I strongly believe that databases for research (as opposed to databases
to manage data for the public benefit) should be agenda-driven.  The
questions you want to answer may require some fields not commonly found
in site inventories, such as the age of the landowner at purchase, the
presence of faux cast-iron carriage lanterns, or  the colours of inks
used on maps  ...  I do recommend you look at MIDAS - details of this
and other inventory standards and methodologies at: www.ads.ahds.ac.uk

Best wishes,

Pat

(using Lotus Approach for a database of buildings, with a special
interest in ethnicity)

--
Pat Reynolds
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   "It might look a bit messy now, but just you come back in 500 years time"
   (T. Pratchett)