Computer.
Applications .
Technology .
,DATA TYPES
Data Type Usage Size
Short Text Alphanumeric data (names, titles, Up to 255 characters.
(formerly etc.)
known as
“Text”)
Long Text Large amounts of alphanumeric data: Up to about 1 gigabyte
(formerly sentences and paragraphs. (GB), but controls to
known as display a long text are
“Memo” limited to the first
64,000 characters.
Number Numeric data. 1, 2, 4, 8, or 16 bytes.
Large Number Numeric data. 8 bytes.
For more information,
see Using the Large
Number data type.
Date/Time Dates and times. 8 bytes.
Date/Time Dates and times. Encoded string of 42
Extended bytes
For more information,
see Using the Date/Time
Extended data type.
Currency Monetary data, stored with 4 decimal 8 bytes.
places of precision.
AutoNumber Unique value generated by Access 4 bytes (16 bytes for
for each new record. ReplicationID).
Yes/No Boolean (true/false) data; Access 1 byte.
stores the numeric value zero (0)
for false, and -1 for true.
OLE Object Pictures, graphs, or other ActiveX Up to about 2 GB.
objects from another Windows-
based application.
Hyperlink A link address to a document or file Up to 8,192 (each part of
on the Internet, on an intranet, on a a Hyperlink data type
local area network (LAN), or on your can contain up to 2048
local computer characters).
Attachment You can attach files such as pictures, Up to about 2 GB.
documents, spreadsheets, or charts;
each Attachment field can contain an
,Data Type Usage Size
unlimited number of attachments per
record, up to the storage limit of the
size of a database file. Note, the
Attachment data type isn't available
in MDB file formats.
Calculated You can create an expression that Dependent on the data
uses data from one or more fields. type of the Result Type
You can designate different result property. Short Text
data types from the expression. data type result can
Note, the Calculated data type isn't have up to 243
available in MDB file formats. characters. Long Text,
Number, Yes/No, and
Date/Time should match
their respective data
types.
Lookup Wizard The Lookup Wizard entry in the Data Dependent on the data
Type column in Design view is not type of the lookup field.
actually a data type. When you
choose this entry, a wizard starts to
help you define either a simple or
complex lookup field. A simple lookup
field uses the contents of another
table or a value list to validate the
contents of a single value per row. A
complex lookup field allows you to
store multiple values of the same
data type in each row.
BASIC FIELD PROPERTIES :
Field Size
Field Size Description
Byte An integer that holds values from 0–255.
Integer An integer that holds values from –32,768– +32,767.
Long An integer that holds values from –2,147,483,648– +2,147,483,647.
Integer
, Field Size Description
Single A floating point number that holds large values up to 7 significant
digits.
Double A floating point number that holds large values up to 15 significant
digits.
Replication A globally unique identifier (GUID) required for replication; this
ID* number is generated randomly.
Decimal A number with defined decimal precision. The default precision is 0,
but you can set the scale up to 28.
Format
Click the drop-down list and choose the format in which text, numbers, and dates
and times are displayed.
Decimal Places
For a field that holds numbers, open the Decimal Places drop-down list and choose
how many numbers can appear to the right of the decimal point.
Input Mask
For Text and Date field types, this feature provides a template with punctuation
marks to make entering the data easier.
Caption
If the field you’re working on has a cryptic or hard-to-understand name, enter a
more descriptive name in the Caption text box. The value in the Caption property
appears as the column heading in Datasheet view, as a label on forms, and on
reports in place of the field name. People entering data understand what to enter
after reading the descriptive caption.
Default Value
When you know that the majority of records require a certain value, number, or
abbreviation, enter it in the Default Value text box. That way, you save yourself
the trouble of entering the value, number, or abbreviation most of the time
Applications .
Technology .
,DATA TYPES
Data Type Usage Size
Short Text Alphanumeric data (names, titles, Up to 255 characters.
(formerly etc.)
known as
“Text”)
Long Text Large amounts of alphanumeric data: Up to about 1 gigabyte
(formerly sentences and paragraphs. (GB), but controls to
known as display a long text are
“Memo” limited to the first
64,000 characters.
Number Numeric data. 1, 2, 4, 8, or 16 bytes.
Large Number Numeric data. 8 bytes.
For more information,
see Using the Large
Number data type.
Date/Time Dates and times. 8 bytes.
Date/Time Dates and times. Encoded string of 42
Extended bytes
For more information,
see Using the Date/Time
Extended data type.
Currency Monetary data, stored with 4 decimal 8 bytes.
places of precision.
AutoNumber Unique value generated by Access 4 bytes (16 bytes for
for each new record. ReplicationID).
Yes/No Boolean (true/false) data; Access 1 byte.
stores the numeric value zero (0)
for false, and -1 for true.
OLE Object Pictures, graphs, or other ActiveX Up to about 2 GB.
objects from another Windows-
based application.
Hyperlink A link address to a document or file Up to 8,192 (each part of
on the Internet, on an intranet, on a a Hyperlink data type
local area network (LAN), or on your can contain up to 2048
local computer characters).
Attachment You can attach files such as pictures, Up to about 2 GB.
documents, spreadsheets, or charts;
each Attachment field can contain an
,Data Type Usage Size
unlimited number of attachments per
record, up to the storage limit of the
size of a database file. Note, the
Attachment data type isn't available
in MDB file formats.
Calculated You can create an expression that Dependent on the data
uses data from one or more fields. type of the Result Type
You can designate different result property. Short Text
data types from the expression. data type result can
Note, the Calculated data type isn't have up to 243
available in MDB file formats. characters. Long Text,
Number, Yes/No, and
Date/Time should match
their respective data
types.
Lookup Wizard The Lookup Wizard entry in the Data Dependent on the data
Type column in Design view is not type of the lookup field.
actually a data type. When you
choose this entry, a wizard starts to
help you define either a simple or
complex lookup field. A simple lookup
field uses the contents of another
table or a value list to validate the
contents of a single value per row. A
complex lookup field allows you to
store multiple values of the same
data type in each row.
BASIC FIELD PROPERTIES :
Field Size
Field Size Description
Byte An integer that holds values from 0–255.
Integer An integer that holds values from –32,768– +32,767.
Long An integer that holds values from –2,147,483,648– +2,147,483,647.
Integer
, Field Size Description
Single A floating point number that holds large values up to 7 significant
digits.
Double A floating point number that holds large values up to 15 significant
digits.
Replication A globally unique identifier (GUID) required for replication; this
ID* number is generated randomly.
Decimal A number with defined decimal precision. The default precision is 0,
but you can set the scale up to 28.
Format
Click the drop-down list and choose the format in which text, numbers, and dates
and times are displayed.
Decimal Places
For a field that holds numbers, open the Decimal Places drop-down list and choose
how many numbers can appear to the right of the decimal point.
Input Mask
For Text and Date field types, this feature provides a template with punctuation
marks to make entering the data easier.
Caption
If the field you’re working on has a cryptic or hard-to-understand name, enter a
more descriptive name in the Caption text box. The value in the Caption property
appears as the column heading in Datasheet view, as a label on forms, and on
reports in place of the field name. People entering data understand what to enter
after reading the descriptive caption.
Default Value
When you know that the majority of records require a certain value, number, or
abbreviation, enter it in the Default Value text box. That way, you save yourself
the trouble of entering the value, number, or abbreviation most of the time
