ISTM CH 15,16,17 book

• Database software


  A well thought-out collection of computer files, the most important of which are called tables
• Tables


  Where a database holds data, consisting of records (rows) separated by fields (columns) that can be queried (questioned) to produce subsets of information
• Database management systems (DBMS)

  Software systems used to create databases, where data is stored in computer files called tables, and tables are connected to other tables with related information
• Business databases are always distributed on a computer network for multiple users
• Database


  Made up of files called tables that are related to each other, including reports, saved query files, and forms
• Database design


  1. Using entity relationship (ER) diagrams

  2. Entity relationship modeling (ERM) to construct a theoretical and conceptual representation of data to produce a schema

  3. A database schema is a "map" of data tables and their relationships to one another
• Structured Query Language (SQL)


  The most widely used standard computer language for relational databases, allowing a programmer to manipulate and query data
• SQL queries


  • Querying a table to find books that cost more than $100
• Zach is considered good at his job, working at a large banking institution in charge of compiling facts and information on his bank's foreclosed real estate
• As the economy soured, the number of foreclosed properties ballooned to almost five hundred, and Zach had to produce an "REO Fact Sheet" for each property
• Zach's initial process


  1. Transferred information from typewritten documents to Microsoft Word documents

  2. Saved Word documents named after the property's REO number

  3. Used a blank REO Fact Sheet template
• Zach printed and distributed the completed REO Fact Sheets to different parts of the bank
• Zach had two separate folders, one called "Complete" and the other called "Incomplete" to avoid distributing incomplete REO Fact Sheets
• Zach was told to modify the REO Fact Sheet

  He would have to open up each and every REO Fact Sheet Word document and make the requested changes
• Mail Merge


  A function in Microsoft Word that allows modifying a template document by merging it with another document containing the data
• Zach's new process

  1. Created an "Information.docx" file to store all REO Fact Sheet data

  2. Modified the "template.docx" to read data from the "Information.docx" file

  3. Considered using a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet instead of the "Information.docx" file
• Database


  The real answer to Zach's dilemma, transferring all 500 REO document's data to a database like Microsoft's Access
• Abby's program

  Opened all 500 REO Word documents and transferred the data to an Access database table
• The Access data table looked like a spreadsheet, but Abby said a database was much more appropriate and substantially more powerful
• Database


  • Allows easy sorting, querying, and data validation through features like field masks
• Zach and Abby's process

  1. Created a form in Access that looked exactly like the REO Fact Sheet

  2. Added filtering capabilities to the data table
• Field mask


  A way to restrict data input in a field
• Inserting a field mask


  1. Restrict data input

  2. Only accept 5 digit or 9 digit zip codes with a dash
• Almost all fields can have field masks
• Field mask on "State" field


  • Only accept capital letters, even if Cap Lock is off
  • Present a list of all states when inputting data
• Form


  Overlays the data table to show information in a more organized manner
• Filtering


  The ability to add a filter to a data table that would only display specific information
• The data was right, and had always been right. Everything changed when the filter was removed
• Zach's boss asked if there were any more "surprise" filters on the REO database, and Zach said no
• IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service)


  Quickly adjusts and supplies more computing power on-demand, using a pay-as-you-go model
• StaaS (Storage as a Service)


  Storing or renting space from a CSP (Cloud Service Provider)
• SaaS (Software as a Service)


  CSP installs and operates application software in the Cloud that the Cloud user can use
• SaaS eliminates the need to install and run application software on the Cloud user's own computer
• OpenOffice


  An open-source business software suite with a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation software, and database
• OpenOffice applications are robust business tools and are absolutely free
• PaaS (Platform as a Service)


  Large business organizations can contract Cloud services to replace many things they already do, like administering their own platforms, programming environments, and databases
• BI (Business Intelligence)


  Computer applications that change data into significant, meaningful information that helps organizations make better decisions
• DSS (Decision Support Systems)


  Computer-based systems that support an organization's decision-making activities
• Structured Data


  Data that resides in fixed formats, typically well labeled and with traditional fields and records of common data tables
• Unstructured Data


  Disorganized data that cannot be easily read or processed by a computer because it is not stored in rows and columns like traditional data tables