the different components of a database, you can better manage them and manipulate the data within to make informed business decisions. One term you may wonder about is “field” in a database.
Database fields, explained
In simple terms, a database consists of tables, which contain important snippets of information called table cells. These cells are organized into columns and rows. The rows represent records, where information about specific objects (e.g., customers, orders) is stored. The columns represent fields, each corresponding to a specific type of data like ID, color, or postcode.
For example, if you have a customer record with their name, address, and telephone number, each piece of information is considered a field. The collection of data within the fields along one row creates a record.
On its own, a field doesn’t provide much insight. A list of colors without additional context is inconclusive. However, a collection of fields can be a powerful tool. For instance, a field that lists colors as red, green, and yellow means nothing without understanding what those colors represent or how they are connected.
What data can you store in a database field?
A field can store various types of data, but it can only hold one type of information at a time. Standard databases offer different types of fields, such as numbers, text, files, images, and web addresses.
You can easily add high-quality media images and videos to a database using Baserow. With a simple drag and drop feature, you can upload images, videos, documents, and other elements to a field, creating a more robust database quickly.
Are all database fields manually entered?
Creating databases can seem daunting because of the perceived need for extensive data entry. However, Baserow allows you to automatically retrieve and populate databases using APIs. If you have access to developers, they can automate this process for you. If not, webhooks can easily populate tables. Additionally, data can be imported from spreadsheets, JSON, and XML files. Certain fields with specific requirements, such as multi/single select, date, or boolean fields, can also reduce data entry time through specialized input widgets.
A single select field presents a set of values, allowing the user to select only one option from the preset list. For example, colors like “Red,” “Blue,” and “Yellow” could be options. The person entering data can choose one of these options as the field’s value.
A multiple select field works similarly, but allows the user to select multiple values to be added to the field. This does not create separate fields, but rather a field with multiple entries.
A multiple select field also saves time when making edits. If you have a multiple select field with “red,” “blue,” and “yellow,” but decide that “yellow” should actually be “green,” you only need to make the change once. Once the change is made, all records referencing “yellow” will automatically change to “green.” This saves significant time, especially if there are already hundreds of records with “yellow” as a value in the field.
The multiple select field does not limit analysis capabilities. For example, if you want to find all records with the color red, you can create a database query that searches for “red” in the field. The query will display all records that have red as well as those that include red along with another color.
Boolean searches can also be used in this context. A Boolean search allows users to combine keywords with certain operators. For example, searching for “Red OR Blue” will find all records with either red or blue. If you want to find records with red but exclude any that include blue, the search would be "Red NOT Blue.”
What’s a lookup field in a database?
In addition to the basic field types mentioned earlier, there are other useful field types, such as the lookup field. This field retrieves information from another table or query within the database.
For example, in an orders database, the customer number serves as the identifying field for the order’s creator. Additional information about the customer, such as name, address, and telephone number, can be collected from a separate customer database.
By looking for the customer ID within the customer table, the relevant information can be retrieved and populated in the order table. This saves time during database creation and creates dynamic and useful relationships between tables.
Do all fields need data to be valid?
There may be fields, such as mobile number or email address, where the information is not always available. While these fields may exist within a table, they may not always be filled in.
In most databases, an empty field does not invalidate the record or the database. There are two options for managing data in this case. The first option is to leave the field empty, but there is a risk of accidentally entering information in the empty field when inputting data for the next record.
Another option is to use default values, such as “0” or “not provided.” These additions can also be used in queries to find records with missing fields.
How to ensure all fields have valid inputs
Data entry is prone to errors. Research has shown that manual data entry can have an error rate of around 2.8% (source: BMJ Open). This means there is an error for every 50 data values entered into a database. With multiple fields within a table, this equates to approximately 20% of records having incorrect information.
Data entry is prone to errors. Research has shown that manual data entry can have an error rate of around 2.8% (source: BMJ Open). This means there is an error for every 50 data values entered into a database. With multiple fields within a table, this equates to approximately 20% of records having incorrect information.
There are ways to minimize data entry mistakes. Using advanced functions in Baserow can help reduce errors. Single select and multiple select fields can be particularly helpful. Relationships between tables can also reduce errors through lookup fields.
Restrictions on the type of data that can be entered in a field can also prevent errors. Many errors are simple typos, such as entering numbers or letters in fields where they shouldn’t be. For example, special characters (+, #, _, etc.) should not be entered in a telephone number field. By setting specific limitations (e.g., numbers) for a field, the chance of such errors can be reduced.
Fields with restrictions, like phone number fields that only allow numbers, can display warnings to users in some database software when incorrectly formatted data is entered.
What are fixed length and variable length fields?
Ensuring the validity of certain fields can involve setting specific lengths. Fixed-length fields require a certain number of characters to be entered. If the required length is not met, the user will be prompted to enter the correct data.
Variable-length fields, on the other hand, allow data of any length to be entered. These fields are suitable for data like names and addresses.
How fields help manage your business
Fields in a database offer various ways to manage your business. While individual fields may not be powerful on their own, they can be sorted and used to collect data. For example, a date field can be used to gather orders made within specific time periods or on specific dates. Customer IDs can be used to find all orders made by a particular customer.
A database can also help analyze which promotions have driven business by tracking sales with specific discount codes and affiliate links.
By leveraging these capabilities, you can make important decisions that reduce costs, improve revenues, and increase profit margins. Baserow can save you time in the process.
