Using a Switchboard

The sample databases that come with Access all employ switchboards . A switchboard is a customized window that makes many features of a specific database available at the click of a button. The Address Book switchboard, for example, offers immediate access to printing mailing labels, merging addresses with a Word document, or locating an address quickly. Often, switchboard options open forms that allow you to view or enter data, reports that allow you to see summaries of data, or queries that allow you to view subsets of data.

Open a Switchboard

Open the database. If the database contains a switchboard, it usually appears automatically when the database is opened.

If necessary, click the Window menu, and then click Main Switchboard to view the switchboard.

Select Switchboard Options

Read the descriptions on the switchboard to find the task you need to perform.

Click the button that corresponds to the task you want to perform.

Access opens or starts whatever database object will help you perform that task.

When you're done, click the Close button on the window for the database object.