Import data to a new table (from spreadsheets, other databases or database programs, Outlook address books, text files)

Transcription

1 The External Data Ribbon Import data to a new table (from spreadsheets, other databases or database programs, Outlook address books, text files) 1. Click the tab to view the External Data Ribbon. 2. In the Import group, click the type of file from which you plan to import data. (Most common are Excel and Text File.) The Get External Data dialog box will launch. 3. On the dialog box, click the Browse button, browse to the document you are importing and double click it to select it. Leave the top option (Import the source data into a new table in the current database) selected, and click OK. 4. A wizard will now open, based on the particular type of file you are importing. These wizards are basically similar; steps from the Import Spreadsheet Wizard are shown: 5. Complete the wizard: a. Select the worksheet you want to import from. b. Click the check box to tell Access that the First Row Contains Column Headings. This makes Access use the entries in the first row of the spreadsheet for field names. If this row does not contain the field names, uncheck the check box and you will need to type in field names yourself. c. Choose field names and data types for each field in the data you are importing. d. If desired, select a field to be a primary key, or let Access add a primary key field. e. Name your table, and click Finish. f. Access offers to save your import steps. In most cases, you will want to click No. Page 1 of 7

2 Note: You can also import data and append it to (add it to the bottom of) an existing table, but only if (1) the new data does not violate existing rules for the data (field length, data type, etc.) and (2) it is laid out exactly the same way. Rather than choosing to import to a new table (step 4 above), choose the table you want to add records to, then click Next. Export data to another program 1) In the database, click the table or query you want to export. 2) In the Export group on the External Data Ribbon, click the program to which you want to export the data (Excel, dbase, etc.; click the More button for a list of available formats.) 3) Choose a location to save your exported file. a) Use the Browse button to open a box that lets you navigate to your destination and name the file. Click Save. b) Check the checkboxes to select your export options. 4) The last step of the wizard asks if you want to save the export steps. If you will be repeating the export regularly, check the check box. Close the wizard. Switchboards A switchboard is a special form that acts as a gateway, guiding users to "authorized" tasks and making it harder for them to accidentally do "bad" things like deleting large amounts of data or reorganizing the tables. Switchboards should be user friendly. If your database has a large amount of objects, you will need to create secondary switchboards to break the choices down for the user. Create a primary switchboard using the Switchboard Manager 1) In your database, click to view the Database Tools Ribbon, then click Switchboard Manager in the Database Tools group. If you don't already have a switchboard, Access will ask if you to create one. Click Yes. 2) The Switchboard Manager will now show the Main Switchboard, which will be set as the default. Click the Edit button to add commands and lay out the switchboard. Page 2 of 7

3 Edit your switchboard 1) On the Edit Switchboard Page box, you can enter a more descriptive switchboard name, click New or Edit to add or modify switchboard items, click Delete to remove items, or rearrange items by clicking Move Up or Move Down. 2) When you click New or Edit, the Edit Switchboard Item dialog box is displayed. This dialog box has three parts: a) In the Text box, type the text you want displayed beside the button. b) In the Command box, click the drop-down button to choose the action the button will perform. Common actions include "Open Form in Add Mode" (lets users add new entries in forms, but allows them to edit the new entries only users cannot access previous entries), "Open Form in Edit Mode" (lets users add new entries in forms, and also edit any entries new or old), "Open Report", and "Go to Switchboard" (moves users to secondary switchboards). c) In the bottom box, select the form, report, switchboard, etc. that the button will open. 3) When through adding or editing switchboard items, close the box. 4) If desired, change colors, add graphics, etc. by opening the Switchboard form in Design view. Delete a switchboard 1) In the Database Window, click Forms. Select the Switchboard form and delete it. 2) Click Tables, and delete the Switchboard Items table. 3) Create a new switchboard according to the previously given instructions. Set and modify a database password 1) Open database in exclusive mode: a) Open Microsoft Office Access. b) Click the More button, browse for the database you want to open, and click it once to select it. c) On the bottom of the Open box, click the dropdown arrow beside the Open button (lower right corner of the Open box) Page 3 of 7

4 d) Choose Open Exclusive. 2) Click to view the Database Tools Ribbon, and then click Encrypt with Password in the Database Tools group. 3) Type the desired password in the Password box, and repeat it in the Verify box. 4) From now on, to open the database you must now enter the password. If you forget the password, you may as well forget the database too. 5) To remove the password, open the database in exclusive mode (as above), click Unset Database Password on the Database Tools Ribbon, and verify the password you are removing. Close the database; it will now open without a password. Compact and repair database Compacting and repairing a database cleans it up, checks it for data integrity, and decreases the file size. It should be done often. 1) Click the Office Button. 2) Float your mouse pointer over Manage on the left hand side of the Office Button menu. 3) On the right hand side of the menu, click Compact and Repair Database. Application Options To select options, click the Office Button and then click Access Options on the bottom of the Office Button menu. Option categories are listed on the left hand side of the box. 1) Options under Current Database (Options used to secure the database are marked with an asterisk): a) Application Title: give a new title to the database; this will be displayed in the title bar of the database window. b) Application icon: Lets you make an icon button for the database. (You must select from.icn files on your computer.) c) *Display Form: Click the drop-down button and choose a form (such as the Switchboard) which will automatically displayed when the user opens the database. d) Document Window Options: Tabbed Documents lets you use tabs to easily move between several database objects open at the same time e) Compact on Close: Automatically compacts the database each time it is closed. f) Picture Property Storage Format: selecting Preserve source image format selected enables the full use of the new AutoFormats. g) *Display Navigation Pane: To secure the database from accidental changes, hide the navigation pane. Page 4 of 7

5 h) Navigation Options: These can be used to create custom categories and groups in the Navigation Pane, replacing Switchboards. i) Click the Navigation Options button. The Navigation Options box appears. ii) Click the Add Item button under the Categories list and give the new category a name (ex: My Switchboard ) iii) On the right side, under Groups for, click Add Group to add any groups you want and give them intuitive names (ex: Forms or Reports) Leave the Unassigned Objects check box checked. iv) Click OK to close the Navigation Options box. v) On the Navigation Pane, click the dropdown arrow at the top. Choose the name you gave your new group. The Navigation Pane will now show only your new category. vi) Drag and drop items from the Unassigned Objects group onto the groups in your new category. vii) Return to the Navigation Options box and uncheck Unassigned Objects. i) *Ribbon and Toolbar Options: To secure the database from accidental changes, uncheck the Allow Full Menus box and the Allow Default Shortcut Menus box. j) Options under Datasheet (changes here affect the appearance of tables and of forms formatted as datasheets). These tools let you set colors (If you set different Background and Alternate Background colors, datasheets will appear striped), change how gridlines appear, and set a default font and font size. Page 5 of 7

6 2) Other Categories of Options: a) Object Designers: These options let you customize Access s behavior when you are designing tables, queries, forms and reports. b) Proofing: Customize spell-checking and AutoCorrect options c) Advanced: A miscellaneous collection of options that most casual users will ignore. d) Trust Center: Lets you designate a folder as a trusted location. If a database is not in a trusted location, Access blocks certain tools such as switchboards, and shows a Security Warning (right) each time the database is opened. (To turn on the content, click Options and follow the instructions.) If a database is in a trusted location, all the tools are active immediately. Notes: Hold Shift while opening database to bypass startup options. Open a hidden Database window by clicking Window Unhide and selecting it. Practice Assignment: 1) Compact and repair your NEO Outreach database. 2) Using the Switchboard Manager, create a switchboard for your NEO Outreach database and place the following buttons on it: a) Enter Contributions (This button should open the Contribution Entry Form in Edit mode) b) Enter New Donors (This button should open the Donor Entry Form in Add mode) c) View Contribution Report (This button should open the Contribution Report) d) View Donor Statements (This button should open the Donor Statements Report) e) Exit Database (This button should exit the application) Rearrange the order of buttons on the Switchboard so that Enter New Donors comes first. Close the Switchboard Manager when done. Open the Switchboard form in Design view. Change the background colors, fonts of the labels, etc. until you find a scheme you like. 3) Set the following options: a) Change the application title to NEO Outreach Database b) Set the database to display the Switchboard form on startup c) Set the database to use tabbed documents (if it isn t already) d) Set the database to automatically compact and repair itself every time you close it. e) Do not display the Navigation Pane on startup f) Do not allow full menus or default shortcut menus Page 6 of 7 When done, close Access and reopen it to confirm that only the switchboard will be shown, the ribbon buttons are largely greyed out, and right-clicking does not reveal pop-up menus. Close the database and re-open it holding the Shift key to restore full functionality. 4) Make a backup of your database by copying it to another disk or folder using My Computer. Give the backup database the password of SMFPL. Close it and reopen it to verify that you have added the password correctly. Remove the password. (Remember that if you forget a database password, you will never ever ever be able to access that database again.)

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