The thought of having users who can update data using SQL statements scares me.

I don't mind them doing selects but I have serious issues with non-user interface updates of data.

I worked in an environment where the users needed to recode entries within a data warehouse. The recoding depended on the varying beliefs of the marketing department so it couldn't be built into a standard package.

Every month I took a snapshot of the main datawarehouse and replicated it to another server so the marketing department could do whatever they wanted to the data.

There was a procedure in place so that the person who cocked it up had to notify their manager, who would then have to sign off a restore. Sounds bureaucratic but in practice it was quick to operate.

The advantages were

• Responsibility for said cock up was clearly visible
• The manager of the department was responsible for saying "over-write all our work", or getting their staff to correct the error.
• The main environment was protected.

Strangely enough, after implementing the policy the number of mistakes diminished dramatically.

LESSON:- Where possible make people responsible for clearing up their own mess.