Manage Database Metadata with POI and Excel

atabases are everywhere. In IT, you can't build a substantial application without providing tables to store the data that the application will rely on (properties, configuration settings, etc.) and process. Maintaining a clear understanding of the role the columns play in your tables is essential, as maintenance needs and enhancements force tables to evolve.

Entity relationship diagrams (ERD), while central to such development efforts, don't go far enough when it comes to explaining the actual use of a particular column. Some ERD design tools do allow you to store metadata in them, but this forces anybody who wants to look up metadata definitions later to either use those specific tools. Moreover, descriptions stored in design tools, while adequate for those involved in the design process, may not meet the needs of developers performing maintenance or creating enhancements after the application goes live. Consequently, the usage and meanings of columns and tables typically get modified, lost, or obscured over time.