What is a database? A database is a simply a collection of data. A relational database, which is what we design and build, is one in which the relationships between the different types of data are explicitly defined. What does that mean? Without getting into the technical aspects of it, this means that the system 'understands' how all of the information you track is related, allowing you to create dynamic and accurate reports. With a database, you can track information quickly and accurately. You can also report against that information with great flexibility. Would you like to know customers by zip code? Do you need to compile workforce statistics for federal reporting, such as how many employees fall into various gender and ethnic categories? Would you like to pull up sales by region, or deliveries by date, or products by cost? These are just a few examples of the almost infinite possibilities available to you once you are tracking your information in a well-designed database.