cross referncing unique numbers

here is my problem (aside from my total inexperience at databasing): we have developed a service for people to put a "If my teen is driving like a madman, call 1-800-safeteen..." bumper sticker on their teens' cars... they are purchasing a year's membership along with a unique decal number. the application online stores their data, and each will then be given a unique number (at times after their data has been input), a number like 10-500... (salespeople around the southeast; they can't rely on an autoincremented id # in the database) - the number they purchase would need to be input separately. ADDITIONALLY, a reporting form will be designed for persons to input incidents they've witnessed cross-referenced with said unique decal numbers. so this is a number that would have to be made "primary" to interact with two tables and common id's? is this making sense? i need to make a single unique number that is associated with a client and input after the client's record is...

i have never done this before aside from that stupid intro to computers class that showed us what an access database looked like...


any help, good people?


glenn

Are you going to have decals preprinted? if so this should not be a problem. When someone purchases a decal, have the salesperson collect all the pertinent information as well as the purchasers email address. When the information of the purchaser is added to the database, enter the Decal id that they purchased. Then send an email to the purchaser asking them to verify the decal id. All tables in the database can be linked by a autoincrement ID that is generated when the information is input into the database, but you can reference the record based on the decal id. All you have to do is devise a numbering scheme that can be preprinted on the decals. There are quite a few possibilities here, try not to be limited by your lack of knowledge about databases, better yet, find a good DB programmer to help you. The money you spend on a professional will be alot less than the time, effort and frustration of doing it yourself.