What are we dealing with? Databases are widely used in industry and in applications where large amounts of information need to be managed effectively. Databases help users search for key information in large databases and help narrow the numerous fields in large databases down to several fields of interest. This article will guide beginning users through the steps to create a database in Microsoft Access on a Purdue University ITaP PC. However, after the first step of launching Microsoft Access is completed, the documentation applies for all users of Microsoft Access 2003. Using the example of creating a class list, these examples will show the user the benefits of creating tables, forms, reports and queries. Compiling these tools along the way will assist the user in acquiring the necessary skills to use Microsoft Access to manage small to large quantities of information effectively. Creating a New MS Access Database One of the biggest differences between MS Access and other MS Office applications is the process of creating new files. Typically, as is the case in MS Word and MS Excel, new files are created automatically when the application is launched and can be modified and populated with data straightaway. However, this is not the case with MS Access. When a user launches MS Access, he/she is presented with a blank workspace. In addition, unlike other MS Office files, MS Access databases must be saved before they can be manipulated. The procedure presented in this section will guide you through the process of creating a new MS Access database. 1. Launch Microsoft Access. On a standard Purdue University ITaP computer, MS Access can be launched by clicking on Start All Programs Standard Software Microsoft Office Microsoft Office Access 2003, as shown in Figure 1. Figure 1 This is where you start
2 2. To start a new database, on the MS Access window, click on File New or hit ctrl-n on your keyboard. A New File menu will appear on the right side of the screen. 3. Click on Blank Database, as shown in Figure 2. A new window will appear asking you where you want to save your database. Figure 2 Selecting Blank Database from the New File menu 4. Specify the directory in which you want to save the database. See Figure 3 for reference. Figure 3 - Saving File 5. Enter a file name for your database, and click on Create. A new window will appear with your newly entered filename as a title. This window will be referred to as the MS Access navigating window in this documentation. Refer to Figure 4 to see what this window looks like. YOU ARE NOW READY TO POPULATE AND TO CREATE TABLES, QUERIES, FORMS, AND REPORTS FOR YOUR DATABASE.
3 Creating a Table The overall purpose of the table in a Microsoft Access database is to store and categorize data. The unique design of the Microsoft Access table allows the administrator to efficiently and accurately access and keep track of information. Data is often regarded as an important facet in nearly all circumstances; therefore, any application that safeguards and processes data is a convenient and valuable tool. The steps listed below should provide a convenient and efficient method of creating a table in Microsoft Access. 1. In the MS Access navigating window, select Tables under Objects on the left menu, and double click on Create table in Design view. See Figure 4. A new window will appear asking you to configure the fields for your database. See Figure 5 on the next page for what this looks like. Figure 4 the MS Access Navigating Window: Creating a Table in Design View 2. On the first line under Field Name, type the title of the first column heading of your database. Refer to Figure 5 on the following page. Note: Microsoft Access requires a Primary Key field: a field that is unique for each entry of the database). Therefore, it might be best to populate the first field with some sort of identification data, such as student identification numbers.
4 Figure 5 Enter field name 3. Click on the drop down button on the first field under Data Type, and select the type of field you wish to create. Example: If your first field is titled Student Identification Number, you might specify the data type to be Number or Auto number. A brief description of the data types can be found in the MS Access help documents. 4. If you wish to include a description of the field, enter a description under Descriptions. Note: This is not required, but could be useful if multiple users will be accessing and modifying your database. 5. To define a field as the primary key of your database, right click on the arrowhead on the left side of the field name entry, and select Primary Key. Refer to Figure 6 below. Figure 6 Making the primary key 6. Specify the properties of the field by modifying the entries under Field Properties at the bottom of the page. See Figure 7 on the following page.
5 Figure 7 Possible set of field properties 7. Repeat the above procedures for each column heading you wish to create in your database. 8. After you finish configuring all the fields, click on the icon on the top left corner of the screen to switch to table view. 9. When MS Access asks you to save the table, click on Yes on the Save Table dialog box, and type a name for the table. Your database will now appear in table format with the field names or the field caption as column headings. 10. Populate the fields with relevant data. Figure 8 below gives an example of a class-list database. Figure 8 Example of a complete populated database
6 YOU HAVE NOW POPULATED YOUR DATABASE WITH DATA. YOU CAN USE THESE DATA TO PRODUCE REPORTS AND TO CREATE QUERIES. Creating a Form Forms in a Microsoft Access database allow the user and / or administrator to enter information into the database from an outside source. For example, when gathering customer information for a credit card application, many companies have the capability of using online forms to allow those customers to submit the required information. This information is then gathered into the database where it can be validated and analyzed. Overall, forms represent an efficient and relatively simple form of input that can be readily utilized by any and every database administrator out there. Remember, the implementation of forms in a database can be quite diverse whether you are a large company or just an individual, forms can work for you. Forms are most easily created by using the form wizard. The procedure in this section will guide the user through the form-creation wizard. 1. In the MS Access navigator window, select Forms under Objects and double click on Create Form by Using Wizard. See Figure 9. Figure 9 - Creating form by using wizard 2. Select the table or query you wish to create a form on by selecting from the drop down list under Tables/Queries. See Figure 10. Figure 10 - Select table wanted
7 3. Specify the fields you want to include in the report by selecting the field name from the list of available fields and clicking on the single forward arrow. Figure 11 shows what your screen might look like. Note: If you wish for all the fields in your table or query to appear in the report, click on the double forward arrow. To remove a field from the list of selected entries, select the field name and click on the reverse arrow. To remove all the fields from the list of selected entries, click on the double reverse arrow. Figure 11 Form Wizard: Selecting All Available Fields 4. Click Next > to proceed. 5. In the next menu, choose one of the given form layouts that you would like to use for your form. The wizard will give a list of these various layouts, along with mini-previews and explanations for each simply choose the one that you consider the most suitable for your database. 6. Click Next >. 7. In the next menu, select one of the available design-styles that you wish to use for your form. The wizard gives you a list of the design-styles available, along with mini-previews of each design. Choose the design you consider to be the most appropriate. 8. Click Next >. 9. Enter a form title.
8 10. If you wish to modify the design of your form, select Modify the Form s Design. Otherwise, select Open the Form to View and Enter Information and click Finish. Your newly created form will appear in a new window. Refer to Figure 12 for an example of a functioning form. Figure 12 Sample running form 11. To navigate between different records, use the arrows at the bottom of the Forms window. YOU CAN NOW MODIFY OR ADD ENTRIES TO YOUR DATABASE USING THE FORM INSTEAD OF THE DATABASE TABLE! Creating a Report Reports in a Microsoft Access database are just the opposite of forms in that they represent a way to output the information already stored in the database. Reports are simple yet effective tools that accurately display certain information stored in the database. Reports can provide a summary, a statement of accounts, or just a simple listing of the gathered information in the database. Basically, reports give the administrator of the database the ability to provide valuable information to the user / customer without jeopardizing the integrity of the database. In other words, since the report is a form of output separate from the database, there is no need for the user / customer to directly access the database from whence this information was accessed. Thus, reports present a consistent and reliable method to organize and output information. Using Microsoft Access, reports are most easily created using the report wizard. A step by step process for creating reports is listed on the next page:
9 1. In the MS Access navigating window, select Reports under Objects, and double click on Create Report by Using Wizard, as shown in Figure 13. Figure 13 Create report using wizard 12. Select the table or query you wish to create a report on by selecting from the drop down list under Tables/Queries. Refer to Figure 14. Figure 14 - Specify table wanted 13. Specify the fields you want to include in the report by selecting the field name from the list of available fields and clicking on the single arrow. Note: If you want all the fields in your table or query to appear in the report, click on the double forward arrow. To remove a field from the list of selected entries, select the field name and click on the reverse arrow. To remove all the fields from the list of selected entries, click on the double reverse arrow.
10 Figure 15 Implementing specified fields 2. When you are ready to proceed, click Next >. 3. If you would like to add grouping levels: i. Specify the grouping level in the next menu by selecting the field you would like to group data by and clicking on the > arrow. ii. Click Next > If you do not want grouping levels: Ignore this menu and click Next >. What is Grouping? Grouping allows the user (you) to group data based on specified values. For example, you might have the names, addresses, phone numbers and social security numbers of 300 employees in a database. Instead of painstakingly looking through each record, you can use grouping to sort each record by a certain field, such as name. If all records are grouped by name, all that you have to do is get your name and all the information will be right there for you. You also have the option of grouping fields such as names alphabetically and so on. 4. In the next menu, specify how you want the data to be ordered. Figure 16 shows what your screen should look like. Figure 16 Sorting Records 5. When you are ready to proceed, click Next >. Example: If you would like your data to be sorted by name: 1. Click on the drop down box next to the first field, and select Name. 2. Specify whether you want the names to be sorted in ascending or descending order. To switch between Ascending and Descending, simply click on the Ascending/Descending button, as shown in Figure 16. 6. In the next menu, specify the layout and orientation you want for your report. 7. If you would like fields to be adjusted so that your report fits in one page, put a checkmark next to Adjust the field width so all fields fit in a page.
11 8. Click on Next >. 9. In the next menu, select the design you would like for your report. The wizard gives you a list of the design-styles available, along with mini-previews of each design. Choose the design you consider to be the most appropriate. 10. In the next menu, specify a name for your report. 11. If you wish to make changes to the report design or layout: Select Modify the Report s Design, then click Finish. 12. If you do not wish to make changes to the report design or layout: Select Preview the Report and Finish to preview and print the report. YOU HAVE LEARNED TO PRODUCE AN OUTPUT FOR YOUR DATABASE! Creating a Query Queries allow users to retrieve and combine sections of data that they need out of the database; the data can be retrieved from one or multiple tables. The selected data can then be placed in a new query table, which can be analyzed and used to create forms and reports. This documentation will provide you with instructions on creating a select query, the most common type of query. This documentation will also provide an example of retrieving and analyzing data from one table only. To create a select query in design view: 1. On the MS Access navigating window, select Queries under Objects, then double-click on Create Query in Design View. See Figure 17. Figure 17 Creating a Query in Design View A new window will appear asking you to choose which tables and/or queries you wish to use for your new query.
12 2. Select the table(s) you wish to use and click on Add. See Figure 18. Figure 18 Select table wanted 3. When you are done selecting data sources, click on Close. The data sources (query or table) you have selected should appear as small windows in the top half of the query window, with the fields that will appear on the query listed. Figure 19 shows what one of these windows should look like. Figure 19 - Query Window 4. To add fields to your query, click on the drop down box next to Field, and select from the list of available fields. Note - You can add as many fields as you want into your query. 5. If you choose not to show one or more fields in your queries: Uncheck the Show checkbox that corresponds to the fields you do not want to display. 6. If you would like to sort one or more fields alphabetically or numerically: Click on the corresponding Sort fields, and select Ascending or Descending. Refer to Figure 20. Figure 20 An example of the design of a query.
13 Note: In the example above, all the fields will be displayed and the records will be sorted in descending order based on grade1 and grade2. If sorting criteria are specified for more than one field, the records will be first sorted based on the first field criteria (in this case: grade1). If there are common entries in the first field, they will be sorted based on the second. 7. Now switch to table view by clicking on the icon on the top left corner of the page. A query table should appear that displays records in ascending or descending order as specified by your query See Figure 21. Figure 21 Table result of Figure 19 Query You could also specify criteria for one or more fields in the query to display select records that contain certain entries in certain fields. Example: To create a query that displays information of students with no software proficiencies: Type none in the criteria field under Software Proficiencies. See Figure 22. Figure 22 - Display 'no software proficiencies'
14 8. Now switch to table view by clicking on the icon on the top left corner of the page. A query table should appear that displays only the records containing the entries specified by your new criteria. Figure 23 below gives an example of what this query table looks like. Figure 23 Query result from Figure 22 Continuing With Microsoft Access Congratulations! You are now on your way to managing information using databases. As this tutorial is completed, please understand that there are many tools and tricks in using Microsoft Access and this has only been an introduction to them. The skills that have been presented here can now be used along with Microsoft Access Help or a supplementary tutorial program to refine your database skills. Good Luck and Happy Database Hunting!