Choosing a database design

janehansen

I am looking to build a data storage system for both spatial and non-spatial data for a small non-for-profit organization.  One idea is to develop a SQL storage system for the non-spatial data and a file geodatabase for the spatial data and relate the data using primary keys.  The other idea is to use MS Access for the non-spatial data and again a file geodatabase for the spatial data and use primary keys to relate the data. Do these choices sound reasonable or is their a better structure to use?

Thank you

Jane

bixb0012

I don't think your situation is uncommon.  Unfortunately, I haven't found a great alternative to MS Access for situations like this one.  Personal geodatabases had/have their issues, but tying them into Access/Jet database files made them handy.  Lots of people in the business world use MS Access to provide something more than Excel for data management but without the overhead of installing SQL Server, even SQL Server Express.  The file geodatabase was a step forward in terms of storing GIS data in a file-based geodatabase, but it was also a step backwards in terms of openness and compatibility outside the ArcGIS ecosystem.

As much as I try to stay away from personal geodatabases, or even MS Access, there are certain situations where there isn't a good alternative given the requirements.  SQL Server Express is fairly powerful, but I have seen it be a bridge too far for users that can barely figure out working with MS Access.