During the last two months we have explored word processing and computer spreadsheet software. Those two “Applications” cover a majority of the areas that personal or micro computers are used in. There is another type of software, however, that can be of tremendous assistance to Landscape Architects. Database Management software allows you to organize large amounts of information effectively and efficiently.

The Nature of Information

Before looking at how this type of software operates and how you can put it to use in your office, we need to explore the basic nature of information. Most collections of information have a repetitious pattern or structure. This means that all information can be divided into a series of categories, such as names, sizes, ages, width, height, etc. In database management software these categories are called Fields. For instance a collection of data composed of Fields called: Name, Street Address, City, State, Zip code, and phone number is called an address book. In database management software, one set of these Fields is called a Record.

The basic unit of information is then, the Field. Fields can be further subdivided into what type of information they are. For example, a field that is designed to hold the mature height of a Black Pine would be declared as a numeric field. Similarly a field that will hold the name of the plant would be declared as a “String” (alphabetic) field. Fields can also be identified as logical. Logical fields hold true or false indicators. Whether a client is charged sales tax or not might be a logical field.

Method of Use

Once you have installed this software, the next step is to design the form that your database fields and records are going to take. This is done by simply declaring (in a setup function) what fields your records will have and what type of information those fields will contain. After you have completed this step, actually entering the information or data into the database comes next. It is at this point that the effort needed to use database management software becomes apparent, sitting in front of a computer screen endlessly typing in names, addresses, phone numbers, or other repetitious information gets to be very very boring. If you have the resources, hiring someone to accomplish this chore is nice. If you really have Mega-bucks, you can even get Scanners that can read typed material into the database automatically.

Uses Limited Only By Your Creativity

So after you have all that stuff in there, what can you do with it? The answer to that question revolves around the type of information you have stored and what you need to do with it or to it. If, for example, you have entered all the information from your client list, you could print mailing labels sorted on Zip code, for all clients that had “Inc.” in their name and whether located in Colorado or Utah. If you have all the information on the plant materials that you specify stored in a database, you could use it to generate a list of all plant materials that require: Full Sun, Sandy soil, Height >12 ft., Spread <8 ft., Deciduous, and Zone >3. The program would then search through the information in the database and select only those plant materials that fit all the criteria. It is even possible to have the computer search through one database of say, Suppliers of plastic irrigation pipe, find all the Suppliers that carry four-inch main line, then search another database to determine which of these have the best price and finally print out a complete report detailing who to call, how much to order, and what the total cost will be for your current project

Most Database Management software contain provisions for “programming” frequently used searches so that you do not have to re-enter all the housekeeping and setup criteria each time you need to use the information. In fact, several companies specialize in writing custom applications of database management software. There are several currently available for horticultural applications.

As with any complex product, Database Management software takes some time to learn how to use effectively. Considerable time is required to enter the data into a database. It also can seem like your information always needs updating but, properly used, Database Management Software can help you do a better job, in much less time, and that means a better looking bottom line. Next month we will explore the magic of getting your computer to “Reach Out and Touch Someone.”

Database Management software is organized to operate with information in this form:

Database = Collection of Records

Record = Collection of Fields

Field = Unit of information with a common name