Please help with MS Access Form design!

Hello Everyone.

I’ve designed a database in MS Access 2010 to help keep track of our computer inventory where I am an Intern. The current database in use isn't normalized at all and is basically designed like a spreadsheet. It’s use is solely for the IT department (currently 1 guy and myself) to help keep track of equipment. Right now the only devices he’s keeping track of are computers and phones, but I’d like his database to be flexible enough to include other devices. It doesn’t need to be incredibly detailed because any of the networked devices can be queried using an application called Desktop Central.

My database has 22 tables in all. I’d like to be able to create a form which would allow me to input all of the data from one form. I’ve been beating my head against the wall trying to figure out how to make this work. I’m running into several problems.

If I create a form from the DevicePrimary table, the central table in the design, and add tables with a one-to-many relationship to the form, I can insert a new record from here as long as I don’t leave any fields representing a table blank. If I do I’ll get an error such as “The Microsoft Access database engine cannot find a record in the table ‘DeviceRAM’ with key matching field(s) ‘DeviceRAMID’. I’ve allowed these fields to accept null values so I’m scratching my head as to why this error occurs.

I’d also like to prevent input from accepting values that are already in the database, but I’d like to be able to add new values from here as well. Is there a way to allow the fields to have a drop down of current values but also work as a text box for new values?

Any input would be greatly appreciated. Please feel free to tear my design apart, and point me to any good Access tutorials, particularly dealing with Form creation. If anyone could direct me to a download of an Access database using forms to input data to several linking tables that would be helpful as well. I’m pretty new to this and a good lashing will help me learn.

I attached a copy of my ERD design if anyone is interested enough in taking a look at that.

Here are my tables:

DevicePrimary
DeviceID pk (autonumber)
DeviceDescription (text)
DateRegistered (date/time)
DeviceSerialNumber (text)
MAC_Address (text)
IMEI_Number (text)
ICCID (text)
PhoneNumber (text)
Notes (text)
PrimaryUserID fk (number)
DeviceLocationID fk (number)
DeviceTypeID fk (number)
DeviceManufacturerID fk (number)
DeviceModelID fk (number)
DeviceRamID fk (number)
DeviceProcessorID fk (number)
DeviceHardDriveID fk (number)
DeviceVideoCardID fk (number)
DeviceBIOSID fk (number)
DeviceWarrantyID fk (number)
DeviceRetiredID fk (number)

PrimaryUser
PrimaryUserID pk (autonumber)
FirstName (text)
MiddleName (text)
LastName (text)
Other (text) ---Some devices don’t have a user, but are listed as a test stand for an area
DomainID fk

DeviceLocation
DeviceLocationID pk (autonumber)
DeviceLocation (text)

Domain
DomainID pk (autonumber)
Domain (text)

DeviceType
DeviceTypeID pk (autonumber)
DeviceType (text)

DeviceManufacturer
ManufacturerID pk (autonumber)
Manufacturer (text)

DeviceModel
DeviceModelID pk (autonumber)
DeviceModel (text)
ProductNumber (text)

DeviceRAM
DeviceRamID pk (autonumber)
DeviceRamAmount (text)

DeviceProcessor
DeviceProcessorID pk (autonumber)
DeviceProcessor (text)

DeviceHardDrive
DeviceHardDriveID pk (autonumber)
DeviceHardDriveTypeID fk (number)
DeviceHardDriveStorageID fk (number)
DeviceManufacturerID fk (number)

DeviceHardDriveStorage
DeviceHardDriveStorageID pk (autonumber)
DeviceDiskSpace (text)

DeviceHardDriveType
DeviceHardDriveTypeID pk (autonumber)
DeviceHardDriveType (text)

DeviceVideoCard
DeviceVideoCardID pk (autonumber)
DeviceVideoCard (text)

DeviceBIOS
DeviceBIOSID pk (autonumber)
BIOSVersion (text)

DeviceWarranty
DeviceWarrantyID pk (autonumber)
DeviceWarrantyTypeID fk (number)
DeviceWarrantyExpirationDate (date/time)

DeviceWarrantyType
DeviceWarrantyTypeID pk (autonumber)
DeviceWarrantyType (text)

DeviceRetired
DeviceRetiredID pk (autonumber)
DeviceRetiredTypeID (number)
DeviceRetiredNotes (text)

DeviceRetiredType
DeviceRetiredTypeID pk (autonumber)
DeviceRetiredType (text)

DeviceOperatingSystem
OperatingSystemID pk (autonumber)
DeviceOperatingSystem (text)

DevicePrimary_OS
DeviceID pk/fk (number)
DeviceOperatingSystemID (number)
OS_SerialNumber (text)
OSCDKey (text)

DeviceNetworkAdapter
DeviceNetworkAdapterID pk (autonumber)
DeviceNetworkAdapter (text)


DevicePrimary_NetworkAdapter
DeviceNetworkAdapterID pk/fk (number)
DeviceID pk/fk (number)

Attached Images

ERD_Diagram.png (136.7 KB)