Creating a Client Database

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Client base may be up to 1100

Pretty basic information: Last name, first name, phone, cell phone, directions to residence, and a Notes section.

Calculations: To be able to search by Last and First names, or even by phone number.

Yes, I have found all the Documentation and watched videos tutorials etc.

LO Version 5.2 the current Stable that is on the website, and running Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit.

I've never worked with Spreadsheets so just need to get a grasp on the basics.

Would also like to be able to view this easily on a Tablet or a Note. When in Calc the Default is to input Horizontally, but it seems to me it would be better to do this Vertically. I think it is a good idea to use Calc as some have suggested until I figure that out.

Thanks for the feedback. I personally would input Horizontally only because conversion in future to database would be much simpler. Only because of having experience, I would use a database and keep notes on each contact to client in separate table relating back to client table thus giving a history of contacts. Using Base also has benefits when searching for information although certain capabilities are in Calc.

Where could I get an example of this, because it is all quite hard to visualize in words? I will read up on Calc, but it is a lot of info to decipher just to learn this one function. Is it possible to Select/Choose how many Colums/Rows there are on a clients Information Page? It also seems that One Calc document is...or appears to be multiple docs...or links to others...which one can see at the bottom?

The documentation is confusing because they go right into all the terms before they present any Pics relating to what they are actually trying to explain?

Is it true that Base is just linking to the Database contained in Calc, is this it's Main function in a sense? I've been playing around with creating Tables in the Base Wizard but not really understanding why I'm doing this yet?

Any Templates or anything else for the type of database I'm trying to create? This seems a bit complicated for my needs. I don't need to know it all, just need to have a basic outline for it. There's got to be a tutorial about this somewhere but I can't find a good one.

@Covert22, Spreadsheet basics: Cells organized in a 2 dimensional array. Each cell can hold data (text or number, etc), or a formula, like add cell a1 to b23 and put the results here (=a1 + b23). There are tons of standard tools, functions, and methods of moving and sorting cells. It's very versatile. Historical note.

For documentation you should start with "Getting Started with Calc" guide - contains terms & diagrams. Base does not need Calc, but Calc data can be used as a "Database" for information. There are samples and explanations on creation/design of databases on the mentioned documentation link. Calc also - just have to weed through the documents.

Now I am to Set Primary Key, but don't know exactly what Primary Key does? It's not explained in layman's terms therefore does no good for me. On page 9 of Base under "Set primary key." they say "Select option Use an existing field as a primary key." Then say to: "In the Fieldname drop down list, select CollectionID." But there is no CollectionID in the dropdown? Then there is a "Automatically Select a Primary Key" also, that is not even mentioned so far, even though I'm in that section now