Question

I need an advice if i am doing the right thing at MySQL database. I am connecting this database which i named inventory to a java application, this consist of a table named item and here are the details:

1. id – int(11), AUTO_INCREMENT
2. item_name – varchar(50)
3. category – varchar(25)
4. q_box – int(11)
5. unit_price_box – double
6. sub_total_box – double
7. q_pc – int(11)
8. unit_price_pc – double
9. sub_total_pc – double
10. grand_total – double
11. recent_date_purchased – date
12. last_date_modified – timestamp

I am already using this to store stocks in the development of an inventory application, but what i want to do now is to add a table which will store orders from customers.

I am planning to do this:

table name: orders

which consists of the following:

1. order_id – int(11), AUTO_INCREMENT
2. item_name – varchar(50)
3. category – varchar(25)
4. q_box – int(11)
5. unit_price_box – double //this is the retail/wholesale price per box
6. sub_total_box – double
7. q_pc – int(11)
8. unit_price_pc – double //this is the retail/wholesale price per pc
9. sub_total_pc – double
10. grand_total – double
11. customer_name – varchar(50)

12. last_date_modified – timestamp

    My question is: Am I violating any MySQL rules since I am using a same variable?

or do you have any advice? Any advice would be highly appreciated..

Thanks in advance 🙂

Answer 1

You might be better off with the items table, as well as an orders and order_items table.

orders

id int(11), AUTO_INCREMENT
customerid int(11)
orderdate datetime
PRIMARY KEY (id)
FOREIGN KEY (customerid) REFERENCES Customers(Id)

order_items

orderid int(11),
itemid int(11)
FOREIGN KEY (orderid) REFERENCES Orders(id)
FOREIGN KEY (itemid) REFERENCES Items(Id)

That way there is less repeated data.