Billing_ID VARCHAR ??

[w00der]

Im am in the process of creating some revenue reports in Access. So I need to link my modernbill database with my TCadmin. To do this i need to link the Billing ID (tcadmin) with the Client ID (modernbill). I cannot do this as the Billing_ID field is set to a VARCHAR in the TCadmin Database where as the Client ID in modernbill is an INTERGER. Is there any reason for this or is it an oversite? and would adjusting the field myself cause any knock on effects i.e. my automated setup?

 

Thanks in advance

[adamnp]

Generally speaking, TCADMIN off the books for a second, an int type should always win the performance race.

However, it may not provide the flexibility that you might need for certain calls within TCA.

 

As long as the two types match, then the performance on joins should be

acceptable, and work. (I'm assuming for just a Billing ID, this might be do-able)

 

Index wise, the fields for a text type will almost always be

bigger than an int type would be, and will be faster. So as long as there is a type match and there is no mixing of an int4 with an int8, etc... things should be fine.

 

I would wait for one of the guys to letcha know though.

[w00der]

Thanks for the reply, i realise the pros and cons of the formatt. The problem lies with i cant join them as they are different field types. Currently Im having to use a make table query and then change the field type to number as a work around ideally i'd just be connecting to the live DB. That field was put there as part of the modern bill intergration so why not have it in the same formatt