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Message Posted: Thu, 18 Apr 2002 @ 16:12:41 GMT

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Naming standards are great, if you can get a large or any size organization to follow them.

This is especially difficult when 3rd party purchased software is involved. You will always have to allow exceptions for this reason.

I prefer a middle of the road standard for the length of a column(max 20-25 in length), with a set of abbreviation rules, and a set of industry/company standard abbreviations.

The point is a standard that you can write a software program, script, etc to quickly and accurately name any or 99% of all your columns.

I also like to use a domain for the last letters of the column name. Example: All date data types end with _DT, Amounts= _AMT, quantity= _QTY, Address _ADDR, name _NM, identifier = _ID, indicator = _IND, etc. You just need to identify all the domains.

The key to a naming standard is a strong Data Administration group that can attempt to enforce the standard.

The DA group cannot be a hindrance or slow down the process, and must provide tools to allow data modeler and DB designers to easily and quickly follow the standard.

Not easy in our world of rapid deployment solutions, but it can be done.

Wes Loftis

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