Use a Database or a Spreadsheet for Data? - by Ron Willing

This question cannot be answered with a simple "this" or "that". You need to take a look at three facts about the information you wish to save. The first is the type of data you expect to have in your data set. Are there, say, less than eight pieces, or columns of data you will enter? If there are a lot more, the weighing goes towards the database. Likewise, you want to consider the length of data fields. If one or more data fields are long textual information, like your opinion of a political candidate, then perhaps a spreadsheet would be better. Shorter fields, like Name, Address, Age and Phone Number, might suggest a spreadsheet format.

Next, you want to look at the amount of data you are entering. A spreadsheet is very easy to set up, once you know the principles. A database is a little more complicated to set up in that you have to define the type and characteristics of each piece of data beforehand. Defining input forms and output reports is also a little more complicated. Thus, if you are only going to enter one or two pages of information, you might want to stick with the spreadsheet. If you have hundreds of data records, then a spreadsheet may become a little unwieldy, and a database would be more appropriate.

Lastly, you want to consider what you want to do with the data. If you are only going to print out the data in the same manner as you entered it, or even sort it into a particular order with relatively easy formatting, use a spreadsheet. If you are only going to use the calculated results of the data, such as sum, mean, average or the like, then the spreadsheet is also the answer. However, if you expect to reformat the data in many different ways, extract several different subsets of information, or combine data fields in a variety of ways, then perhaps the database is your proper answer.

So you have now gone through the list and still can't figure out which way to go. Try the spreadsheet. It is a lot faster and you can start to get a better feel for how you enter the data and what you want to do with it. Later, if you decide that the spreadsheet is just too cumbersome in the way you utilize the data or generate reports, then you can switch to a database. Though you still have to design your input forms and your output reports, you don't have to reenter your data. You can just import it from the spreadsheet to the database. You don't have to type all those records in again.