SUBJECT
COMPUTER APPLICATIONS
TECHNOLOGY
COURSE
GETTING STARTED WITH
MICROSOFT ACCESS
COMPILED BY
MICHELLE MEYER
, Page 2 of 31
Contents
Creating a New Database in Access ............................................................. 3
Tables ......................................................................................................... 4
Primary Key ............................................................................................. 4
Designing a Table ..................................................................................... 5
Data Types ............................................................................................... 5
Data Validation ........................................................................................ 6
Datasheet View ...................................................................................... 11
Relationships ............................................................................................ 13
Queries ..................................................................................................... 15
Creating a Query Using a Wizard ............................................................ 15
Query Criterion ...................................................................................... 16
Sorting ................................................................................................... 17
Calculated Fields and Aggregate Functions in Queries ............................ 18
Reports ..................................................................................................... 20
Report Header ........................................................................................ 22
Adding Functions in Reports .................................................................. 23
Forms ....................................................................................................... 26
Bound Forms ......................................................................................... 26
Form Header .......................................................................................... 27
Form Buttons......................................................................................... 27
Unbound Forms (Switchboards) ............................................................. 28
Macros ................................................................................................... 30
Keyboard Shortcuts .................................................................................. 31
General .................................................................................................. 31
Editing ................................................................................................... 31
Getting Started with Microsoft Access Compiled by: Michelle Meyer
, Page 3 of 31
Creating a New Database in Access
When opening MS Access for the first time, you will see an Access window
with a maroon pane on the left. Databases recently accessed will be listed
there. You will also see a couple of templates that can be used. Click on the
blank database thumbnail to open a new database in Access.
You will immediately be prompted to save the database under a name suitable
for the type of database you are creating. Keep the file name short and sweet,
but descriptive enough so you’re able to find it at a later stage. For instance,
if you are creating a database for a school camp to keep the records of
students and parents, name it SchoolCamp.accdb, where the “.accdb” is the
file extension automatically added by Access.
SchoolCamp.accdb
file name default Access extension
You can also choose in which location you would like to save the file here.
Then click “create”. A blank table will open in Datasheet View.
Although a table can be created here, it is easier to first create all your fields
in Design View.
A field is the smallest unit of information you can access, such as a student’s
name or ID number.
Getting Started with Microsoft Access Compiled by: Michelle Meyer
, Page 4 of 31
A record refers to a group of fields, such as a student’s telephone number,
address and name, which are pertinent to a particular student (single row).
In Access, you can choose whether you want to work in the
Design View, which can be seen as the “back door” of an
item or Datasheet View, which is what the end user of a
database will see. A database designer must always keep
in mind that the end user may or may not be a proficient
computer user. Therefore, the design of the database must
always make it easy for the user to understand.
Certain field limitations and restrictions can be placed on fields allowing data
to be entered in a specific format or allowing only certain characters to be
entered. All these restrictions can be done in the Design View of a Table.
Tables
An Access table consists of a collection of fields (column headings) and records
(rows).
Once your default table is open, you can switch
to Design View. The database will prompt you
to give your table a name. Since the example of
a school camp database is used, this table will
be named TblStudent. Click Ok.
Primary Key
The Primary Key, represented by a key, is the main field that identifies the
record. It is designated to uniquely identify all table records, meaning no two
records can have the same value. A person’s Identity Number could be used
as a Primary Key. A school can assign a unique student number consisting of
letters and numbers to each student. A person’s name or surname, however,
cannot be used as a Primary Key, since more than one person could have the
same name or surname.
The default field added to a table is labelled ID and the Data Type is
AutoNumber, which automatically assigns a unique number to a field,
starting with 1, 2, 3, etc. A database designer can choose to keep this field as
the Primary Key or change it. In the example, the field is overwritten by a new
field called StudentID, but the Data Type will remain AutoNumber.
Getting Started with Microsoft Access Compiled by: Michelle Meyer
COMPUTER APPLICATIONS
TECHNOLOGY
COURSE
GETTING STARTED WITH
MICROSOFT ACCESS
COMPILED BY
MICHELLE MEYER
, Page 2 of 31
Contents
Creating a New Database in Access ............................................................. 3
Tables ......................................................................................................... 4
Primary Key ............................................................................................. 4
Designing a Table ..................................................................................... 5
Data Types ............................................................................................... 5
Data Validation ........................................................................................ 6
Datasheet View ...................................................................................... 11
Relationships ............................................................................................ 13
Queries ..................................................................................................... 15
Creating a Query Using a Wizard ............................................................ 15
Query Criterion ...................................................................................... 16
Sorting ................................................................................................... 17
Calculated Fields and Aggregate Functions in Queries ............................ 18
Reports ..................................................................................................... 20
Report Header ........................................................................................ 22
Adding Functions in Reports .................................................................. 23
Forms ....................................................................................................... 26
Bound Forms ......................................................................................... 26
Form Header .......................................................................................... 27
Form Buttons......................................................................................... 27
Unbound Forms (Switchboards) ............................................................. 28
Macros ................................................................................................... 30
Keyboard Shortcuts .................................................................................. 31
General .................................................................................................. 31
Editing ................................................................................................... 31
Getting Started with Microsoft Access Compiled by: Michelle Meyer
, Page 3 of 31
Creating a New Database in Access
When opening MS Access for the first time, you will see an Access window
with a maroon pane on the left. Databases recently accessed will be listed
there. You will also see a couple of templates that can be used. Click on the
blank database thumbnail to open a new database in Access.
You will immediately be prompted to save the database under a name suitable
for the type of database you are creating. Keep the file name short and sweet,
but descriptive enough so you’re able to find it at a later stage. For instance,
if you are creating a database for a school camp to keep the records of
students and parents, name it SchoolCamp.accdb, where the “.accdb” is the
file extension automatically added by Access.
SchoolCamp.accdb
file name default Access extension
You can also choose in which location you would like to save the file here.
Then click “create”. A blank table will open in Datasheet View.
Although a table can be created here, it is easier to first create all your fields
in Design View.
A field is the smallest unit of information you can access, such as a student’s
name or ID number.
Getting Started with Microsoft Access Compiled by: Michelle Meyer
, Page 4 of 31
A record refers to a group of fields, such as a student’s telephone number,
address and name, which are pertinent to a particular student (single row).
In Access, you can choose whether you want to work in the
Design View, which can be seen as the “back door” of an
item or Datasheet View, which is what the end user of a
database will see. A database designer must always keep
in mind that the end user may or may not be a proficient
computer user. Therefore, the design of the database must
always make it easy for the user to understand.
Certain field limitations and restrictions can be placed on fields allowing data
to be entered in a specific format or allowing only certain characters to be
entered. All these restrictions can be done in the Design View of a Table.
Tables
An Access table consists of a collection of fields (column headings) and records
(rows).
Once your default table is open, you can switch
to Design View. The database will prompt you
to give your table a name. Since the example of
a school camp database is used, this table will
be named TblStudent. Click Ok.
Primary Key
The Primary Key, represented by a key, is the main field that identifies the
record. It is designated to uniquely identify all table records, meaning no two
records can have the same value. A person’s Identity Number could be used
as a Primary Key. A school can assign a unique student number consisting of
letters and numbers to each student. A person’s name or surname, however,
cannot be used as a Primary Key, since more than one person could have the
same name or surname.
The default field added to a table is labelled ID and the Data Type is
AutoNumber, which automatically assigns a unique number to a field,
starting with 1, 2, 3, etc. A database designer can choose to keep this field as
the Primary Key or change it. In the example, the field is overwritten by a new
field called StudentID, but the Data Type will remain AutoNumber.
Getting Started with Microsoft Access Compiled by: Michelle Meyer
