I'm a student, and right now, I'm transitioning from using CSV files to working with an embedded SQLite database for a project. I've been learning some basic database concepts, and I'm trying to figure out how to manage sales history without running into issues with data redundancy.
I have a simplified database layout:
- Product(id as PK, name, price)
- LineItem(id as PK, volume, product as FK)
- Sale(id as PK, lineitem as FK)
The challenge arises because products need to be updated regularly—like their prices—but I don't want those changes to reflect in past sales data. I need a way to maintain a history of sales, especially regarding product prices.
Is it best to save the price directly in the LineItem? What if the product name changes later? Should I save all product details in the LineItem? That could lead to a bulky table and cause referencing issues. I'm looking for the best practice to keep my database updated while preserving a reliable historical record of sales without overcomplicating it. Any advice would be appreciated!
5 Answers
It really depends on your project requirements. You could maintain a Products table and a ProductPrices table where ProductPrices can be updated while keeping timestamps. Your LineItems could then reference the ProductPrices instead of the Products directly. Alternatively, consider adding a fixed price to each LineItem at the time of creation to capture the product details as they were when the sale happened.
I'd recommend creating a separate table specifically for tracking price changes. You could set up a trigger or run a query before making any updates to your products. This way, you keep your main tables streamlined and store timestamps, user info, and any other details in this separate table. This will help manage your data size and maintain history without cluttering significant tables.
You might want to look into creating an entity that specifically records sales. This entity would link back to the product details but also have its own 'price paid' column to maintain historical accuracy without affecting the product table.
If you're aiming for a simple solution with fixed values, copying over data into a new table could be your best bet. Since a Sale is a final fixed transaction, you want your items to retain their original information. Alternatively, separate tables for price and product changes might help you track everything accurately.
For your needs, consider implementing change data capture (CDC). This approach will help you track and retain the necessary changes in your data over time effectively.
Related Questions
Set Wordpress Featured Image Using Javascript
How To Fix PHP Random Being The Same
Why no WebP Support with Wordpress
Replace Wordpress Cron With Linux Cron
Customize Yoast Canonical URL Programmatically
[Centos] Delete All Files And Folders That Contain a String