Key Points


  • Access is part of the Microsoft Office system, so the basic interface objectsmenus, toolbars, dialog boxeswork much the same as other Office products or other Windows applications.

  • A database is the computer equivalent of an organized list of information. The power of a database is in your ability to organize and quickly retrieve precise information from it, and then to manipulate, share, and distribute or use this information in various ways. In Access, data is organized in tables comprised of columns and rows, called fields and records. Access is a relational database, so you can treat the multiple tables in one database as a single storage area and easily pull information from different tables in whatever order and format that suits you.

  • The types of objects you can work with in Access include tables, queries, forms, reports, macros, and modules. Tables are the core database objects and the purpose of every other database object is to interact with one or more tables.

  • Every Access object has two or more views. For example, you view data in a table in Datasheet view and define how the data is displayed in Design view.

  • One way to locate information in an Access database is to create and run a query. You use queries to find information so that you can view, change, or analyze it in various ways. You can view queries in Datasheet view or Design view. You can use the results of a query as the basis for other Access objects, such as a form or report.

  • Forms make it easy for users to enter, retrieve, display and print information stored in tables. A form is essentially a window in which you can place controls that either give users information or accept information they enter. Forms can be viewed in Form view, Datasheet view, or Design view.

  • Reports display information from your tables in a nicely formatted, easily accessible way, either on your computer screen or on paper. A report can include items of information from multiple tables and queries, values calculated from information in the database, and formatting elements such as headers, footers, titles, and headings. Reports can be viewed in Design view, Print Preview, and Layout Preview.

  • Macros and modules substantially extend the capabilities of Access. Macros can be used to make routine database actions available as command buttons in forms, which help less experienced users work in your database. Modules are VBA programs. Whereas macros can automate many actions, VBA can be used to carry out tasks that are too complex to be handled with macros.



MicrosoftR Office AccessT 2007 Step by Step
MicrosoftR Office AccessT 2007 Step by Step
ISBN: N/A
EAN: N/A
Year: 2004
Pages: 127

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