Admin for Small Business Information and Resources

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You are gathering information together about your business. How should you store it?

Do You Want Your Data in Spreadsheets or Databases?

It’s sometimes difficult to know which to choose, but don’t worry if you pick one or the other the first time round and later change your mind it’s usually a quick and simple process to move information between the two formats.

Spreadsheets are good for creating lists of things and performing operations on them for example you list your prices and add VAT

Databases are good for holding a set of lists that are related for example

the price list above and a stock list

 and a supplier list 

Your could then for instance combine your lists using a database report to find out when you need to re-order your stock and who from or to check that the prices you are charging reflect the cost of the products.

Of course if you only had 3 products and 4 suppliers you could just write out the lists but if you had tens or hundreds and a supplier notified you of a price change you can make the changes in one place e.g.  prices in your supplier list and still be able to see that you were selling your stock at the right price.