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MSU PRR 475 - accessnotes
Course Prr 475-
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Exercise 6: Week 6CREATING AN ACCESS DATABASE AND TABLESYOU LEARN THESE KEY SKILLS:Though many people use the familiar address book as an example of a simple database, a database is more than a list of names and addresses. With Microsoft Access, you can not only maintain a list but quickly change it, review only certain namesbased on criteria you determine and more. In this chapter, you begin your journey into the world of databases by creating your own database and your first table, the building block of every database.ENTERING THE DATABASE ZONE:If you are asking yourself "What's a database?" read on for some basic database concepts. If you are saying "Get on with it" skip down to "Shoving Off" to learn how to create your first database.A database is a collection of information that shares a common theme or subject. No doubt you use some or all of the following databases on a regular basis - a phone or address book, a photo album, or an organized grocery list. Each of these is a database, with the information ordered in a particular way, such as alphabetically in the case of an address or phone book, chronologically in the case of the photo album, or by item type (produce, canned goods, or what have you) in the case of the grocery list. (I know what you're thinking: who has time to organize a grocery list? Answer: me. My in-laws gave us a preprinted list that has little boxes for each category. Scary, but true.)An electronic database allows you to maintain your collections of information on your computer. You can manipulate the information in a variety of ways, including sorting it (show me all of Aunt Martha's calls in chronological order, starting with the most recent),extracting information according to specific criteria (show me all the people who owe memoney so that I can send in my heavies), and printing reports to present the information in a meaningful way.Microsoft Access takes the database concept even further by providing a relational database management system. This means that you can have several collections of information and tie them together in different ways. Let's say you have a home office and provide financial services to a variety of clients. You want to maintain several lists ofinformation - clients, services you offer and rates, and an inventory of materials you send or leave with clients. Access refers to these "lists" as table8, and you can store each of these lists in a separate table. What's the advantage of separate tables? Two of the biggest advantages are manageability and efficiency.If your information is divided into logical tables, you can find what you need more quickly. Also, such an arrangement prevents you from having to repeat identical information in several locations. For example, if several clients receive your Budget Planning service, you can tie each client to the Budget Planning service in your list of services, rather than repeating this service in the list of clients. And anytime you want to see what service you've provided to Jane Brown and when you provided them, you can as Access to tell you. You will learn more about asking Access for information in the following pages.Access refers to the elements that make up a single database as objects. Objects include tables, reports, forms, queries, macros, and modules. Huh? Take a peek in your closet. Each piece of clothing - pair of pants, shirt, or shoe - is like a database object. In the case of these clothing objects, each has a different function in helping you look presentable each day. In the case of database objects, each has a different function in helping you manage your data. You will learn more about most of the database objects in upcoming sections and chapters.SHOVING OFF:Access ships with several predefined database types, such as Contact Management, Inventory Control, and Order Entry. You may find that you can use many of these predefined databases for your own work. However before you can use these effectively, you need to understand how Access puts a database together. The best way to do that is to create your own database from scratch.Starting AccessFollow these steps to create a new database:1. At the Windows desktop, start Microsoft Access2. Access starts and displays the Microsoft Access dialog box. Here you decide whether you want to create a new database or open an existing one.3. Create a new database or work on an existing one. Every time you start Access, you will see this dialog box. You'll create a new database using the Database Wizard.4. As you have seen in the Word, Excel, and PowerPoint sections, one of the hallmarks of Microsoft applications is the Wizard, a handy helping tool that leads you through a task by asking a series of questions and creating a database, table, or other object based on your answers. It's like your own person tutorial taking you by the hand and walking you through the steps you need complete a task.CREATING A DATABASE:As I mentioned previously, you will create a database from scratch to get an understanding of what makes a database and how it's put together.1. Click Database Wizard under Create a New Database Using, and then click OK. Access displays the New dialog box, where you can select the type of database youwould like to create.2. Make sure Blank Database is selected on the General tab, and then click OK.3. Access displays the File New Database dialog box. Access is one of the few applications that require you to name your file before you do anything with it. It is also the only Office program that automatically saves your databases when you exitso that you aren't put in danger of losing data.4. Type a name for your database in the File name text box and then cl!ck Create. Access displays the Microsoft Access window and the message 'Verifying system objects" on the status bar You then see the Database window for your database, with six tabs.THE WIZARD OF TABLE STREET:The building blocks of every database are its tables. Earlier I mentioned that you could store collection of related information in individual tables. Think of a table as one individual file in a hanging file folder and the database itself as the hanging folder. Each file folder (table) may contain a client list, a list of products you sell, or to continue with the financial planner example - your list of services. Access uses the tables as the basisfor creating reports, building queries, and working with forms.A table consists of columns and rows, Each column


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