This is an excerpt of a presentation I gave at ECPI University in Raleigh, NC. The purpose of this talk was to assist students is selecting the best database tool for business uses and to provide a low cost alternative for MS Access and MS Excel.

1. THE “APEX” OF DATABASE
DESIGN
JAMES FAYSON, JR., PMP
SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

2. JAMES FAYSON, JR., PMP
• I possess over 20 years of Information Technology experience
• Founder of a Biotech Company – Scynexis Inc. (2000 – 2013)
• Awarded a patent in a revolutionary method of purifying chemical
compounds
• Created a consulting firm Faysonite Industries, LLC (2013)
• Education:
• Electronic Engineering Technology, BS, Florida A&M University
• Information Systems Management, Graduate Certificate, Keller
School of Management

3. LET’S GET STARTED…
What are the three most common classes of business applications?
Spreadsheets are commonly used for handling results of calculations, or this powerful tool can be
used to organize data into column and rows. But the power of a spreadsheet is its ability to do complex
calculations using advanced formulas using the information provided.
Word processors: are for creating text documents such as reports, letters, forms, articles, etc. They can
include pictures, graphs, portions of spreadsheets and database reports. But their strength is the ability format
the document into a good presentation piece.
Databases are used to collect, manipulate, filter, and report on various kinds of data. Information
from a database can be used in either word processing or spreadsheets. The strength of the database is
its ability to manipulate and filter data quickly and accurately. (Tables, Queries, Forms, and
Reports)

4. TRAP #1: WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO YOU?
If you only have a hammer, you tend to see
every problem as a nail.
- Abraham Maslow
Abraham maslow quotes. Brainyquote. Retrieved September 6, 2013, from
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/abrahammas126079.html#IWaHKY1IloZkff8m.99

5. SPREADSHEETS VS DATABASES
Advantages Disadvantages
Simple to use Repeated data
Graphics easier to setup Search & Retrieval
Easy data duplication Data validation &
Checking
Cell formulas &
Calculations
Data sharing /
Collaboration
Advantages Disadvantages
Sharing Harder to setup
Search & Retrieval More expensive
Security Requires SQL
knowledge
Data sharing /Collaboration Must Normalize
Database Quick Notes:
• Characteristics of a Relation (Table)
• Use several tables (relations) to store data
• Tables names are unique for a given database
• Tables are comprised of columns and rows (records)
• Column names are unique and cannot contain spaces or special characters, but “_” is
acceptable.
• Cells can only hold a single value.

6. PROBLEM…
Susan Croft is a recreational
administrator for a local park. She is
running into problems with her Excel
spreadsheet. Susan is finding it very
difficult for her staff to enter data
simultaneously, and data in her monthly
reports are inconsistent. She is asking
for our help; how can be help Susan?

7. SUSAN’S PROBLEM
PlayerID Player Activity Cost AmountPaid
5001 Jay Walker Football $20 $0
5002 Mari Kaye F-ball $20 $12
5003 Stevie House Basketball $17 $17
5001 Jay Walker Basketball $17 $17
5005 Moe Moore b-ball $17 $10
5006 Vicky Thomas Rock Climbing $10 $5
5007 Tommy Brown football $20 $20
5008 Jake Walker Rock climbing $10 $0
5009 Tommy Miller Basketball $17 $5
Steps for transforming Excel Spreadsheets into tables
1. Review data and discuss with ALL stakeholders!
2. Find determinates
3. Create tables based on determinates (clean and reduce data)
4. Check logical structure and document constraints
5. If necessary, add primary keys

8. FIND DETERMINATES
PlayerID Player Activity Cost AmountPaid
5001 Jay Walker Football $20 $0
5002 Mari Kaye F-ball $20 $12
5003 Stevie House Basketball $17 $17
5001 Jay Walker Basketball $17 $17
5005 Moe Moore b-ball $17 $10
5006 Vicky Thomas Rock Climbing $10 $5
5007 Tommy Brown football $20 $20
5008 Jake Walker Rock climbing $10 $0
5009 Tommy Miller Basketball $17 $5
What is the relationship among the
columns?
PlayerID => Player?
PlayerID => Activity?
PlayerID => Cost?
PlayerID => AmountPaid?
What we know…
PlayerID => Player Activity => Cost
(PlayerID, Activity) => AmountPaid

9. CREATE TABLES/CLEAN AND REDUCE
PLAYERS
PLAYERID PLAYER
5001 Jay Walker
5002 Mari Kaye
5003 Stevie House
5001 Jay Walker
5005 Moe Moore
5006 Vicky Thomas
5007 Tommy Brown
5008 Jake Walker
5009 Tommy Miller
ACTIVITYS
ACTIVITY COST
Football $20
Basketball $17
Rock Climbing $10
PAID
PLAYERID ACTIVITY AMOUNT
5001 Football $0
5002 Football $12
5003 Basketball $17
5001 Basketball $17
5005 Basketball $10
5006 Rock Climbing $5
5007 Football $20
5008 Rock Climbing $0
5009 Basketball $5
PlayerID => Player Activity => Cost (PlayerID, Activity) => AmountPaid

10. CHECK LOGICAL STRUCTURE
PLAYERS
PLAYERID PLAYER
5001 Jay Walker
5002 Mari Kaye
5003 Stevie House
5001 Jay Walker
5005 Moe Moore
5006 Vicky Thomas
5007 Tommy Brown
5008 Jake Walker
5009 Tommy Miller
ACTIVITYS
ACTIVITY COST
Football $20
Basketball $17
Rock Climbing $10
PAID
PLAYERID ACTIVITY AMOUNT
5001 Football $0
5002 Football $12
5003 Basketball $17
5001 Basketball $17
5005 Basketball $10
5006 Rock Climbing $5
5007 Football $20
5008 Rock Climbing $0
5009 Basketball $5
PlayerID => Player Activity => Cost (PlayerID, Activity) => AmountPaid
Referential Integrity Constraints
PAID.PLAYERSID must exist in PLAYERS
PAID.ACTIVITY must exist in ACTIVITIES

11. IF NECESSARY, ADD PRIMARY KEYS
ACTIVITYS
ACTIVITY COST
Football $20
Basketball $17
Rock Climbing $10
PAID
PLAYERID ACTIVITY AMOUNT
5001 Football $0
5002 Football $12
5003 Basketball $17
5001 Basketball $17
5005 Basketball $10
5006 Rock Climbing $5
5007 Football $20
5008 Rock Climbing $0
5009 Basketball $5
ACTIVITYS
ACTIVITYID ACTIVITY COST
100 Football $20
101 Basketball $17
102 Rock Climbing $10
PAID
PLAYERID ACTIVITYID AMOUNT
5001 100 $0
5002 100 $12
5003 101 $17
5001 101 $17
5005 101 $10
5006 102 $5
5007 100 $20
5008 101 $0
5009 102 $5
Referential Integrity Constraints
PAID.PLAYERSID must exist in PLAYERS
PAID.ACTIVITYID must exist in ACTIVITIES

12. TRAP #2: NOT CONDUCTING STAKEHOLDER
FOLLOW UP
This is awesome! I did not think that you could get
the data organized so fast… After talking to my
staff, it is important for this application to be
available on our Intranet (SharePoint). We also
would like to see a report of all the players, related
activities, cost associated with each activity and the
amount owed by each player… Is this possible?

13. WHY APEX?
Some features of APEX
• Integrated in Oracle (application
server is not needed!)
• RAD Web development environment
• Can provide application and DB
level of security
• Free! (Oracle Database 11g
Express Edition)

14. SUMMARY
• Tip #1: Understand and increase your toolset and vision
• Tip #2: Conduct stakeholder follow up
Steps for transforming Excel Spreadsheets into tables:
• Review data and discuss with ALL stakeholders!
• Find determinates
• Create tables based on determinates (clean and reduce data)
• Check logical structure and document constraints
• If necessary, add primary keys

15. INFORMATION
• APEX (Oracle Application Express): browser Based Development – Easy
Mobile Development - Rapidly and declaratively develop, deploy, and run
applications using only a web browser http://apex.oracle.com
• Oracle Database 11g Express Edition: Free to develop, deploy, and
distribute - Oracle Database 11g Express Edition (Oracle Database XE)
is an entry-level, small-footprint database based on the Oracle Database
11g Release 2 code base. It's free to develop, deploy, and distribute; fast
to download; and simple to administer.
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/products/express-
edition/overview/index.html

16. THANK YOU!
If I were dropped out of a plane into the
ocean and told the nearest land was a
thousand miles away, I'd still swim. And I'd
despise the one who gave up. - Abraham
Maslow
Abraham maslow quotes. Brainyquote. Retrieved September 6, 2013, from
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/abrahammas126079.html#IWaHKY1IloZkff8m.99