 A databases is a collection of data organized to make it easy to search and easy to retrieve in a useful, usable form.

 A single store of related information.  A table consists of records, and each record is made up of a number of fields.  The primary piece in a database are tables.  Tables contain structured information.

 Tables are made of records.  Each record contains the same structure as every other record.

 Records are made of fields.  A field is a single piece of information with a precise description.

 Require a relational database (multiple tables) to store your data.  Have a very large amount of data (thousands of entries).  Have data that is mostly of the long text string type.  Rely on multiple external databases.  Want to run complex queries.  Have many people working in the database.

 Require a flat or non-relational view of your data.  If that data is mostly numeric or calculated.  Know your dataset is manageable in size.

 Brainstorming without Excel › What information do I need to record? › What information do I want? › Do I need to “break it down?”

 Should I record name or first name and last name.  Who is going to handle data entry? Who is going to fix mistakes?  Possibly with others using the database