Editing Your Database

Once you've designed your database, it's time to fill it up. That means entering data into the individual records and adding as many records as necessary.

Adding Data

No matter which view you're using, adding data to your database is easy.

If you're in List view, you add data to your database as you'd add data to a spreadsheet. Move your cursor to any particular field, and type your data. Use the Tab key to move to the next field in a record; use the Enter key to move to the next record.

You might prefer to add data one record at a time, as you'd enter data on an individual card in a file cabinet. Switch to Form view, and enter all the data for the fields in the current record. Use the Tab key to move from field to field; when you reach the end of one record, pressing Tab moves you to the first field of the next record.

Adding New Records

If you're in List view, adding a new record is as simple as starting to type in the first empty record row. If you're in Form view, just click the Insert Record button; a new blank record appears in the workspace.

Adding New Fields

After you get going in a database, you might discover that you want to include more information for each record. Going back to our movie database example, you might decide that you want to add a field for Category/Genre.

Fortunately, adding new fields to existing databases is easy. All you have to do is follow these steps:

1. Switch to List view.
   
   

2. Position your cursor anywhere in the field before where you want to insert the new field.
   
   

3. Select Record, Insert Field, After to display the Insert Field dialog box.
   
   

4. Enter a name and format for the new field.
   
   

5. Click Add.
   
   

Works now adds the new field(s) to every record in your database. This field will be blank, of course, so you'll have to go back through your existing records and fill it in, as appropriate.