How to identify a transaction table?

Question

i have database that has master tables prefixed with `mt_` and transactions tables prefixed with `tr_` . But when i go through the database i started to wonder what is the actual definition of a transaction table and master table. To my understanding transaction table should have a composite primary key (primary key made from two or many PKs of other tables). But when i looked at the transaction tables in database there are tables that have the composite key as mentioned previously also it has tables tagged as tr_ but have only one key tagged as PK and they also have PK keys that belongs to other tables but they weren't even tagged as FK... So could any one here explain the difference between a master table and a transaction table and how to identify them in DB?

Phill Greggan · Answer

So either the relationship is one-to-many or one-to-one one will be a master and other is transaction ..... if this is the case assume products table brands table and category table... the product has a brand and a category therefore products table should be transaction table and brands and categories should be master tables but in dbs i have seen all three were marked as master tables... is this the correct way?

Manas Mohapatra · Answer

Let's say there are two tables Table1 : DEPT ( DEPTID Primary Key DEPTNAME) Table2 : EMP(EMPID Primaty Key ENAME SAL DEPTID Foriegn Key) In above Two Tables we Have DEPTID is Acting as Primary Key and Foriegn Key. Total EMPLOYEES are Organized in EMP table with Respective Departments. So Transactions are going to EMP By using DeptID Table as a Reference. DEPT is Master Table and EMP is Transaction Table. we will also called as PARENT- CHILD table relationship.