Data Types
Biodata can be collected, stored and managed in a variety of forms, including spreadsheets, relational databases, object-oriented databases and GIS files.
Although the terms are often used interchangeably, a relational database and spreadsheet are two different but complimentary pieces of software. It is easy to confuse the two because information from a database can be extracted and used in either documents or spreadsheets. Also, some database packages have the ability to import and export the data between document and spreadsheet software. So what are the basic differences between the two?
When to use spreadsheets
Generally, spreadsheet files are not secure and can be corrupted. They are best used as an analysis tool, rather than for data storage. Managing data in spreadsheets can easily lead to compromised data quality, particularly when exporting or importing data between systems. The method described for managing spreadsheet data in Spreadsheet Systems offers a brief outline of how to avoid messy data in spreadsheets.
Difference between spreadsheets & databases
| Spreadsheet | Relational database | |
|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Rectangular table (or grid) of information displaying results of calculations. | Application for storing data, which can take the form of tables, so that it can be easily retrieved by users. |
| Tables | At its most rudimentary form a spreadsheet could be considered a flat file database designed around one table that is laid out in a linear manner. | A relational database incorporates multiple tables with methods for the tables to work together - such as defining a record field as a primary key. |
| Calculations | Ability for users to easily add complex calculations using advanced formulas with the information provided. | Ability to manipulate and filter data quickly and accurately. Usually requires additional knowledge to programme in calculations. |
| Querying the data | Some sorting and filtering of the data is available, but there is no way to write queries within a spreadsheet. | Offers more robust reporting with report generatirs that filter and display selected fields and the capability to build your own reporting modules. Queries cause the database to extract, derive, and condense only the information of interest, and present information in a humanly readable report. A report may look like (or even be) a web page, set of web pages or a spreadsheet. The report might be exported to a spreadsheet to allow the user to manipulate the data so it has more meaning. |
| Storage capacity | Usually has a smaller capacity to store data compared to a database because values are not indexed. | Usually has the capacity to store more data than what can be contained in a spreadsheet. |
| Linking multiple tables | Each table is meant to be stand alone, although Excel has the ability to link cells to other tables. | Multiple tables are linked to eachother via pramary and foreign keys. Contains a descritpion of the type of data held in each column and how the various tables are related to each other in terms of data structure, integrity, querying, manipulation and storage. You must be careful to store data in tables such that the relationships make sense. |
| Ease of formatting/editing | The rows and columns are easily editable by users with basic computer experience. Easy to format for presentations and publications. | Usually requires additional software knowledge or computer programming to edit a database. Usually requires running a report that extracts data of interest - otherwise the rows and columns take up more space than suitable for print format. |
| Data integrity | May contain many fields, often with duplicate data that are prone to corruption. There is no automation between flat fields. For example, say you have multiple worksheets that contain a landowner address and the landowner moved, you would have to manually modify the address in each of the worksheets that conatains this information. There is ability in Excel to improve data integrity with cell look-ups and data validation to reduce typos, including the use of drop-down boxes. | Integrity constraints can be established to ensure data corruption doesn't occur. Because the relationship between tables is defined and tables can be easily linked, there is no need to store duplicate information in a database. More complex data validation is possible. |
| Speed | When working with large datasets - search queries are faster in databases based on index values |
References
http://www.datawisesolutions.com/database-vs-spreadsheet.shtml
http://www.differencebetween.net/technology/difference-between-spreadsheet-and-database/
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/492164
http://www.databasedev.co.uk/flatfile-vs-rdbms.html
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