Data Entry from Different Sources. Conceptual Layout.

Data Entry from Different Sources. Conceptual Layout.

Hi,
I've been playing with Zoho Creator for several days now, trying to figure out if its the right tool to help me set up an online database. I can't seem to get a handle on how I should lay the data out in the application, so I was hoping someone might help me with the correct data structure concept.

The problem is that the data was previously stored in three or four separate spreadsheets, which need to be linked together. If this was a traditional database, we'd add foreign keys to the subsidiary spreadsheets and all the data would be linked together.

Here's an example. The data concerns a few property developments. One person will enter in the initial basic data: Address, Another person in the workflow will enter in Financial information, purchase price etc. Another person will enter in Project management information, Start Date, Estimated end date etc. So you have three people entering different data for the same property. Each person needs to be able to see the Basic information, plus their particular area of interest. eg PM needs to see/edit PM data and search on basic data. Accountant needs to search and see basic data, and enter/edit financial date. And so on.  

I initially tried this with three separate apps, but found that Zoho couldn't access data in a different app.

Next I tried three separate form/report combinations within one app. I didn't see a way to link the different reports together so that info for each property was linked together (like foreign keys / outer join arrangement in a traditional database).

Finally I tried to put the data into one big table: A master form/report pair for the admins, which could see all data, and then a series of small search / data entry pairs for accountant, PM etc. But when I created each new form, it created a new dataset, and wouldn't link to the Master form.

So after trying those three approaches, I've run out of ideas. Should I be looking at a proper database for this? Or will zoho actually do what I'm after, and I just haven't seen it yet?