Microtools based on the relational data model – Representation of entities in a spreadsheet

Despite the common application of a wide variety of IT solutions in organisations, one may relatively frequently come across processes under which information is manually processed by employees, and even if specific IT tools are used for the processing, the extent of operations conducted manually remains considerable. In numerous cases, similar processes may be supported by tools created using spreadsheets. Such tools can be developed by means of a rather narrow array of embedded spreadsheet features and mechanisms by following the author’s signature concept referred to as Microtools Based on the Relational Data Model. This article addresses two available methods for implementation of entities identified beforehand, at the data model development stage, in a spreadsheet with reference to a problem being analysed. The choice of an approach is one of the most fundamental decisions to be made while creating such tools. Each of the methods in question has been illustrated using an adequate example. Both their advantages and disadvantages have been discussed along with solutions enabling automatic migration of data between the two systems proposed.