What is the most popular method for multi user environment data manip? Direct to table or through a view? What about performance? Cast your vote now!

No, really. I'm wondering because I was using direct table manipulation, and came across a situation. Namely, one transaction (parent1) can have many products (child1), but one customer (parent2) can have many transactions (child2).

I actually need the transaction to be the parent and the customer to be the child (so when the transaction is selected, the pointer in the customer table is sitting on the right record). I know I can do it with a view, but can't it be done with a table to table relationship? and again, which would be more beneficial?

Rodney