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When to switch from a table to an RDBMS?

I volunteered with a non-governmental organization that helped manage their registration at my community center. Currently, there is only one community center where all their data is stored. However, it is expected that this will change by the end of the year.

Their data is currently supported using a two-sheet book. Each record on the main sheet can contain up to 100 observations on the subsequent sheet. Data is freely structured and there are no obvious limitations.

Moving all existing data from a spreadsheet to an RDBMS will take some effort, but I'm ready to do it; especially because there is talk that this data can be transferred to other NGOs in this area.

One option is to use, say, Google Docs, and combine each record set manually.

With more than one data entry and search point, does it make sense to recommend moving away from the extended sheet database to the RDBMS?

EDIT Just posted continuation of the strategy to follow here

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Yes, it makes sense to switch to an RDBMS that is designed to process data structured specifically in these tables.

Things are usually messy when spreadsheets link to each other, and they just keep growing, something like an RDBMS. You can add functions through SQL, such as complex formulas, much easier than with spreadsheets.

Moving (evaluating, not knowing enough about the data) seems easy because it is already well organized and you are dealing with this problem before it even becomes a problem.

Footnote: for reasons of usability, I would allow users to hang on a similar solution, as now, a GUI-wise. You can export / import data, for example, in Google Docs or MS Excel, through csv or other file formats, which still allow you to have a backend in an RDBMS for ease of maintenance, speed and indexing, etc.

There is a good article on http://www.cazh1.com/blogger/thoughts/2007/03/excel-vs.shtml that emphasizes precisely this differentiation of usage:

  • quick and dirty: go to spreadsheets.
  • maintainability and long-term storage: go to the database
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