Download Access 2013 - The School District of Palm Beach County

A Guide to the use of:
Access
2013
Developed by:
Customer Support
Information Technology
School District of Palm Beach County
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Table of Contents
1
2
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 1-1
1.1
TERMS..................................................................................................................................... 1-1
1.2
RELATIONAL DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ........................................................................ 1-3
1.3
FUNDAMENTALS ....................................................................................................................... 1-4
GETTING STARTED .......................................................................................... 2-1
2.1
OPENING ACCESS .................................................................................................................... 2-1
2.2
DATABASE TEMPLATES ........................................................................................................... 2-2
2.3
NEW DATABASE ....................................................................................................................... 2-2
2.4
CLOSING A DATABASE AND EXITING ACCESS ............................................................................. 2-3
2.5
OPENING AN EXISTING DATABASE ............................................................................................. 2-4
2.6
DATABASE W INDOW ................................................................................................................. 2-4
2.6.1
2.6.2
Quick Access Toolbar ........................................................................................................ 2-5
Ribbon and Tabs ............................................................................................................... 2-5
2.6.2.1 Ribbon ........................................................................................................................................................ 2-5
2.6.2.2 Tabs ............................................................................................................................................................ 2-6
2.6.2.2.1
File Tab ............................................................................................................................................ 2-6
2.6.2.2.1.1 Info ............................................................................................................................................. 2-6
2.6.2.2.1.2 Account ..................................................................................................................................... 2-7
2.6.2.2.1.3 Print ........................................................................................................................................... 2-7
2.6.2.2.1.4 Options ....................................................................................................................................... 2-7
2.6.2.2.2
Home Tab ......................................................................................................................................... 2-7
2.6.2.2.3
Create Tab ........................................................................................................................................ 2-8
2.6.2.2.4
External Data Tab ............................................................................................................................ 2-8
2.6.2.2.5
Database Tools Tab .......................................................................................................................... 2-8
2.6.3
Navigation Pane ................................................................................................................ 2-8
2.6.3.1 Hide/Display ............................................................................................................................................... 2-8
2.6.3.2 Organize ..................................................................................................................................................... 2-8
2.6.3.3 Objects ........................................................................................................................................................ 2-9
2.6.3.3.1
Viewing ............................................................................................................................................ 2-9
2.6.3.3.2
Sorting .............................................................................................................................................. 2-9
2.6.3.3.3
Search ............................................................................................................................................... 2-9
3
TABLES ............................................................................................................. 3-1
3.1
CREATE A NEW TABLE .............................................................................................................. 3-1
3.2
DESIGN VIEW ........................................................................................................................... 3-2
3.2.1
Table Design...................................................................................................................... 3-3
3.2.1.1
3.2.1.2
3.2.1.3
3.2.1.4
3.2.2
3.2.3
3.2.4
4
Field Name ................................................................................................................................................. 3-3
Data Type ................................................................................................................................................... 3-3
Description ................................................................................................................................................. 3-4
Field Properties ........................................................................................................................................... 3-4
Data Entry .......................................................................................................................... 3-6
Primary Key ....................................................................................................................... 3-6
Multiple Primary Keys ........................................................................................................ 3-6
DATASHEET RECORDS ................................................................................... 4-1
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4.1
ADDING RECORDS .................................................................................................................... 4-1
4.2
EDITING RECORDS ................................................................................................................... 4-1
4.3
DELETING RECORDS................................................................................................................ 4-1
4.4
ADDING AND DELETING COLUMNS ............................................................................................. 4-2
4.5
RESIZING ROWS AND COLUMNS ................................................................................................ 4-2
4.6
FREEZING COLUMNS ................................................................................................................ 4-3
4.7
HIDE/UNHIDE COLUMNS ........................................................................................................... 4-3
4.8
FINDING DATA IN A TABLE ......................................................................................................... 4-3
4.9
REPLACE ................................................................................................................................. 4-4
4.10
CHECK SPELLING ..................................................................................................................... 4-4
5
TABLE RELATIONSHIPS .................................................................................. 5-1
6
SORTING AND FILTERING ............................................................................... 6-1
7
8
6.1
SORTING.................................................................................................................................. 6-1
6.2
FILTER BY SELECTION .............................................................................................................. 6-1
6.3
FILTER BY FORM...................................................................................................................... 6-2
6.4
SAVING A FILTER ...................................................................................................................... 6-2
6.5
REMOVE A FILTER .................................................................................................................... 6-2
QUERIES ........................................................................................................... 7-1
7.1
CREATE A QUERY..................................................................................................................... 7-1
7.2
SIMPLE QUERY W IZARD............................................................................................................ 7-2
7.3
FIND DUPLICATES QUERY ......................................................................................................... 7-3
7.4
DELETE A QUERY ..................................................................................................................... 7-4
FORMS ............................................................................................................... 8-1
8.1.1
8.1.2
8.2
8.2.1
8.2.2
8.3
8.3.1
8.3.2
8.4
8.4.1
8.4.2
8.4.3
8.4.4
8.4.5
8.5
9
Create Form....................................................................................................................... 8-1
Adding Records Using a Form .......................................................................................... 8-2
LAYOUT VIEW........................................................................................................................... 8-2
Resize columns ................................................................................................................. 8-2
Remove Stacking .............................................................................................................. 8-3
DESIGN VIEW ........................................................................................................................... 8-4
Create a Form.................................................................................................................... 8-4
Editing Forms..................................................................................................................... 8-5
FORMS CONTROL ..................................................................................................................... 8-6
List and Combo Boxes ...................................................................................................... 8-6
Check Boxes and Option Buttons ..................................................................................... 8-8
Command Buttons ............................................................................................................. 8-9
Conditional Formatting ...................................................................................................... 8-9
Password Text Fields ...................................................................................................... 8-10
SPLIT FORM ........................................................................................................................... 8-10
REPORTS .......................................................................................................... 9-1
9.1
REPORT................................................................................................................................... 9-1
9.2
REPORT W IZARD ...................................................................................................................... 9-2
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9.3
REPORT DESIGN VIEW ............................................................................................................. 9-4
9.4
PRINTING REPORTS ................................................................................................................. 9-4
10
EXTERNAL DATA ........................................................................................ 10-1
10.1
IMPORTING............................................................................................................................. 10-1
10.2
EXPORTING ............................................................................................................................ 10-3
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1 Introduction
Of all the programs in the Microsoft Office suite, Microsoft Access is the one that most
intimidates people. "Mastering Microsoft Excel or Word was hard enough," they think.
"How can I ever understand a complicated program like Access?" While it's true that
Microsoft Access has many advanced features (there are computer consultants whose
only job is programming Access databases), creating and working with a Microsoft
Access database is probably a whole lot easier than thought.
1.1 Terms
Many words or terms are used as a basis for the use of Access. They are included
here to increase familiarity with them prior to using the program or this guide.

A field is a group of related characters and defines a data type for a set of values
in a table. Fields could be setup for groups of numbers and/or letters that form
things such as first name, last name, address, city, state, zip code, or telephone
number.

A record is a group of related fields that form a row in a table. In a mailing list
table, each record would contain the data for one person as specified by the
intersecting fields.

A table is a grouping of related data organized in fields (columns) and records
(rows). By using a common field in two tables (keys), the data can be combined.
Many tables can be stored in a single database. A database must always contain
at least one table where it can store information all the other are optional.

A database is a collection of related information that is organized
into a list and stored in a manner similar to a file cabinet.
Whenever a person makes a list of information, such as names,
addresses, products, or invoices, they are, in fact, creating a
database. Technically speaking, it is not necessary to use a
database program to create a database. In the simplest sense, a
database is a collection of records and files that are organized for
a particular purpose.
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Access
Database objects are the basic components that make up a database. Database
objects include tables, queries, forms, reports, pages, macros.
o
Table. An object that you define and use to store data. Each table contains
information about a particular subject, such as customers or orders.
Tables contain fields (or columns) that store different kinds of data, such
as a name or an address, and records (or rows) that collect all the
information about a particular instance of the subject, such as all the
information about a department named Housing Administration. You can
define a primary key (one or more fields that have a unique value for each
record) and one or more indexes on each table to help retrieve your data
more quickly.
o
Query. An object that provides a custom view of data from one or more
tables. In Access, you can use the graphical query by example (QBE)
facility or you can write Structured Query Language (SQL) statements to
create your queries. You can define queries to select, update, insert, or
delete data. You can also define queries that create new tables from data
in one or more existing tables.
o
Form. An object in a desktop database designed primarily for data input
or display or for control of application execution. You use forms to
customize the presentation of data that your application extracts from
queries or tables. You can also print forms. You can design a form to run
a macro or a Microsoft Visual Basic procedure in response to any of a
number of events—for example, to run a procedure when the value of data
changes.
o
View. An object in a web app designed primarily for data input or display
or for control of application execution. You use views to customize the
presentation of data that your app extracts from queries or tables. Users
interact with views inside a web browser. You can design a view to run
macros and data macros in response to any of a number of events—for
example, to run when the value of data changes.
o
Report. An object in desktop databases designed for formatting,
calculating, printing, and summarizing selected data. You can view a
report on your screen before you print it.
o
Macro. An object that is a structured definition of one or more actions that
you want Access to perform in response to a defined event. For example,
you might design a macro that opens a second form in response to the
selection of an item on a main form. You can include simple conditions in
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macros to specify when one or more actions in the macro should be
performed or skipped. You can use macros to open and execute queries,
to open tables, or to print or view reports. You can also run other macros
or Visual Basic procedures from within a macro.
o
Data Macro. An object that is a structured definition of one or more actions
that you want Access to perform on data stored in tables. Data macros
can be attached directly to table events such as inserting new records,
editing existing records, or deleting records. Data macros in web apps can
also be stand-alone objects that can be called from other data macros or
macro objects.
o
Module. An object in desktop databases containing custom procedures
that you code using Visual Basic. Modules provide a more discrete flow of
actions and allow you to trap errors. Modules can be stand-alone objects
containing functions that can be called from anywhere in your application,
or they can be directly associated with a form or a report to respond to
events on the associated form or report

Design View provides the tools for creating fields in a table.

Datasheet View allows you to update, edit, and delete information from a table.
1.2 Relational Database Management System
Nearly all modern database management systems store and handle information
using the relational database management model. In a relational database
management system, sometimes called an RDBMS, the system manages all data
in tables. Tables store information about a single subject (such as customers or
products) and have columns (or fields) that contain the different kinds of information
about the subject (for example, customers’ addresses or phone numbers) and rows
(or records) that describe all the attributes of a single instance of the subject (for
example, data about a specific customer or product). Even when you query the
database (fetch information from one or more tables), the result is always something
that looks like another table.
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The term relational stems from the fact that each table in the database contains
information related to a single subject and only that subject. If you study the
relational database management model, you’ll find the term relation applied to a set
of rows (a table) about a single subject. Also, you can manipulate data about two
classes of information (such as customers and orders) as a single entity based on
related data values. For example, it would be redundant to store customer name
and address information with every order that the customer places. In an RDBMS,
the information about orders contains a field that stores data, such as a customer
number, which can be used to connect each order with the appropriate customer
information.
1.3 Fundamentals
A database program, however, is much more powerful than a simple list kept on
paper or in a Microsoft Word document. A database program permits:

Store Information: A database stores lists of information that are related to a
particular subject or purpose. It could be a list of home inventory, or business
information, such as a list of hundreds of thousands of customers. A database
also makes it easy to add, update, organize, and delete information.

Find Information: Easily and instantly locate information stored in a database.
For example, find all the customers with the last name "Johnson" or all the
customers who live in the 33417 zip code and are older than 65.

Analyze and Print Information: Perform calculations on information in a
database. For example, calculate what percent of the total sales comes from the
state of Texas. Can also present information in a professional-looking printed
report.

Manage Information: Databases make it easy to work with and manage huge
amounts of information. For example, with a few keystrokes you can change the
area code for hundreds of customers in the (312) area code to a new (605) area
code.

Share Information: Most database programs (including Microsoft Access) allow
more than one user to view and work with the same information at once. Such
databases are called shared databases.
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2 Getting Started
Microsoft Office Access enables users to quickly create relational databases.
Access puts the control in the user’s hands to create tables, queries, forms and
reports.
The 2013 version of Microsoft Access gives the user the ability to use web apps. A
web app is an Access application that is hosted on a SharePoint 2013 server running
Access Services. While available and now an integral part of Microsoft Access, the
use of web apps will not be included. This document and training will concentrate
on the use of a desktop database
2.1 Opening Access
To open Access on your computer:

Select Start

Select All Programs

Select Microsoft Office

Select Microsoft Office Access
2013
If there is an icon of Microsoft Access
available on your desktop (shaped like a
square with a red chart), you can open up
the program by double-clicking it, as well.
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2.2 Database Templates
New Database
On the Office Start screen tab of the Backstage view, you can access the built-in local
desktop templates by clicking one of the template icons in the center of the screen. You
can identify whether a template on the Office Start screen is a desktop database by
looking for the text Desktop in the template name.
2.3 New Database
When you click one of the
desktop template graphics on
the Office Start screen, Access
displays additional detailed
information about the purpose of
the template in a pop-up dialog.
Click
the
Desktop
Task
Management template in the
middle of the screen to see
detailed information about the
template
Name the new database in the
File Name text box and a location to save the file beneath the File Name text box. You
can modify the name of this database by typing in the File Name text box. If you want to
change the suggested save location, click Browse to open the File New Database dialog
box.
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
The location of the saved database can be changed by clicking on the
small folder to the right of the File Name block.

A File New Database menu
screen opens

This menu can be used to
select the drive in which the
database is to be saved as
well as the name of the file.

Enter the appropriate
information and click on the
OK button.

The system returns to the
Getting Started with Microsoft Access screen.

Click on the Create button.
2.4 Closing a Database and Exiting Access

Click the Database window's Close button.

If any of the Access windows are maximized, two Close buttons
will be on the screen. Make sure the lower Close button is clicked
to close the database window. (The Close button located in the far,
upper right-hand corner of the screen closes the Microsoft Access
program.) The current database closes, but the Access program does not.
Click the Database window's Close button.


Whenever the Database window is closed,
closed.
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2.5 Opening an Existing Database
If the database was opened recently on the
computer, it will be listed on the Recent
section of the Access pane.

Click the database name.
Otherwise

Click on Open Other Files.

Click on Computer

Search file computer file structure for
the desired database.
2.6 Database Window
The Database Window organizes all of the objects in the database. The default tables
listing provide links for creating tables and will list all of the tables in the database when
they have been added.
For new databases, Access, by default, creates a new table in Datasheet view called
Table1 with an ID field already defined. However, Access has not saved this table, so if
you do not make any changes to it, Access will not prompt you to save the table if you
close it.
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2.6.1
Access
Quick Access Toolbar
In the upper left corner of the window, there is an area
called the Quick Access Toolbar. This area contains
several of the most used buttons in Office applications –
Save, Undo, Redo, Print and Print Preview. This toolbar can be customized by adding
and removing as many Quick Access button choices as needed.
To customize the Quick Access Toolbar,
 Click on the small arrow to the right of the bar.

If the ability to draw a table were to be added to the
toolbar;
o Click the Draw Table Entry
o A check mark will be added to the left of the Draw
Table entry and the Draw Table icon will be added
to the Quick Access
Toolbar.

To remove buttons from the Quick Access Toolbar:
o RIGHT click on the button to be
removed
o
2.6.2
Choose Remove
Access Toolbar.
from
Quick
Ribbon and Tabs
2.6.2.1 Ribbon
The ribbon is the most visual change from the previous version of Microsoft Office.
Each Ribbon has a series of Tabs and Groups that provide details and options that are
available within that tab or category,
Tabs
Groups
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2.6.2.2 Tabs
The Tabs are, logically, a
bit different for each
2013 Office application
to assist with the most
common features of that application. All the 2013 Office applications begin with the
Home tab. The Tabs to the right of the File are tailored to each application. The Tabs
for Access are:

File tab provides access that brings up a full screen of commands and
information.

Home tab contains the basic operations such as cut/copy/paste, font & paragraph
formatting, themes and styles.

Create tab permits the user access templates, tables, forms, reports macros and
codes.

External Data tab permits the user to import and export data from other file
formats.

Database Tools tab to manage data, relationships and macros.
2.6.2.2.1
File Tab
The File tab brings up a full screen of commands and information. This
screen is part of the Backstage environment. It identifies and contains
all of the supporting features needed for the database.
The Backstage View provides access to the normal File functions such
as Save, Save As, Open, etc. as well as several options
2.6.2.2.1.1 Info
The Info portion of the Backstage contains information
about permissions, versions, and properties of the file. The
name of the file is listed at the top of the window, and a
detailed list of the file properties can be displayed
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2.6.2.2.1.2 Account
The Account option displays
information related to the user
and MS Office. It identifies the
version of the software as well
as any background or theme
information.
2.6.2.2.1.3 Print
The Print option displays the printer options along with a
print preview of how the page will appear when printed.
Selecting Print opens the printer
window for the selection of the
printer and other print data.
2.6.2.2.1.4 Options
The Options screen provides access the settings
that are used within MS Office. Many of these
options are unique to the application (Word,
Excel, etc.) that is currently being accessed. Most
apply to all of MS Office applications.
Note: Caution should be taken when changing
any of the system options.
2.6.2.2.2
Home Tab
This tab contains many of the most commonly used features. Popular commands
include:
 Views
 Clipboard (Cut/Copy/Paste)
 Sort & Filter
 Records
 Find
 Text Formatting
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2.6.2.2.3
Access
Create Tab
The create tab provides options for the creation of tables, queries, forms reports &
macros. It permits the user to develop each from a design mode or from the use of a
wizard that creates preset formats.
2.6.2.2.4
External Data Tab
As the title suggests, this tab contains groups and commands related to importing ,
linking and exporting data from multiple sources.
2.6.2.2.5
Database Tools Tab
The database tools tab permits the user to establish relationships between table and to
move data to SharePoint or an SQL server
2.6.3
Navigation Pane
The Navigation pane is on the left side of the screen. It
displays the database objects, e.g. Tables, queries,
reports. By default, the objects are placed in categories
and then each category is split into groups.
2.6.3.1Hide/Display
To hide/display the Navigation pane, click the Shutter Bar
Open/Close button.
If the pane is not displayed, press the F11 key.
2.6.3.2 Organize
The user can organize how the objects are displayed in the Navigation pane.

Object Type and e.g. Table. Only displays the selected object type, e.g. Tables,
Queries, and Forms.

Tables and Related Views.
database.

Created/Modified Date and Show All. Displays all of the objects in date order
depending on the view and sort options.

Object Type and Show All. The most common settings. Displays all of the
objects and expand/close each of the groups.
Groups objects related to each table in the
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2.6.3.3 Objects
Additional tools are available to assist with
viewing, finding and sorting objects. To activate
these tools, right click in the title area of the
Navigation pane.
2.6.3.3.1
Viewing
The database objects can be viewed by Detail, Icon or
List.

Right click the white space of the Navigation pane.

Select View By.

Choose the option required.
2.6.3.3.2
Sorting
The database objects can be sorted by
Name, Type, Date, etc.

Right click the white space of the
Navigation pane.

Select Sort By.

Chose the option required.
2.6.3.3.3
Search
A quick way to find an object is to use the Search Bar.


Right click the white space of the Navigation pane.

Select Search Bar.
Enter the information.
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3 Tables
Tables are grids that store information in a database similar to the way an Excel
worksheet stores information in a workbook. Creating tables in design view gives you
the greatest control over how the fields and properties are set, but it also involves more
work than other techniques.
3.1 Create a New Table
When the steps are taken to create a new database, Access begins with the concept of
creating the primary component of a database. That is, a table.
Access opens a table format and the Ta4ble Tools and Design tabs. The table
displays a title of Table1. This will be revised when the new table is saved.
On the left side of the Table Tools- Datasheet tab is
the Views group. The options are Datasheet View and
Design View. The icon in the group toggles between
the two View icons depending upon which one is
currently accessed.
A new table is to be created, so the Design View icon is selected.
The Save As menu screen appears to permit the
user to name the new table.
When the name is entered and the OK button is
clicked,
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3.2 Design View
The Design View affords the user the ability to create a new table or to modify existing
tables. The sample shown is for the creation of a new table.
A portion of the image was enlarged to improve readability.
The Table Tools tab is still highlighted, but a new Design tab is open. This tab contains
the groups needed to design a table.
Within the Tools group, the first command is for Primary Key. This entry can be turned
off by clicking on the Primary Key icon. The use of the key will be included in a later
section.
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The tab is open for the new table and contains position for entry of a Field Name, Data
Type and Description.
The lower half of the screen displays the Field Properties.
3.2.1
Table Design
When creating a database it is always best
to “break down” a field into its “smallest
parts.” For example – Name would break
down into First Name, and Last Name.
Address would break down into Street
Address, City, State, and Zip. Also, numeric
fields should have a Data Type of text unless
they are actually used for calculations, e.g.
Employee Number, Social Security Number,
and Phone Number.
3.2.1.1 Field Name
The first entry was Employee Number. When Enter is tapped, the cursor moves to the
Data Type field. Click the down arrow to display the available data types.
3.2.1.2 Data Type

Short Text. This entry can be any alphabetical/numerical data up to a maximum
of 255 characters. As indicated, this is a text field, so it can't do mathematical
calculations. Examples of text data are: names, addresses, stock numbers, room
numbers, zip codes, etc. In earlier versions of Access, this data type was called
Text.


Long Text .
Large amounts of text, up to 65,536 characters. In earlier versions of Access, this
data type was called Memo. Because it is freeform, it cannot be used to sort.
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
Number. This entry is for numbers to add, subtract, multiply, divide, average,
and do numerical calculations. Field Size property provides for Byte, Integer,
Long Integer (default), Single, Double, Replication ID, Decimal.

Date/Time. Dates and Times.

Currency.

AutoNumber. This entry is an "automatic" counter that assigns a number each
time data is put into a new field.

Yes/No. This is a "True/False" or "Yes/No" type of entry.

OLE Object. This means "Object Link Embedding" which indicates the user cn
insert a graphic, picture, sound, etc.

Calculated. Calculated Field.
Dollars ($). .
Hyperlinks, Attachments, or Lookup Wizards will not be discussed in this guide.
3.2.1.3 Description
Provides space for remarks that may be appropriate for others to know the how or why
for designing the field. This entry appears at the bottom of the screen when Access is
in the Datasheet View.
3.2.1.4 Field Properties
Click-in each area to the right of the words.

Field Size. Currently set to 255 characters. Click-in this area and change the
number to a value somewhat larger than expected. It can always be adjusted
later.

Format. Format conforms the data in the field to the same format when it is
entered into the datasheet. For text and memo fields, this property has two parts
that are separated by a semicolon. The first part of the property is used to apply
to the field and the second applies to empty fields.

Indexed fields allow Access to query and sort records faster. To set an indexed
field, select a field that is commonly searched and change the Indexed property
to Yes (Duplicates OK) if multiple entries of the same data value are allowed
or Yes (No Duplicates) to prevent duplicates.
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Input Mask. An input mask controls the value of a record and sets it in a
specific format. They are similar to the Format property, but instead display the
format on the datasheet before the data is entered. For example, a telephone
number field can formatted with an input mask to accept ten digits that are
automatically formatted as "(555) 123-4567". The blank field would look like (___)
___-____.

Caption. Look at the Light Blue Help area to the right. It explains about
Caption.

Default Value. We'll come back to this feature later.

Validation Rule. Validation Rules specify requirements (change word) for
the data entered in the worksheet. A customized message can be displayed to
the user when data that violates the rule setting is entered. Click the expression
builder ("...") button at the end of the Validation Rule box to write the validation
rule. Examples of field validation rules include <> 0 to not allow zero values in the
record, and ??? to only allow data strings three characters in length.

Validation Text. Use the ValidationText property to specify a message to
be displayed to the user when data is entered that violates a ValidationRule
setting for a record, field, or control. Read/write String.

Required. Look at the Light Blue Help area to the right.

Allow Zero Length. Look at the Light Blue Help area to the right.

Indexed. Look at the Light Blue Help area to the right.

Unicode Compression. Look at the Light Blue Help area to the right.

IME Mode. Look at the Light Blue Help area to the right.

IME Sentence Mode. Look at the Light Blue Help area to the right.

Smart Tags. Look at the Light Blue Help area to the right.
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Access
Data Entry
When the design of the table is completed, the next step
is to actually enter the information for each record. Each
time the Design View is being exited and the Datasheet
View is opened, a popup window will appears stating
that the table must be saved.
3.2.3
Primary Key
Every record in a table can have a primary key that differentiates it from every other
record in the table. In some cases, it is only necessary to designate an existing field as
the primary key if every record in the table will have a different value for that particular
field. Social security numbers, employee IDs or student IDs are examples of a record
whose values will only appear once in a database table.
Designate the primary key field by
right-clicking on the record and
selecting Primary Key from the Table
Tools – Design tab. The primary key
field will be noted with a key image to
the left. To remove a primary key,
repeat one of these steps.
If none of the existing fields in the table
will produce unique values for every record, a separate field can be added. Access will
prompt to create this type of field at the beginning of the table the first time the table is
saved and a primary key field has not been assigned. The field is named "ID" and the
data type is "autonumber". Since this extra field serves no purpose, the autonumber
type automatically updates whenever a record is added so there is no extra work on the
user’s part. This column can also be hidden.
3.2.4
Multiple Primary Keys
To select multiple fields for the composite primary key, move the mouse over the gray
column next to the field names and note that it becomes an arrow. Click the mouse,
hold it down, and drag it over all fields that should be primary keys and release the
button. With the multiple fields highlighted, click the primary key button.
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4 Datasheet Records
4.1 Adding Records
Add new records to the table in datasheet view by typing in the record beside the asterisk
(*) that marks the new record. The new record button at the bottom of the datasheet can
be clicked to skip to the last empty record. The view now changes to the Datasheet
View. This view is can be used to enter the data and records required for this table.
4.2 Editing Records
To edit records, simply place the cursor in the record that is to be edited and make the
necessary changes. Use the arrow keys to move through the record grid. The previous,
next, first, and last record buttons at the bottom of the datasheet are helpful in
maneuvering through the datasheet.
4.3 Deleting Records
Delete a record on a datasheet by placing the cursor in the field
at the start of the record row and right clicking. Select Delete
record from the menu. The ability to delete a record is
dependent upon the relationships that have been established for
the table..
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4.4 Adding and Deleting Columns
Although it is best to add new fields (displayed
as columns in the datasheet) in design view
because more options are available, they can
also be quickly added in datasheet view.
Highlight the column that the new column
should appear to the left of by clicking its label
at the top of the datasheet and right click. The
options window opens that contains Insert
Column.
4.5 Resizing Rows and Columns
The height of rows on a datasheet can be changed by dragging the gray sizing line
between row labels up and down with the mouse. By changing the height on one
row, the height of all rows in the datasheet will be changed to the new value.
Column width can be changed in a similar way by
dragging the sizing line between columns. Double
click on the line to have the column automatically
fit to the longest value of the column. Unlike rows,
columns on a datasheet can be different widths.
More exact values can be assigned by right
clicking the row or column and selecting Row Height or Column Width from the
menu.
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4.6 Freezing Columns
Similar to freezing panes in Excel, columns on
an Access table can be frozen. This is helpful if
the datasheet has many columns and relevant
data would otherwise not appear on the screen
at the same time. Freeze a column by placing
the cursor in any record in the column and select
Freeze Columns from the drop down menu.
Select the same option to unfreeze a single
column or select Unfreeze All Columns.
4.7 Hide/Unhide Columns
Columns can also be hidden from view on the
datasheet although they will not be deleted from
the database. To hide a column, place the cursor in any
record in the column or highlight multiple adjacent
columns by clicking and dragging the mouse along the
column headers, and select Hide Columns from the
drop down menu.
To show columns that have been hidden, select Unhide
Columns from the drop down menu. A window
displaying all of the fields in the table will be listed with
check boxes beside each field name that are currently
displayed. Check the boxes beside all fields that should
be visible on the data table and click the Close button.
4.8 Finding Data in a Table
Data in a datasheet can be quickly located by using the Find command.

Open the table in datasheet view.

Place the cursor in any record in the field (column) to be
searched and select Find... from the Home tab, Find group.

Enter the value criteria in the Find What: box.

From the Look In: drop-down menu, define the area of the search by selecting
the entire table or just the field in the table where the cursor was placed.

Select the matching criteria from Match: to and click the More >> button for
additional search parameters.
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When all of the search criteria is set, click the Find Next button. If more than one
record meets the criteria, keep clicking Find Next the correct record is found.
4.9 Replace
The replace function allows quick replacement of a single occurrence of data with a
new value or to replace all occurrences in the entire table.

Select Replace... from the Home
tab, Find group or click the
Replace tab if the Find window is
already open).

Follow the steps described in the
Find procedure for searching for
the data that should be replaced and type the new value of the data in the
Replace With: box.

Click the Find Next button to step through occurrences of the data in the table
and click the Replace button to make single replacements. Click Replace All to
change all occurrences of the data in one step.
4.10
Check Spelling
The spell checker can be used to flag spelling errors
in text and menu fields in a datasheet. Select
Spelling from the Home Tab, Records Group to
activate the spell checker and make corrections just
as you would when using Word or Excel. Print a
Datasheet
Datasheets can be printed by using the Quick Print button on the Quick Access
toolbar or by selecting Print from the Office Button, Print activity to set more printing
options.
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5 Table Relationships
In Access, a relationship is an association between common fields in two tables. They
can be used to link information from one table to the information in another table. The
most common relationships that can be established are:

One-to-many. Each record in a table can be linked to multiple records in another
table.

One-to-one. Each record in one table can have one and only one related record
in another table.

Many-to-many. Multiple one-to-many relationships tied together through as
another table.
To establish table relationships, follow
the steps below to set up a relational
database:

Click the Database Tools tab.

In the Analyze group, Click the Relationships button.

From the Show Table window
(click the Show Table button on
the toolbar to make it appear).

Double click on the names of the
tables you would like to include
in the relationships.

When finished adding tables, click Close.
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To link fields in two different tables

Click and drag a field from one table
to the corresponding field on the
other table and release the mouse
button.

The Edit Relationships window
will appear.

Select
Enforce
Referential
Integrity. This option give Access
permission to automatically make
changes to referential tables if a key
record in one of the files is deleted.

Check the Enforce Referential
Integrity box to ensure that the
relationships are valid and that the
data is not accidentally deleted
when data is added, edited, or deleted.

Click Create to create the link.

A line now connects the two fields in
the
Relationships
window.
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6 Sorting and Filtering
Sorting and filtering permits viewing of records in a table in a different way either by
reordering all of the records in the table or view only those records in a table that meets
certain criteria specified.
6.1 Sorting
It may be necessary to view the records in a table in a different order than they appear
such as sorting by a date or in alphabetical order, for example. Sorting in Access differs
from sorting in Excel. When a column is selected in Access, the sort will sort the entire
table based on that column. In Excel, the same sort procedure would only sort that
single column. Follow these steps to execute a simple sort of records in a table based
on the values of one field:

In Datasheet View, place the cursor in the column
that you want to sort by.

From the Home Tab, Sort & Filter Group, select A-Z Ascending or Z-A
Descending icon.
To sort by more than one column (such as sorting by date and then sorting records with
the same date alphabetically), highlight the columns by clicking and dragging the mouse
over the field labels and select one of the sort methods stated above.
6.2 Filter by Selection
This feature will filter records that contain identical data
values in a given field such as filtering out all of the records
that have the value "Clear Hill" in a name field. To Filter by
Selection, place the cursor in the field to filter the other
records by and click the Selection button on the group. In
the example, the cursor is placed in the City field of the First
record that displays the value "Altoona" so the filtered table
will show only the records where the city is Altoona.
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6.3 Filter by Form
If the table is large, it may be difficult to find the record that
contains the value to filter by so using Filter by Form may
be advantageous instead. This method creates a blank
version of the table with drop-down menus for each field that
contain the values found in the records of that field.
In the sample, the City field was selected for the filter. When
applied, a drop down window appears with a list of the city
names. When a city is selected, only records with that city
will be displayed.
6.4 Saving a Filter
The filtered contents of a table
can be saved as a query by
right clicking on the Filter by
Form tab and selecting Save.
The Save As Query menu
appears. Enter a name for the
query and click OK. The query is now saved within the
database.
6.5 Remove a Filter
The can be closed by right clicking on the Filter by Form tab and selecting Close.
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7 Queries
Queries select records from one or more tables in a database so they can be viewed,
analyzed, and sorted on a common datasheet. The resulting collection of records is
saved as a database object and can therefore be easily used in the future. The query
will be updated whenever the original tables are updated. And, conversely, the tables
will be updated anytime a related query is up dated. Types of queries are simple and
crosstab queries that extract data from tables based on specified values, find
duplicate queries that display records with duplicate values for one or more of the
specified fields, and find unmatched queries display records from one table that do not
have corresponding values in a second table.
7.1 Create a Query
NOTE: The Relationship between the tables must be established prior to creating a
query. The query must use the relationships to extract the correct data from each record
within a table.
Follow these steps to create a new query:

From the Create tab, Other
group, select the Query
Wizard.

Select the appropriate Query
design wizard.
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7.2 Simple Query Wizard
For the example, the Simple Query Wizard was
selected.

Open the Tables/Queries window to select the
Table that contains the information that is to be
used.

The available fields are displayed on the right.
Select the fields and click on the > button to add
them to the query.

The >> button will add all of the fields to the
query.

Name the query and then click the Finish button.

The query appears on
the screen and is listed
in
the
Navigation
pane..
The query can also be viewed in the Design View format.


Click on the Design View icon in the Home tab, Views group.
The Design View of the query will be shown.
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The Design View permits the user to
change the query display by changing
the Show blocks. Any block that is
clicked and the check mark is turned
off, will not be displayed in the
Datasheet View.
The Design View also permits the
user to establish additional criteria for
the display of the information.
7.3 Find Duplicates Query
This query will filter out records in a single table that contain duplicate values in a
field.

From the Create tab, Other group, select the
Query Wizard.

Select the appropriate Query design wizard.
For the example, the Find Duplicates Query Wizard
was selected.

Open the Tables/Queries window to select the
Table that contains the information that is to be
used.

The available fields are displayed on the right.
Select the fields that may be duplicate and click
on the > button to add them to the query.

The >> button will add all of the fields to the
window asks for the user to identify any
additional fields that should be shown in
addition to those with duplicate values.

Name the query and then click the Finish
button

The query appears on the screen and is listed in the Navigation Pane..
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7.4 Delete a Query
To delete a table from the query,

Right click the query name in the
Navigation Pane.

Select Delete from the window.
Delete
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8 Forms
Forms are like display cases in stores that make it easier to view or get the items that
you want. Since forms are objects through which you or other users can add, edit, or
display the data stored in your Access database, the design of your form is an important
aspect. If you database is going to be used by multiple users, well-designed forms is
essential for efficiency and data entry accuracy. Basics
8.1.1
Create Form
To create a form, follow these
steps:

Click the Create tab.

Click on the Form icon in the
Forms group.
The form appears on the screen. Since
the User Query was active, the form is
automatically created for that query.
The form includes all of the fields that
were in the query.
To save the form, Click on the Save
icon on the Quick
Access toolbar.
OR, right click on the tab title and select Save.
A window appears where the name of the form can be
entered. Then, click OK.
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8.1.2
Access
Adding Records Using a Form
At the bottom of the form screen, there is a status bar that identifies the current record
and the total number of records in the table.
The arrows permit the user to move to previous or next record as
well as moving to beginning or end of the records. The arrow with
an asterisk will take the user to a new, blank, record for entry of new
information into the table.
The Navigation pane (All Access Objects) displays all of the
objects. Notice that the icon next to the entries identifies the type of
object. Each object type has its own icon identifier.
Table
Form
Report
Query
8.2 Layout View
When a Form is generated from an existing table or query, It displays the form in Layout
format using all of the data in the table or query.
The sample is shown in stacked format.
visible grid is around the data and a box
appears in the upper right corner.
8.2.1
A
Resize columns
The stacked format displays all data blocks in
the same width. As shown, this is usually far
bigger than is needed. It makes it easier to
resize the data blocks by permitting the user to
resize them all at the same time.

Place the cursor over the right border of the
highlighted cell. It should now be a two-way arrow.

Drag to the right and the cell will all resize as needed.
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Access
Remove Stacking
Resizing the stack does not always produce the complete resizing effort and the stack
continues to control activity on all data cells. To remove the stacking

Click on the box in the upper right corner.

Point to the edge of the
highlighted area. The
cursor should be a fourway arrow.

Right Click and a help
window appears.

Click on Layout

Click on Remove Layout.

The fields are still highlighted, but the frame
and stack control is removed.

Click off the highlighted area and the
highlighting is removed.
Once the stacking control has been removed, the individual
cells may now be resized as shown for the Middle Initial
(MI).
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8.3 Design View
8.3.1
Create a Form
To create a form from scratch without the
wizard, follow these steps:

Click the Form Design icon on the
Create tab, Forms group.

Select the Forms Design
Tools – Design tab.
The Design tab contains all of
the features needed to create a
form.
To use information from an existing table, select Add Existing Fields from the Design
tab, Tools group.
For the example;

Select the User entry by clicking on the
plus + next to the table name. The field
names are then displayed beneath the
table name.

Double clicking on the table fields
identifies them as fields to be entered
into the form. They then appear on the
grid with a field title entry and a field data
entry.

The basic design of the form is now
completed.
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It is now possible to view the form in either the Design View or the
Form View by opening the Views group and selecting the
appropriate view.
8.3.2
Editing Forms
The follow points may be helpful when modifying forms in Design View. Right click
within the form

Tab order - Alter the tab order of the objects on the form
by selecting Tab Order... from the window. Click the
gray box before the row you would like to change in the
tab order, drag it to a new location, and release the
mouse button.

Grid lines - By default, a series of lines and dots
underlay the form in Design View so form elements can
be easily aligned. To toggle this feature on and off
select Grid from the window.

Fill/Back Color - Change the background color of the form by clicking the
Fill/Back Color button on the window and click one of the color blocks on the
palette. Change the color of individual form objects by highlighting one, right
clicking and selecting a color from the Fill/Back Color palette or the Font/Fore
Color palette to change the font color. The font and size, font effect, font
alignment, border around each object, the border width, and a special effect can
also be modified.

Page Header/Footer - Headers and footers added to a form
will only appear when it is printed. Access these sections by
selecting Page Header/Footer on the window.
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8.4 Forms Control
Form Controls are part of the Forms
Design Tools/Design tabs. Form controls
are available including lists, combo boxes,
checkboxes, option groups, and command
buttons. The Controls group contains a
number of actions that are used to build a
form.
The name of each option is
displayed when the cursor is moved over
that object or icon.
Add controls to the form by clicking and
dragging the field names from the Controls group. Access creates a text box for the
value and label for the field name when this action is accomplished. To add controls for
all of the fields in the Field List, double-click the Field List window's title bar and drag all
of the highlighted fields to the form.
8.4.1
List and Combo Boxes
If there are small, finite number of values for a certain field on a form, using combo or
list boxes may be a quicker and easier way of entering data. These two control types
differ in the number of values they display. List values are all displayed while the combo
box values are not displayed until the arrow button is clicked to open it as shown in these
examples:
Combo Box
List Box
Academic 3
Ben Hill Griffin III Hall
Reed Hall
Academic 3
By using a combo or list box, the name of the academic building does not need to be
typed for every record. Instead, it simply needs to be selected from the list.
Follow these steps to add a list or combo box to a form:

Open the form in Design View.

On the Design tab, in the Controls group, ensure that Use Control
Wizards is selected.

Click either the List Box
tool or the Combo Box
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On the form, click where the list box or combo box are to be placed.
Depending on the choice, the List Box Wizard or the Combo Box Wizard starts.

The wizard asks how you want to get the
values for the control, do one of the following:
o
If you want to display the current data
from a record source, click I want the list
box/combo box to look up the values
in a table or query.
o
If you want to display a fixed list of
values that will seldom change, click I will type in the values that I
want.
Continue to follow the wizard instructions to complete the
box.

Select the Table or Query that should provide the
data and then click Next >.

Choose field from the table or query that was
selected. Click Next > to proceed.

The selected field can be sorted in ascending or
descending sequence.
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
The width of the column can be adjusted to ensure
the text is completely displayed. Click Next > to
proceed.

If the data entry is to be retained and entered into a
field in the record, click on Store that value in this
field and enter the field name.

The last step is to provide a name for the combo or
list box created. Click Finish to proceed.
Returning
to the Form View, the appropriate box is
displayed.
8.4.2
Check Boxes and Option Buttons
Use check boxes and option buttons to display yes/no, true/false, or on/off values.
Only one value from a group of option buttons can be selected while any or
all values from a check box group can be chosen. Typically, these controls
should be used when five or fewer options are available. Combo boxes or
lists should be used for long lists of options.
Checkbox or option buttons can be added to the form using a wizard that
provides all of the steps necessary to add one of these features to a form.
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8.4.3
Access
Command Buttons
A command button may be placed beside each record and is used to open another.
Clicking on the Command
Button icon opens a wizard that provides all
of the steps needed to create the button.
8.4.4
Conditional Formatting
Special formatting that depends on the control's value can be added to text boxes,
lists, and combo boxes. A default value can set along with up to three conditional
formats. To add conditional formatting to a control element, follow these steps:

Select the control that the formatting should be applied to and select the Form
Design Tools tab, Format tab, Control Formatting group and Conditional
Formatting command.
The
Conditional
Formatting
Rules Manager window will open.
This window can be used to add
new rules, edit existing rules or
delete rules.

The Show Formatting rules
for: block can be opened to
select the specific field to be
used for formatting.
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
Select New Rule.

Select the values or range that is
to be formatted.

Formatting can be set to change
colors, background colors, fonts,
etc.
8.4.5
Password Text Fields
To modify a text box so each character appears as an
asterisk as the user types in the information,





Select the text field in Design View and click
Property Sheet.
Under the Data tab, click in the Input Mask field.
Click the button [...] that appears.
Choose "Password" from the list of input masks
and click Finish.
Although the user will only see asterisks for each
character that is typed, the actual characters will
be saved in the database.
8.5 Split Form
A Split Form displays the
datasheet in the lower portion of
the screen and the form in the
upper portion of the screen.
Before It can be selected, the
table or query that is to be
displayed must be selected first.
Then click on the Split Form icon
on the Create tab, Forms group,
More Forms.
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When the Split Form appears on the screen, it also displays a Field List on the right. It
also opens the Form Layout Tools tab.
The Forms Layout Tools tab provides additional formatting capabilities.
The user is now able to see the form and the datasheet on screen at the same time.
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9 Reports
Reports will organize and group the information in a table or query and provide a way to
print the data in a database.
9.1 Report
A report can be created quickly from a table or query. Select the table or query and then
click on the Report icon.
The report will be displayed. The screen also displays the Field List and lists of fields
that are available from related or other tables.
The available field windows can be used to add additional fields to the report.
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9.2 Report Wizard
Create a report using Access' wizard by following
these steps:

Double-click the Report Wizard option on the
Reports group

Select the information source for the report by
selecting a table or query from the
Tables/Queries drop-down menu.
o Select the fields that should be displayed
in the report by transferring them from the
Available Fields menu to the Selected
Fields window using the single right
arrow button >
o Select the double arrow button >> to
move all of the fields at once.
o Click the Next > button to move to the next screen.

To add any grouping of the information,
o Select the field(s) for grouping
o Click the right arrow button > to add those
fields to the diagram.
o Use the Priority buttons to change the
order of the grouped fields if more than
one field is selected.
o Click Next to continue.

If the records should be sorted, identify a sort
order here. Select the first field that records
should be sorted by and click the A-Z sort button
to choose from ascending or descending order.
Click Next > to continue.
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
Select a layout and page orientation for the
report

Click Next >.

Select a color and graphics style for the report

Click Next >.

On the final screen, name the report and select
to open it in either Print Preview or Design View
mode. Click the Finish button to create the
report.
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9.3 Report Design View
To create a report without using the Report or Report Wizard options, select Report
Design from the Reports Database Window.
The Design View screen permits the user to create a report directly from the basic report
shell. It also opens the Report Design Tools tab with Design, Arrange, Format and
Page Setup sub tabs.
This is a feature that will not be discussed at the beginning Access level.
9.4 Printing Reports


Open the view pull-down from the Home tab, Views group.
Select Print Preview.
The Print Preview tabs opens. This tab contains all of features
necessary to adjust size, margins and page setup.
When the report is set up correctly, click on the Print icon
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10 External Data
The External Data tab is used to handle the import/export data functions
10.1
Importing
To import or link data from another source
use the Import group. In the example, the
import from Excel will be used.

Select Excel

Use the Browse to select the Excel file
to be imported.

Click OK.

If the workbook contains more
than one worksheet, select the
correct worksheet.

The worksheet appears with
tentative field breakouts. Click
Next >.
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
If the first row contains headings,
click the block.

Click Next >.

Specify the Data Type for each
field.
NOTE: Always make school numbers
a text field. Then leading zeroes all be
displayed.

Click Next >.

Identify the field that is to be used
as the primary key.
Access
automatically generates a new key
value unless otherwise specified.
No primary key is a valid step
The last step is to name the new
table and click on Finish.
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10.2
Access
Exporting
The effect of importing
can also be achieved
using the Export group.

Select the table or query to be exported.

The example will export to an Excel spreadsheet.
 Select Excel from the Export
group.
 Select the File name and File
format
from
the
pull-down
windows.
 Click OK.
 The export is completed.
 Check if the export steps are to be
saved.
 Click Close.
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