Hour 17. Access 2003 Basics

Everyone trudges through data at work and at home. With the proliferation of computers, information overload seems to be the norm. A database manager, such as Microsoft Access 2003, enables you to organize your data and turn raw facts and figures into meaningful information. Access processes data details so you can spend your valuable time analyzing results. Suppose that your company keeps thousands of parts in an Access inventory database, and you need to know exactly which part sold the most in Division 7 last April. Access can find the answer for you.

This hour introduces you to the world of databases with Access. The nature of databases makes Access one of the more involved programs in the Office suite. Generally, people find that they can master Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook more quickly than they can Access. Access is not difficult to learn and use, but you must understand the structure of database design before you can fully master Access.

The highlights of this hour include the following:

What a database is
Which database- related objects Access manages
Why databases contain tables
What fields and records are
How to create and modify tables