ACCESS 2007 FOUNDATION

Transcription

1 ACCESS 2007 FOUNDATION WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page i

2 STUDENT EDITION LESSON 1 - EXPLORING ACCESS... 1 Introduction... 1 Opening An Existing Database... 4 Converting Existing Databases... 5 The Access Window... 6 Using Database Objects... 6 Using The Object Window... 7 Using Other Task Panes and Dialog Boxes... 8 Working With Database Objects... 9 Exiting Access Security Warnings Exercise LESSON 2 - CREATING DATABASE TABLES Introduction Planning Database Tables Methods For Creating Tables Working With Tables In Design View Data Types Editing Table Structure in Design View Setting A Primary Key Exercise LESSON 3 - WORKING WITH DATA IN TABLES Introduction Navigating Fields In Tables Adding Records Selecting Records Editing Records Saving Records Deleting Records Exercise Page ii WWP Learning and Development Ltd

3 LESSON 4 - SETTING FIELD PROPERTIES Introduction Limiting Field Size Setting Number Formats Setting Date/Time Formats Setting Yes/No Formats Setting Default Values Validation Rules Creating An Input Mask - Wizard Creating An Input Mask - Manually Creating A Custom Input Mask Create a Lookup List By Typing Data Modifying Lookup Properties Exercise LESSON 5 - MODIFYING DATASHEETS Introduction Inserting Columns Moving A Column Changing A Column Name Deleting A Column Inserting A Lookup Column Exercise LESSON 6 VIEWING & FORMATTING DATASHEETS Introduction Rows Changing The Column Width Changing A Font Attribute Changing A Cell Effect Selecting Columns Hiding A Column Unhiding Columns Freezing A Column Unfreezing A Column Exercise WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page iii

4 LESSON 7 - ORGANISING TABLE DATA Introduction Sorting Records Multiple Level Sorting Clearing a Sort Order Finding Specific Records Finding Records Using Wildcards Using Replace Using Filter By Selection The Filter Menu Filtering By Form Exercise LESSON 8 - USING SIMPLE QUERIES Introduction The Query Wizard Creating A Query In Design View Opening A Query Adding A Table To A Query Joining Tables In A Query Running A Query Exercise LESSON 9 - MODIFYING QUERY RESULTS Introduction Sorting A Query Adding Criteria To A Query Hiding A Field In A Query Adding A Record Using A Query Printing A Query Exercise Page iv WWP Learning and Development Ltd

5 LESSON 10 - CREATING BASIC FORMS Introduction Using The Form Wizard Viewing Records In A Form Printing Records In A Form Basing A Form On A Query Creating A Quick Form Entering And Editing Data In A Form Exercise LESSON 11 - MANIPULATING CONTROLS Introduction Layout View Moving Controls in Layout View Sizing A Control By Dragging Adding Field Controls Deleting Controls Increase Spacing Between Controls Automatically Creating a Tabular Layout Creating a Custom Form In Layout View Exercise WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page v

6 LESSON 12 - USING FORM AND REPORT DESIGN VIEW Introduction De-activating control layout The Ruler The Snap To Grid Feature Displaying The Field List Adding A Field Moving Part Of A Paired Control Aligning Controls Spacing Controls Adding And Modifying Controls Adding An Image Lines And Rectangles Editing An Unbound Control Using Multiple Undo/Redo In Design View Exercise LESSON 13 - CREATING BASIC REPORTS Introduction Using The Report Wizard Using Print Preview For Reports Printing Pages Of A Report Grouping And Summarising Report Data Other Reports Exercise Page vi WWP Learning and Development Ltd

7 LESSON 14 - FORMATTING CONTROLS Introduction Changing The Font Changing The Character Format Changing The Font Colour Changing Fill And Background Colours Formatting Lines And Borders Applying Special Effects Using The Format Painter Using AutoFormat Running The Spell Checker Setting AutoCorrect Options Adding Autocorrect Entries Exercise LESSON 15 - WORKING WITH HELP Introduction ScreenTips Exercise LESSON 16 - CREATING RELATIONSHIPS Introduction Creating A Relationship Between Tables Setting Referential Integrity Viewing Subdata Sheets Deleting A Join Line Exercise LESSON 17 - USING OPERATORS IN QUERIES Introduction Using An AND Condition Using An OR Condition Using The BETWEEN AND Operator Using The Expression Builder Using A Wildcard Character Exercise WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page vii

8 LESSON 18 - ADVANCED QUERIES Introduction Creating A Calculated Field Formatting A Calculated Field Creating A Function Query Creating A Parameter Query Creating A Concatenation In A Query Exercise LESSON 19 - ACTION QUERIES Introduction Creating A Make Table Query Creating An Update Query Creating An Append Query Creating A Delete Query Exercise APPENDIX A - USING THE LABEL WIZARD APPENDIX B - EXCHANGING DATA WITH EXCEL Importing Data From Excel Exporting Data To Excel INDEX Page viii WWP Learning and Development Ltd

9 LESSON 1 - EXPLORING ACCESS INTRODUCTION 1 A database is any collection of information organized into a group. For example, a telephone book is a noncomputerized database of information. It is organized in alphabetical order and includes information such as names, addresses, and telephone numbers. Other examples of non-computerized databases include address books and inventory lists. Electronic databases can be maintained on a computer. Computerized databases allow you to manipulate large amounts of data quickly and easily. They simplify tasks such as searching for specific data, organizing and sorting data, and making corrections or changes to data. In Microsoft Access 2007, the database information is stored in data tables. Every data table has a structure that provides for the collection, organization, storage, and retrieval of data. These tables of information are contained in a database file. Each database file can have numerous data tables. In this lesson, you will learn how to: Start Access Open an existing database Convert existing databases Use the Access window Use database objects Use the Database window Open a database object Use the panes Exit Access WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 1

10 A data table consists of fields and records. Fields are categories of information. For example, in an address table, you may maintain names, addresses, cities, states, and post codes. Each of these categories is a field in the address database. The set of fields containing the data for a single entry is called a record. For example, Charles Hardy, 1234 Main St., Bridgnorth, Salop, BN3 0SS is a record in the address data table. Each piece of information in the record is stored in a field and is referred to as a field value. Salop is the field value for the County field in this particular record. An address table would most likely consist of a number of records, and the data values for each record would be stored in the appropriate fields. Access is a relational database application. A relational database contains a large amount of data that is split into numerous tables; each table should include only the information pertinent to one subject, such as Customer, Orders, or Items. As a result, each table is smaller; more manageable; and, in turn, more efficient. These tables can then be joined together to make them related. When tables are related, you can access information from any field in any related table, eliminating the need to add the same information to more than one table. In addition, you can create reports, forms, and queries from data stored in any related table. Additionally, Office on the Web provides an online link to resources you can use to create better databases. For example, you can use Office on the Web to link to Internet sites, where you can access technical resources and free product enhancements. Page 2 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

11 To start Access, click the Start button on the taskbar. If Access is listed, click the icon. Otherwise, move the mouse cursor to All Programs Move to Microsoft Office. In the list, click on Microsoft Access The opening screen of Access is displayed. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 3

12 OPENING AN EXISTING DATABASE When you want to work with an Access database, you must first load the database file into memory. This process enables you to open all the tables or other objects within that database. To open a database from the Getting Started window, select the file to open in the Open Recent Database pane. If the file is not visible, click on More In the Open dialog box, locate the file you want to open. Select the file. Click the Open button. Alternatively, you can click the Office button. In the Office menu, click Open. This will open the Open dialog box. If you want to protect the original version of a database from modifications, you can use the Open list to open a copy of the database or the database as read-only. Only one database can be open at any time. Page 4 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

13 CONVERTING EXISTING DATABASES When you open a database from earlier versions of Access, it is held at that version and new features which cannot be displayed or converted well by previous versions are disabled. If you do not update, or convert them to the Access 2007 file format, then Access 2007 will save them in their original format. If the version is earlier than 2000 a dialog box is displayed when you open it, informing you it will have to be upgraded on opening. To convert an Access 2000 or database to version 2007, first open the database you wish to convert. Click the Office button. Click on Convert. In the Save As dialog box, locate the destination folder for the database. In the File name: box, type the name for the file. The Type of file will have been defined as Microsoft Access Click the OK button. The message box informs you that the database, having been converted, can no longer be used with earlier versions of Access. Click the OK button. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 5

14 THE ACCESS WINDOW When you open a database, the Access window is displayed with a Navigation pane at the left showing the database objects. The main area displays the content of the database object which is being used at the time. Across the top are the Quick Access Toolbar, the title, and the ribbon tabs. Each of the tabs display a series of groups containing commands. Office Button Quick Access Toolbar Title Bar The Ribbon Tabs (Home, Create, etc.) Groups (Views, Clipboard, Font, etc) Currently open object (in this case, a table) Navigation Pane Status Bar USING DATABASE OBJECTS An Access database file can contain objects such as tables, queries, forms, reports, macros, and modules. Database objects are created to input, edit, retrieve, display, and print data. You can include up to six different object types in an Access database. A description of each of these object types is listed in the following table: Page 6 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

15 Object Type Table Query Form Report Macro Module Object Purpose This object type defines the structure of an Access database. Tables display multiple records in rows and columns. Information in these records can be entered, edited, stored, and retrieved. A way of requesting selected information from a table. When you run a query, a selected set of records, called a dynaset, appears. You can then edit or print the dynaset. A screen display you can create to show selected fields in a record. Forms allow you to enter, view, and edit data. You can use a form as an alternative to displaying data in rows and columns. A design for printed data. Reports can include lists and mailing labels, as well as database reports. Reports can also perform mathematical operations and calculate summaries. A stored set of Access commands that can be repeated as a unit to automate database functions. This object type stores Visual Basic for Applications Edition programming code that can be used to further customize and enhance database functions. USING THE OBJECT WINDOW When you want to work with information in a database, you may find it easier to resize or move the object window(s). You can use the sizing button at the top right of a window to resize it, or the mouse cursor to resize and move the windows around the screen. Object Window Restore Object Window Resize Mouse Pointer Object Window Maximise Button WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 7

16 USING OTHER TASK PANES AND DIALOG BOXES Task Panes and Dialog Boxes are separate windows that display to provide you with additional tools and functionality. Some open automatically when you carry out a tasks or give a command by clicking a button on the Ribbon. For example: The Find & Replace dialog box appears when you click the Find button. the Datasheet Formatting dialog box appears when you click the Font Dialog Launcher on the Ribbon. or the Clipboard task pane that appears when you click the Clipboard Dialog Launcher on the Ribbon. A task pane displays various options relating to your current task. Page 8 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

17 WORKING WITH DATABASE OBJECTS The Navigation Pane enables you to work with the database objects which help you to store and manage the data. You can create, open, group, rename, hide, and delete database objects. You can create a simple objects or a combination one based on the currently active object. To manage database objects, first open the database you wish to work with. In the Navigation pane, double click on an object to open it for use, or use the right mouse button to click on Open in the shortcut menu. To create an object, click the Create tab. The ribbon contains the buttons to be able to create Tables, Forms, Reports, Queries, and Macros. To create an object, merely click on its button. To create an object based on another object, you must first open the first object before clicking on a Create button. By right-clicking an object in the Navigation Pane, you can use the shortcut menu to: Open the object Change to Design View for the object Rename the object Hide the object Delete the object Cut the object Copy the object and more. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 9

18 EXITING ACCESS In order to be efficient, you should close any objects you are not using before exiting Access. You can have several objects open at once, but multiple objects use more system resources. Changes to databases are saved automatically when you close the Database window. In addition, when you have finished using Access, you should exit the application properly, since Access performs necessary housekeeping before it closes. If a database object has been modified, but not saved, an Access dialog box prompts you to save the changes before exiting. You can also close an object or database by clicking the Close button on the applicable window title bar. To exit Access, first ensure all objects have been closed. Either click the window Close button in the top right of the window OR Click the Office button and then click the Exit Access button. SECURITY WARNINGS When you open a database, or template, you may be prompted with a security alert. Any database may contain potentially unsafe functions in macros. To enable macros when you open a database, click the Options button in the Security warning below the ribbon. If the content is to be trusted (ie. it comes from a known source), click to place in the Enable this content check box. Click the OK button. Page 10 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

19 EXERCISE EXPLORING ACCESS 1. Start Access, if necessary. 2. Open Train01x. 3. Select the Queries, Forms, and Reports object types to view the objects in each; then, reselect the Tables object type. 4. Open the Client table. 5. Display the Table Tools - Datasheet ribbon. 6. Display the Home ribbon. 7. Close the Client table. 8. Open the Client form. 9. Minimise the Navigation Pane. 10. Maximise the Navigation Pane. 11. Close the Client form 12. Close the database. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 11

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21 LESSON 2 - CREATING DATABASE TABLES 2 INTRODUCTION When you create a database in Access, you are creating a container for related tables, forms, queries, reports, and other database objects. You can create a new database manually or with the help of the Database Templates. If you create a new database manually, you must then create your own tables, queries, and other objects. You can use a template to create a database, or you can create your own custom database from scratch. The access database templates assist you to create databases suited to your own needs. Each template provides a database with predefined fields, tables, queries, forms, and reports. In this lesson, you will learn how to: Create a new database Design tables Create a table in Design view Use Design view Add field names Assign data types Add a field description Set a primary key If you need a custom database, you create a blank database and create your own objects that make up the contents of the database. 1. To create a blank database, first launch Access. 2. Click the New Database icon at the top centre of the Getting Started with Microsoft Office Access section of the window. 3. A Blank Database pane appears at the right. 4. Name the new database and specify its location (click the folder icon ). 5. Click the Create button. 6. The new, blank, database is displayed in the window. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 13

22 Note: If are already working in Access on an existing database, you can still create a new one without having to close and re-launch Access. Click the Office button and select New from the menu. The procedure is then the same as from 3 to 6 above. 1. To create a database using a template, first launch Access. 2. Click one of the Features Online Templates in the Getting Started with Microsoft Office Access section of the window (note the scroll bar to see more). 3. On the right, specify the name and location for the database. 4. Click on Download or Create (see notes below). 5. If a security warning is displayed, click the Options button at the top of the work area. 6. Click Enable this content. 7. Click the OK button. 8. The database window is displayed. Page 14 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

23 Note 1: Some templates are stored locally on your computer when Office 2007 is installed; others have to be downloaded from the Microsoft Web site. If the template that you select gives you a Download button, ensure that you have an Internet connection to your computer. Note 2: If are already working in Access on an existing database, you can still create a new one from a template without having to close and re-launch Access. Click the Office button and select New from the menu. The procedure is then the same as from 2 to 8 above. PLANNING DATABASE TABLES In Access, there are five steps to designing a table. The first step is to develop a thorough understanding of the system, including all the data to be entered and all the reports, statistics, labels, and other output you want to generate. This process serves two purposes. First, these forms and reports are invaluable when you begin detailing exactly what information you want stored in each table. Second, once you have collected a set of these forms, you can make sure that every item of information on your reports is either included in your database or can be derived from data in your database. The second step is to determine how many tables you need and what information to store in each table. Once you have gained an overview of the system, you are ready to begin designing your database. The most important decision you must make before you begin creating tables is how many tables you want the database to include. The third step is to design the tables by selecting the fields you want to include, the type of data you want to store in each field, and the size of the fields. Once you have developed an overview of your application and a list of tables, you can make a preliminary list of fields, based on the categories of information that each table will include. You can refine the list by considering the following: if the data is to be sorted or selected, it should be in a separate field if the data is to be calculated from other fields, you do not need to store it in its own field if the table is to be linked to another table, both tables should contain common fields. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 15

24 The fourth step is to create the table structures by defining the name, data type, and size of the fields. The fifth and final step is to enter sample data. This step is important because it helps you determine whether or not the table fields are the correct size and if all the necessary fields have been included. You can then modify the tables as necessary. Page 16 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

25 METHODS FOR CREATING TABLES Once you have created a database file, it will be necessary to create the tables that will store the database data. A new table can be created by: Using Datasheet view Using Table Templates Using Design view Using SharePoint Lists (Not covered in this course) Importing from another database, program or a text file. If you have just created a new database, Access automatically opens a blank Datasheet View for you to start designing your first table. If that is the case, follow steps 3 to 8 below only. 1. To create a table by entering data, first click the Create tab on the Ribbon. 2. In the Tables group, click the Table button. 3. In the new table, doubleclick the heading, Add New Field and replace it with a field name of your own. 4. Press the [Return] key, or the [Tab] key to move to the next field. 5. Continue until you have entered the names of all your fields. 6. Click the Office button. 7. Select Save from the menu. 8. Enter a name for the new table. 9. Click OK. 10. Click the Close button in the Table window if you are not going to enter data at this time. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 17

26 1. To create a table from a template, click the Create tab. 2. In the Tables group, click the Table Templates button. 3. From the list, choose the template you want to use. 4. To change a field name, right-click the column heading. 5. Click Rename Column from the shortcut menu. 6. Type the new field name. 7. Press the [Enter] key. 8. Click the Office button. 9. Select Save from the menu. 10. Enter a name for the new table. 11. Click OK. 12. Click the Close button in the table window if you are not going to enter data at this time. WORKING WITH TABLES IN DESIGN VIEW Most objects in Access can be displayed in Design view. This allows you to manipulate the underlying structure of the tables, queries, forms, and reports. In order to create a new table in Design View, you must first define the fields which will form the table structure, before you can enter any data. In Design view, the fields are specified in rows where you can insert, edit, and delete according to your requirements. You can also specify, or alter, the data type for each field. The Design view window is split into two panes. The upper pane displays a grid where you entered the field names, data types, and field descriptions. The lower pane displays the properties of the selected field. A property is a characteristic of a field, such as the number of characters a field can contain. Access automatically assigns default field properties, which you can modify as desired. Page 18 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

27 1. To create a table in design view, first click the Create tab. 2. Click the Table Design button. 3. Click in a Field Name cell and type the field name you want. 4. Click in the Data Type cell. 5. Select the data type you want (see table below). 6. If necessary, click in the Description cell and type a note or comment for the field. 7. To add another field, click in the Field Name column of the next row down. 8. Continue adding new fields as required. 9. When you have finished specifying the fields for the table, click the Office button. 10. Select Save from the menu. 11. Enter a name for the new table. 12. Click OK. 13. Click the Close button in the Table window if you are not going to enter data at this time. DATA TYPES The field data type tells Access what kind of values you plan to store in a field and how much storage space to set aside for the field. Although you can change a data type after a field contains data, doing so may erase some or all of the information in the field. The following table describes the available data types in Access 2007: Data Type Text Memo Description Text is the default data type; a text field can contain any combination of letters, numbers, punctuation marks, and spaces. The default width is 50 characters and the maximum length is 255 characters. A memo field is similar to a text field, except that a memo field can contain up to 65,535 characters. You can use memo fields for notes or long descriptions in a database. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 19

28 Data Type Number Date/Time Currency AutoNumber Yes/No OLE object Hyperlink Description A number field can contain only numeric characters, a comma (used as a thousands separator), a period (used as a decimal point), and a hyphen (used as a negative number sign). You should use a number field only when you want to perform calculations using the field values. The Date/Time data type is used for dates and/or times. Access automatically validates all entries to ensure that they are valid dates and/or times. For example, Access will not allow you to enter 31/2/99 because February does not have 31 days. Date/Time fields are useful in performing calculations on dates and times. The Currency data type is similar to the Number data type and can be used in calculations. However, the values in a currency field can have a maximum of four decimal places and automatically appear with dollar signs and thousands separators (commas). You should use currency fields whenever possible because they use fixed point calculation, which is faster than the floating point calculation used in number fields. The AutoNumber data type allows Access to automatically assign a unique number (consecutively from 1) to each record in the database. You cannot manually enter a value into an AutoNumbered field or change a number Access has assigned to a record. You use this data type when you want a unique identification number for each record. A Yes/No data type is used to signify one of two conditions, Yes or No. You use a yes/no field when only two possibilities (i.e., True or False) exist for a field value. The OLE object data type allows you to either embed an object created in another Windows application or create a link to such an object. You use an OLE object data type for graphics, spreadsheets, or sound files. A Hyperlink data type is used to store a link to anywhere you choose. The link could go to an Internet page, a Word document on an intranet, or even a form in the current database. A hyperlink field can contain a description, an address, and a sub-address [separated by number signs (#)], as well as up to 2,048 characters; only the address, however, is mandatory. Page 20 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

29 Data Type Attachment Lookup Wizard Description You can attach images, spreadsheet files, documents, charts, and other types of supported files to the records in your database, much like you attach files to messages. You can also view and edit attached files, depending on how the database designer sets up the Attachment field. Attachment fields provide greater flexibility than OLE Object fields, and they use storage space more efficiently because they don't create a bitmap image of the original file. The Lookup Wizard data type allows you to create a lookup field. A lookup field displays a list of values that are either stored in another table or created by you. A lookup field allows you to choose values from a list during data entry, thereby reducing repetitive typing and eliminating typing errors. EDITING TABLE STRUCTURE IN DESIGN VIEW 1. View the table whose design you want to edit by double-clicking it in the Navigation Pane. 2. Click the View button in the Views group on the Home tab of the Ribbon. 3. Click Design View. To add a new field to the table: a) Click anywhere along the row where you want to add the new field. 4. Click Insert Rows in the Tools group of the Ribbon. To move a row. a) Click the record selector (the small grey button at the left of the row) for the row that you want to move. b) Point at the record selector and click and drag up or down until a thin, black line appears between the rows that you want to move the selected row to. To delete a row. a) Click anywhere along the row where you want to add the new field. 5. Click Insert Rows in the Tools group of the Ribbon. Irrespective of how a table has initially been created, there will come a time when edits such as adding, moving and deleting fields needs to be done. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 21

30 SETTING A PRIMARY KEY Access works most efficiently if you specify a primary key for each table. The primary key is a field (or group of fields) that uniquely identifies each record in the table. There are several advantages to setting a primary key. First, the primary key is automatically indexed, which makes information retrieval faster. Second, when you open a table, the records are automatically sorted in order by the primary key. Finally, a primary key prevents the entry of duplicate data because Access does not allow duplicates in the primary key field. You cannot choose a memo, OLE, or hyperlink field as the primary key. When you create a new table in Datasheet view, Access automatically creates a primary key and assigns it the field name ID and the data type as AutoNumber. When you create a table in Design view, you can specify the primary key. To specify a primary key, first open the table in Design view. Click the Design tab. Click the row selector of the field you intend to be the primary key. (If you want to use more than one field to form the primary key, hold down the [Ctrl] key while clicking on any additional row selector for each field.) In the Tools group, click the Primary Key button. The row selector of that field now displays a primary key. Save the table design and close the view. Page 22 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

31 EXERCISE CREATING TABLES 1. Create a blank database named Training and save it to the student data folder. 2. Close the default new table without entering and data and create a new table in Design view. 3. Add the following fields and their corresponding data types to the table: Field Name ProjectID ClientID CourseName StartDate EndDate TrainerInitials Cost Data Type Text Text Text Date/Time Date/Time Text Number 4. Enter the following description for the ProjectID field: Enter the ProjectID assigned by Marketing.. 5. Set the ProjectID field as the primary key. 6. Save the table as Project. 7. Close the Design view window. 8. Create a new table in Datasheet view (Create tab Tables group Table button). 9. Add the following field names as headings: ProjectID, PaymentDate, PaymentAmount, and PaymentMethod. 10. Save the table as Payments. 11. Close the table. 12. Close the database. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 23

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33 LESSON 3 - WORKING WITH DATA IN TABLES 3 INTRODUCTION When you open a table, it appears in Datasheet view by default. Datasheet view is useful when you want to enter, edit, or delete records. In Datasheet view, the table data is arranged in rows and columns, with the columns representing the table fields and the rows the individual records. Multiple records appear in the table. The small box at the far left of each row is the record selector; a black triangle in the record selector indicates the current record. NAVIGATING FIELDS IN TABLES In this lesson, you will learn how to: Use Datasheet view Navigate fields in tables Add records Move through records Select records Edit records Save records Delete records In Datasheet view, you can use the mouse or the keyboard to move through the fields and records. If there are too many fields to display on screen at the same time, the window scrolls automatically as you move to the right or left. As you enter or edit data, you can use the [Tab] or [Enter] keys to move from field to field. You can also use the [Right] and [Left] arrow keys to navigate across fields. These keys are helpful because they allow you to keep your hands on the keyboard at all times, rather than having to switch back and forth from the keyboard to the mouse. However, the mouse is useful if you want to skip certain fields. You simply click in the field where you want to enter or edit data. The [Up] and [Down] arrow keys allow you to move from record to record. In addition, the navigation toolbar at the bottom of the datasheet allows you to select the first, last, next, or previous record, as well as specify a particular record you want to view. The [Page Up] and [Page Down] keys scroll to the previous or next page of records, respectively. Using the [Home] key will move the selection to the beginning of a row, while use of the [End] key will move the selection to the end or the row. Pressing [Ctrl + Home] keys will move the selection to the first cell of the first row, while [Ctrl + End] keys will move the selection to the last cell of the last row. If there are more records in a table than can be displayed in Datasheet view, a vertical scroll bar appears. You can use this scroll bar to view additional records. Access also provides a navigation toolbar at the bottom of the datasheet that can be used to select the first, last, next, or previous record in the datasheet, as well as to specify a particular record you want to view. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 25

34 ADDING RECORDS A blank row follows the last record in an existing table. This blank row, the new record row, displays an asterisk (*) in the record selector. As soon as you begin entering data into the new record row, the asterisk in the record selector changes to a pencil to indicate that the record is being entered or edited, and Access creates another new record row below it. If there is no data in the table, only the new record row appears. When you enter data into a row, the amount of characters you can enter is limited by the size of the field. The field size, however, can actually be larger than the column width in Datasheet view; if the field size is larger than the column width, the text scrolls as you type. After you have typed the desired information into a field, you can press the [Enter] or [Tab] key to save the record and move the insertion point to the next field. You can also use the New Record button in the Records group or at the bottom of the Datasheet view window to add a new record. To add a record to a table, first open the table in Datasheet view. Click in the first field of the new record row. Type the desired data. Press the [Enter] key. Enter the data in the remaining fields, pressing the [Enter] key after each entry. Close the Datasheet view. SELECTING RECORDS When you select any field in a record, that record becomes the active record. The record selector to the left of the record is coloured to indicate that it is the active record. You can then edit any field in the record as desired. Selecting a record is different than making a record active. To select a record, you must select the entire row. Page 26 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

35 Selecting a record is useful when you want to delete or copy it. EDITING RECORDS You can edit records at any time. You cannot edit an AutoNumber field, however, because Access automatically generates the data in it. When you use the keyboard to access a field, the entire field is selected, and you can replace all data simply by typing new data. This is select mode. Access also allows you to edit individual characters within a field. To do this, you must switch to edit mode. In edit mode, the insertion point appears in the field. You can click in a field to access edit mode. While you are editing a record, a pencil appears in its record selector. The following table describes various keystrokes you can use to edit records: Keystroke [Up] [Down] [Right] [Left] [F2] [Ctrl+Enter] [Ctrl+ ] [Ctrl+Alt+Spacebar] [Ctrl+Shift+:] [Ctrl+;] Description Selects the same field in the previous record. Selects the same field in the next record. In select mode, selects the next field; in edit mode, moves one character to the right. In select mode, selects the previous field; in edit mode, moves one character to the left. Toggles between select and edit modes. Inserts a new line character in a field. Inserts the data from the corresponding field in the previous record. Replaces the data with the default data, if available. In select mode, replaces the field data with the current time. In select mode, replaces the field data with the current date. To select and/or edit cell contents, first select the cell contents you want to edit by: Double-clicking on a word Dragging to select multiple words Clicking the border of a table cell to select its entire contents Point to the border of a table cell and then drag to select multiple cells in Datasheet view. Once text is selected; To replace text, type your text. To delete text, press the [Backspace] key, or the [Delete] key. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 27

36 SAVING RECORDS Access automatically saves a new record or changes made to an existing record as soon as you move to the next record, but you can also save a record manually. This option is useful if a record has numerous fields and you want to save the changes made to a field without leaving the record. Access saves records automatically when you close a table, but you can also press the Save button in the Records group, or press [Shift+Enter] key combination to save a record. DELETING RECORDS When you no longer need a record, you can delete it. Deleting records saves disk space and keeps your tables smaller and more manageable. After you have deleted a record, you cannot undo the deletion. To delete a record from the table, first select the record to be deleted. Click the Delete button in the Records group. Click Delete Record. OR Click the record selector (the small grey button at the left of the row). Press the [Delete] key. In the Message box, click the Yes button to confirm the deletion. Page 28 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

37 EXERCISE WORKING WITH TABLES 1. Open Train04x.accdb 2. Open the Project table in Datasheet view. 3. Add the following records to the table: Project ID Client ID Course Name Start Date End Date Trainer Initials Cost 1001 ABBOTT EXCEL 5/1/07 1/5/07 JA AQUA WINDOWS 9/1/07 1/9/07 EA CONCORD WORD 16/1/07 17/1/07 DF Close the Project table. 5. Open the Project2 table in Datasheet view. 6. In the second record, change the start date to 10/1/07 and the end date to 11/1/ Save the record. 8. Delete the fourth record. 9. Close the table and then close the database. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 29

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39 LESSON 4 - SETTING FIELD PROPERTIES INTRODUCTION 4 Access provides different data types which cover a wide variety of data. When you choose a data type for a field, access will only accept data entered in the format specified by the data type you specified. Each field has a set of properties that control the way it stores, handles, and displays data. Since forms and reports you create use the fields in your tables, setting field properties in the early stages of building a database can save you time later on. You normally set field properties when you create a table in Design view. If you have created and saved a table using default field properties, you can open the table in Design view to change its property settings. Selecting the appropriate data type makes it easier for users to enter and retrieve information. It also acts as a precaution against incorrect data being entered. If necessary, you can change the data type for a field after you have entered data in it. Once you have selected a data type, you can work with the field properties for that data type. In this lesson, you will learn how to: Use field properties Limit field size Set number formats Set date/time formats Set yes/no formats Set default values Set validation rules Create an input mask - wizard Create an input mask manually Create a custom input mask Type a lookup list Modify Lookup properties The properties available in the Field Properties pane depend on the data type assigned to the selected field. A brief description of the selected property appears in the Field Properties pane in the Design view. You can press the [F1] key for help with the selected property. Some of the property types you can set are listed in the following table: Property type Field Size Format Decimal places Input Mask Description Limits a Text field to a specific number of characters; limits a Number field to a specific type of number Controls the way values appear in Datasheet view Available for Number and Currency fields only, determines how many decimal places will appear in the field; this property type has no effect on Number fields using the General format Creates a pattern for data entered into the field (such as adding hyphens within a telephone number) WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 31

40 Property type Caption Default Value Validation Rule Validation Text Required Allow Zero Length Indexed Unicode Compression Description Creates a label other than the field name; the caption will appear in the table and on forms and reports Specifies the value you want to appear in the selected field in all new records Forces data entered into the selected field to meet a specified requirement Creates an error message to appear when the data entered violates a validation rule Specifies that the field cannot be left empty Determines whether or not you can enter quotation marks ( ) in a Text, Memo or Hyperlink field to indicate that there is no data for that field Speeds up retrieval of data in a field; all primary key fields are automatically indexed Indicate whether you want Access to save space if only plain text is entered LIMITING FIELD SIZE Setting a field size limits the number of characters or the type of characters you can enter into a field. After typing the maximum number of characters allowed, further keystrokes are not permitted. The Field Size property is available only for Text, Number, and AutoNumber data types; all other data types have default sizes that are set automatically. For a Text field, the field size is the maximum number of characters you want to allow in the field, up to the maximum of 255 characters allowed by Access. The default field size for Number fields is Long Integer, which is also the largest field size. You should use the smallest possible field size whenever possible, however, so that the database uses less storage space and can be processed more quickly. You may lose existing data if you decrease the size of a field. In addition, you cannot undo design changes after you have saved the table. For a Number field, you can select one of the following Field Size options: Field Size Size Range Decimal Places Byte 0 to 255 (no fractions) None; data is rounded Integer to (no fractions) None; data is rounded Long Integer -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647 None; data is rounded (no fractions) Single -3.4x10 38 to 3.4x10 38 Up to 7 Double x to 1.797x Up to 15 Replication ID Globally unique identifier. Not available Page 32 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

41 For an AutoNumber field, only the Long Integer and Replication ID options are available. To change field properties in Datasheet view, first display the table in Datasheet view. Click the field column header you want to change. Click the Datasheet tab under the Table Tools tab. Click the Data Type list arrow in the Data Type & Formatting group. Select the field data type you want. If available, click on any of the formatting buttons or click the Format list arrow to select a format. If required, click the Unique check box to select it. If required, click the Is Required check box to select it. Click the Save button on the Quick Access Toolbar. If necessary, close the Table. To change field properties in Design view, first display the table in Design view by selecting the table and then clicking on the Design View button. Click the field you want to change. In the Field Properties General page, click the field property box you want to change. Type or select the value you want. Click the Save button on the Quick Access Toolbar. If necessary, click the Close button in the Table window. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 33

42 SETTING NUMBER FORMATS If a field has A Number or Currency data type, Access provides a list of predefined formats to display the data values in the Datasheet or Design view. N Design view, you can also create your own format using formatting symbols applicable to numeric values and currency. The Format property affects how data appears in Datasheet view, not how it is stored in the table nor how it is used in calculations. If a Number data type field is formatted with 0 decimal places, for example, a value of 1.5 would appear as 2 in the datasheet; if the value is multiplied by 2 in a calculation, however, the answer would be 3, not 4. The available formats for fields with Number data types are listed in the following table: Format General Number Currency Euro Fixed Standard Percent Scientific Description Displays a number exactly as it is entered; this is the default format Displays a dollar sign, a thousands separator, and two decimal places; the defaults for this format are determined by the system settings Displays a euro sign, a thousands separator, and two decimal places; the defaults for this format are determined by the system settings Displays at least one digit and is rounded to the default number of decimal places; the defaults for this format are determined by the system settings Displays a thousands separator and is rounded to the default number of decimal places; the defaults for this format are determined by the system settings Multiplies the number by 100, displays a percent sign (%), and is rounded to the default number of decimal places; the defaults for this format are determined by the system settings Expresses numbers in standard scientific notation (as multiples of exponents of 10) Page 34 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

43 SETTING DATE/TIME FORMATS You can also change the format of a Date/Time field to change the way the date or time appears in the table. The available formats for Date/Time fields are listed in the following table: To choose a predefined number or currency format, display the table in Design view. Click on a numeric or currency field. Click on General in the Field Properties page Click the Format list arrow. Select required format. Save the changes. Format General Date Description The default format; if the value is only a date, no time appears; if the value is only a time, no date appears Long Date The day and month names are spelled out (e.g., Tuesday, July 4, 1995) Medium Date The month name is abbreviated, and the name of the day is omitted (e.g., 04-Jul-95) Short Date The date appears as numbers separated by slashes (e.g., 7/4/95) Long Time Medium Time Short Time The time is displayed as hours, minutes, and seconds, separated by colons, and followed by an AM or PM indicator (e.g., 6:30:15 PM) The time is displayed the same as in the Long Time format, except that no seconds appear (e.g., 06:15 PM) The time is displayed as hours and minutes, separated by a colon, in 24-hour clock format (e.g., 18:30) SETTING YES/NO FORMATS A Yes/No field is limited to either a positive or a negative response and can be displayed as a text box, a check box, or a combo box. You select the display of the field on the Lookup page in the Field Properties pane. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 35

44 If the Yes/No field displays its values in a text box, you can select one of three Yes/No data type formats; True/False, Yes/No, and On/Off. When a Yes/No field displays a check box, a selected check box indicates a positive response and a deselected check box indicates a negative response. The check box is the default setting for a Yes/No field. To set a Yes/No format, first open the desired table in Design view. Select the field for which you want to set a yes/no format. Select the General page in the Field Properties pane, if necessary. Select the Format property. In the Format list select the desired yes/no format. Select the Lookup tab. Select the Display Control list. Select the desired yes/no control. Click the Save button on the Quick Access Toolbar. SETTING DEFAULT VALUES When you set a default value for a field, that value automatically appears in the field for all new records. You can, however, modify the default field value as needed when entering a new record. You can set a default value by entering the desired value or expression in the Default Value box. An expression consists of operators (i.e. =, +, -, *, /) and/or values. If you create a default value for a Text field, the default text must be enclosed in quotation marks (" "); for example, "Net 30". Values for Date fields must be enclosed in number signs (#); for example, #15/1/95#. If you do not enter the number signs, however, Access will automatically enter them. Default values are set in the Default Value section of the General page of the Field Properties. Page 36 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

45 VALIDATION RULES To set a validation rule, first open the table in Design view. Select the field for which you want to set a validation rule. Select the General page in the Field Properties pane, if necessary. Select the Validation Rule box. Enter the desired validation rule. Select the Validation Text box. Enter the desired validation text. Click the Save button in the Quick Access Toolbar. Databases can contain incorrect information due to data entry errors. One method of controlling the accuracy of data is to impose restrictions on the values entered into a field. You can impose restrictions on data entered into your table by creating validation rules in the Validation Rule box of one or more fields. When you enter data into a new record or modify data in an existing record, Access checks each field for existing validation rules. If an entry does not meet the conditions of the corresponding validation rule, a warning box notifies you of the error. When you set a validation rule, you use the Validation Text box to specify the text you want to appear in the warning box. Setting a validation rule is different from setting the data type or field size properties. Access uses data type and field size properties to determine that the correct type of data is being entered whereas validation rules are more specific in their restrictions. CREATING AN INPUT MASK - WIZARD Input masks control how data is entered into a table, as well as the format in which it is stored. You can use an input mask to control how many characters are entered into a field; define each individual character as numeric, text, or either; and specify each individual character as mandatory or optional, as well as add literal characters to format the entry. Since the input mask controls the values users can enter into a field, it often makes data entry easier. You can create an input mask by entering the criteria directly into the Input Mask box. However, it is often easier to use the Input Mask Wizard to set the property for you. The Input Mask Wizard offers several predefined input masks for items such as dates and times, Post codes, telephone numbers, etc. In addition, you can modify any predefined input mask to meet your needs. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 37

46 To create an input mask, first select the field to which you intend to apply an input mask. Select the General page in the Field Properties pane, if necessary. Select the Input Mask property. Click the Build button. Select the desired option from the Input Mask list. Click on Next to continue. If you want to display a different placeholder, click the Placeholder list arrow, and select the placeholder you want. Enter values to test the final version of your input mask and then click on Next to continue. Indicate which method to store the data. Click the Finish button. CREATING AN INPUT MASK - MANUALLY An input mask controls what values you can enter in a field, as well as how the data will appear. Although it is usually easier to use the Input Mask Wizard, you may need to create an input mask that is not included in the list of predefined masks in the Input Mask Wizard. Access allows you to create an input mask by entering criteria directly into the Input Mask box. When you create an input mask manually, you use special characters to define it. These special characters act as placeholders, controlling the type of character that can be entered into each position, as well as which characters are required. The Input Mask property can be set in Design view of any table, query, or form. Most of the time, you will want to apply an input mask to a field in table Design view, because it will then be automatically applied to the field in queries, forms, and reports. The Input Mask Wizard can only be used for Text and Date/Time fields. You must manually enter an input mask for Number and Currency fields. The following table defines some of the special characters that can be used in an input mask. To define a literal character, enter any character other than one of those shown in the table. If you Page 38 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

47 want to define a character listed in the table as a literal character, you must precede that character with a backslash (\). Character Description 0 A required numeric entry (0-9); plus and minus signs are not allowed 9 An optional numeric entry (0-9) or space; plus and minus signs not allowed # An optional numeric (0-9) entry or space; plus and minus signs allowed L A required alphabetic entry (A-Z)? An optional alphabetic entry (A-Z) A a & C A required alphabetic (A-Z) or numeric (0-9) entry An optional alphabetic (A-Z) or numeric (0-9) entry Any character or space; entry required Any character or space; entry optional < Causes all characters that follow to be converted to lowercase < Causes all characters that follow to be converted to uppercase! Enters the input mask from right to left, instead of from left to right \ Causes the character that follows to be displayed as a literal character To create an input mask manually, first select the field to which you want to apply an input mask. Select the General page in the Field Properties pane, if necessary. Select the Input Mask box. Type the desired input mask. Click the Save button on the Quick Access Toolbar. CREATING A CUSTOM INPUT MASK The Input Mask Wizard provides a list of predefined input masks. If you frequently use an input mask that is not included with the predefined masks in the Input Mask Wizard, however, you may WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 39

48 want to create a custom input mask. You may want to use an input mask, for example, to ensure that product numbers are always correctly entered. You can create and save a custom input mask in the Input Mask Wizard, where it is available to tables and forms at any time. In this way, you will only need to create a custom input mask once. Input masks are saved to your user profile on your system, not to the individual database file. If you create a new mask, or modify a default one using the Customize Input Mask Wizard dialog box, the changes are permanently saved to your system settings. To create a custom input mask, first select the field to which you intend to apply a custom input mask. Click the General page in the field Properties pane. Select the Input Mask box. Click the Build button. Click the Edit List button. Click the New button. Type the desired description for the custom input mask. Click in the Input Mask box. Type the custom input mask. Click in the Placeholder box. Type the placeholder you want. Click in the Sample Data box. Type some sample data. Click in the Mask Type: box and select accordingly. Click the button. In the Input Mask list, select the custom input mask. Click the Finish button. Click the Save button in the Quick Accessory Toolbar. CREATE A LOOKUP LIST BY TYPING DATA You can increase data accuracy by adding a lookup field to a table. The user can then select the desired value from the lookup list, rather than having to type it. The values in a lookup list are Page 40 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

49 usually stored in a field in a different table. If the desired data is not stored elsewhere, you can type the lookup list values. The Lookup Wizard creates a combo box for the lookup list; a combo box field displays a dropdown list that displays all of the available data values. By default, a lookup field does not limit input to values on the lookup list; the user can type an entry not on the list if desired. However, you can limit a field to only those values on the lookup list. A lookup list can contain multiple columns. If you are typing a new list of values, you can designate the number of columns desired and then type the desired values into each column. In addition, you can add a second field to a lookup list. For example, if you are creating a lookup list in the Customer table, you can add both the Initials and the Last Name fields from the Reps table to the lookup list. To create a lookup list, first open the required table in Design view. Click the field you wish to set with a lookup list. Click the Data Type downarrow. Click on Lookup Wizard Select the I will type in the values that I want option. Click the Next button. Enter the desired number of lookup columns. Select the box below the Col1 heading. Type the first desired lookup value. Enter additional lookup values as desired. Click the Next button. Select the column that contains the values you want to store or use (this will usually be Col1). Click the Next button. Accept or change the Label (field name). Click the Finish button. MODIFYING LOOKUP PROPERTIES You can use the Lookup tab in the Field Properties pane to modify the properties of a lookup list. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 41

50 If the lookup list was manually typed, you can use the Row Source property to edit it or add to it. Column values are separated by semi-colons (;) and text entries are enclosed in quotation marks ("). The Bound Column property indicates which lookup column is used to store field values. For instance, if the lookup list consists of two columns, and column 1 is the bound column, the data in column 1 will be stored in the lookup field. Although you may want the values in the bound column to be stored in the field, they may be confusing and uninformative to the user; the descriptive text in an unbound field may have more meaning. You can suppress the display of the bound column and display only the descriptive text in the unbound column of a lookup list by changing the width of the bound column to zero (0cm) in the Column Width box. By default, a lookup field allows the user to add data values to the lookup list simply by typing them into the field. You can limit data entry to just those values on the lookup list by selecting Yes in the Limit to List box; the default value of No allows free entry. To modify a lookup list, first open the required table in Design view. Click the field whose lookup list is to be modified. In the Field Properties pane, click on Lookup. Select the property you want to modify. Change the property as required. Click the Save button in the Quick Access Toolbar. Page 42 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

51 EXERCISE SETTING FIELD PROPERTIES 1. Open Train16x. 2. Open the Payment table in Design view. 3. Set the Format property for the Payment Date field to Short Date. 4. Set the Format property for the Amount Paid field to Currency. 5. Set a validation rule for the Amount Paid field, so that it can only contain values greater than ten dollars. Then, enter the following validation text: The amount paid must be greater than ten dollars. 6. Set the Format property for the Recorded field to Yes/No. 7. Set a default value of CHEQUE for the Type of Payment field. 8. Switch to Datasheet view, saving the changes. Select Yes to all Microsoft Access warning boxes. Notice the formats of the Payment Date and Amount Paid fields. Scroll to the new record row; notice that the default value of CHEQUE appears in the Type of Payment field. Create a new record with a Project ID of 11, a Payment Date of 1/4/01, and an Amount Paid of 5. Select OK when prompted with the validation text and replace the 5 with 25 in the Amount Paid field. Then, close the Payment table. 9. Open the Reps table in Design view. 10. Select the Initials field and create the following input mask: >LL. (This mask will require the data to be 2 letters and will automatically format them as upper-case.) 11. Switch to Datasheet view, saving the changes. Then, add the following new record: Initials pj (Notice that Access automatically capitalizes the entry in the Initials field.) 12. Switch to Design view and use the Input Mask Wizard to apply the Phone Number mask to the Home Phone field. 13. Switch to Datasheet view, saving the changes. 14. Tab to the Home Phone field, type , and press [Enter]; notice that the phone number is automatically formatted according to the input mask. Close the Reps table. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 43

52 15. Open the Project table in Design view. Create a new text field below the Trainer Initials field; name it Sales Rep and make it a lookup field. (Hint: Select Lookup Wizard from the Data Type list.) Select the option to type in the values. Then, type the following values for the lookup column: PJ, RJ, KM, and SH. Finish the Lookup Wizard. 16. Switch to Datasheet view, saving the changes. Add the following values to the Sales Rep column for the first four records: Project ID Sales Rep 1 RJ 2 SH 3 PJ 4 KM 17. Switch back to Design view. Add a new sales rep to the Sales Rep value list by typing ;"JW" after the last entry in the Row Source box. Then, change the value in the List Rows box to 5 and the Show Only Row Source Values to Yes. (Hint: Use the Lookup tab in Properties.) 18. Switch to Datasheet view, saving the changes. Select the first empty Sales Rep field (in the Project ID 5 row) and select JW from the drop-down list. 19. Close the Project table. 20. Close the database file. Page 44 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

53 LESSON 5 - MODIFYING DATASHEETS INTRODUCTION 5 The order in which columns are displayed in Table Datasheet views is set up by the order in which the fields were created in the table Design view. Sometimes you may need to change that order, to hide one or more columns, or even insert a new column. INSERTING COLUMNS In this lesson, you will learn how to: Insert columns Move a column Change a column name Delete a column Insert a Lookup Column Although you can control better how to insert new fields into a table by using Design view (see Editing Table Structure in Design View on page 21), you can also insert one or more columns directly into the datasheet. Inserting a column automatically adds a new field to the table. Columns are inserted to the left of the currently selected column; consequently, you can position a new field in the desired location. Although Access sets a default field width, provides a default field name, and assigns a default data type (Text), you can change any of these default settings as desired. After adding a column, you should change the default field name to one that clearly identifies its contents. You can insert a column by right-clicking any column heading and selecting the Insert Column command. To insert a column, first open the required table in datasheet view. Click the right mouse button on the heading of the column to the left of which the new column is to be inserted. From the menu, select Insert Column. To name the inserted column, double-click the heading and type the name for that field. This method can also be used to rename an existing column. Press the [Enter] key to confirm. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 45

54 The Insert Column command can also be found in the Fields & Columns group of the Table Tools Datasheet ribbon. MOVING A COLUMN You can move one or more columns in Datasheet view. For example, you can reposition columns to view data more easily or organize the datasheet logically. You can move a single column or multiple, adjacent columns. Before you can move a column or multiple columns, however, you must first select them. Moving columns does not change the order of the fields in the table design. To undo a column move, you must close the table without saving the changes. You cannot use the Undo feature to undo a column move. To move a column, first click the column heading and release the mouse button. Hold down the mouse button on the field heading and drag the column to its new position. A thick, black vertical line indicates the position while dragging. When the new position is reached, release the mouse button. CHANGING A COLUMN NAME To change a column name, double-click the column heading on the datasheet, type a new name for the column and press [Enter]. Page 46 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

55 DELETING A COLUMN Although you can control better how to delete fields from a table by using Design (see Editing Table Structure in Design View on page 21), you can also delete them in Datasheet view. When a column is deleted, the columns to the right of it automatically adjust. In addition, if other database objects (such as lookup tables) contain references to a deleted field, the appropriate error messages will be generated. You cannot delete a field that has a relationship to another table unless you first delete the relationship. All data contained in a deleted column is permanently deleted as well, and you cannot undo the deletion. To delete a column, first click the Table Tools Datasheet tab. Click in the column you wish to delete. In the Fields & Columns group, click the Delete button. You can also use the right mouse button to click the column heading and select Delete Column from the menu. In the Access message box, confirm by clicking on the Yes button. INSERTING A LOOKUP COLUMN A lookup column saves time when you are entering data in a table by: reducing the amount of information you must type in a field eliminating the need to search for information each time you want to add a record by looking up data in another data source increasing data entry accuracy by providing a list of standard values from which you can choose. Although you can control better how to insert a new lookup field into a table by using design view (see Editing Table Structure in Design View on page 21 and Create a Lookup List By Typing Data on page 40), you can also insert it in Datasheet view. The Lookup Wizard can assist you in creating a lookup column to suit your needs. The values in a lookup column can come from another table, a query, or your own list. For example, in one table, you may have a list of customers. In another table, you may have a list of customer types and information related to each customer type. In the customer table, you can use the data from the customer type table for a lookup column. When you are working in the customer table, you can choose the customer type from a list to make the entries more consistent. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 47

56 Open the desired table in Datasheet view. Position the insertion point in the column to the left of where you want to insert a lookup column. Click the Lookup Column button in the Fields & Columns group of the Datasheet tab on the Ribbon. Click the option indicating how you want the lookup column to get its values. Click Next. Select the table or query you want to use to provide the values for the lookup column. Click Next. Add the field(s) you want to include in the lookup column from the Available Fields list box. Click Next. Select the sort order for the lookup column. Click Next. Point to the separator line to the right of the column header for the column width you want to adjust. Double-click the separator line. Click Next. Select the column that you want to store in the field. Type a label (field name) for the lookup column. Click Finish. Page 48 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

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58 EXERCISE MODIFYING DATASHEETS 1. Open Train15x. 2. Open the Payment table in Datasheet view. 3. Insert a lookup column to the left of the Trainer Initials column. 4. Have the lookup column get its values from the Types table and the Payment Type field, do not set a sort order or adjust the column width, and label the column Type of Payment. 5. Make sure the Payment table is sorted in ascending order by the Project ID field. Then, enter the following values for the first eight records into the Type of Payment column: Project ID Type of Payment 1 MONEY ORDER 1 MONEY ORDER 2 VISA 3 CHEQUE 3 CHEQUE 4 MASTER CARD 5 VISA GOLD 6 CASH 6. Widen the Type of Payment column as necessary. Then, delete the Trainer Initials and Credit Rating columns. 7. Close the Payment table, saving the changes. Page 50 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

59 LESSON 6 VIEWING & FORMATTING DATASHEETS 6 INTRODUCTION Items in a table can be modified to suit your requirements as to the display offered to the user. When a table is viewed in the Document pane, the arrangement of columns, rows, and fonts, can all be modified to suit your requirements. ROWS When a table is displayed in Datasheet view, the default row height is approx. 14 points. You can change the row height to allow long field entries to wrap. This option allows you to display more of the data in a long field entry. In this lesson, you will learn how to: Changing the height of a single row changes the height of every row in the table. Change the row height Change the column width Change a font attribute Change a cell effect Select a column Hide a column Unhide a column Freeze a column Unfreeze a column You cannot use the Undo feature to undo a change in the row height. To undo a row height change, you must close the table without saving the changes. To change the height or the rows in a table, first open the table in Datasheet view. Move the mouse cursor to a horizontal line separating two row selectors. The cursor changes to a two-headed arrow. Hold down the mouse button and drag the cursor down to increase the height of the row. Release the mouse button. The rows are all resized and some rows wrap to the next line. OR Instead of dragging, use the right mouse button to click on a row selector. From the menu, select Row Height In the Row Height: box, enter a height (in points) for the height of the rows. Click the OK button. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 51

60 CHANGING THE COLUMN WIDTH In Database view, the standard column width is approx. 11 characters. If a field contains a long entry, you can change the column width to display more of the field entry. If you double-click the column separator line to the right of any column header, the width of that column automatically adjusts to display the longest entry in the column. You cannot use the Undo feature to undo changes in column width. To undo a column width change, you must close the table without saving the changes. To change the width of a column, first open the table you wish to alter in Datasheet view. Use the right mouse button to click the column heading. From the menu, select Column Width In the Column Width box, type a value and then click the OK button. OR Click the Best Fit button and the column will adjust according to the content. To change the gridline effect, first open the table you wish to format in Datasheet view. Click the Gridlines arrow in the Font group. Choose an option for your gridlines. To change a font attribute in a table, first click the Table Tools tab. In the Font group, click the font attribute you want to change. Choose from the options accordingly. CHANGING A FONT ATTRIBUTE You can change datasheet font attributes. The font attributes affect the appearance of the data and column headings. You can change the font type, style, and size, as well as add or remove font effects. Page 52 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

61 CHANGING A CELL EFFECT You can change the appearance of cells in Datasheet view. For example, you can make cells raised or sunken. You can also change the look of the horizontal and vertical gridlines, and the cell background. To change the fill colour of cells, first open the table you wish to format in Datasheet view. Click the Alternate Fill/Back Color button arrow in the Font group. Choose an option for your fill and/or back colour. To change a cell effect, first open the table you wish to alter in Datasheet view. Click the Font Dialog Launcher. In the Datasheet Formatting dialog box, select options as you require. SELECTING COLUMNS Before you can manipulate table columns, you must select them. Column headers are also called field selectors. You can perform a number of actions on selected columns, as well as select a single column or multiple adjacent columns. To select multiple adjacent columns, drag across the headers of the columns you want to select. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 53

62 HIDING A COLUMN Right-clicking a column header selects the column and displays the column shortcut menu at the same time. The shortcut menu provides access to common column commands, such as changing column width or hiding columns. If you do not regularly view or edit one or more table fields, you can hide their corresponding table columns. Hiding columns can make your datasheet narrower and easier to view. To hide a column, right click the heading of the column you wish to hide. In the menu, select Hide Columns. The column is hidden from view. You can hide a single column or multiple adjacent columns. UNHIDING COLUMNS You can redisplay hidden columns. The Unhide Columns dialog box lists all the columns in the table, with a check box to the left of each column name. The check box is deselected for hidden columns. You can select the check box to redisplay a hidden column. You can also use the Unhide Columns dialog box to hide multiple, non-adjacent columns. To unhide columns, you use the right mouse button to click on a column heading and select Unhide Columns from the menu. You then choose which of the columns to unhide in the Unhide Columns dialog box. FREEZING A COLUMN If you have a table with multiple fields, all of the columns may not display on screen at the same time. You can scroll to the right to view additional columns; however, you may not be able to see the columns at the far left, which may display necessary information, such as the record identification. Page 54 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

63 You can freeze columns in Datasheet view. Freezing one or more columns allows you to see the information in the frozen columns no matter how many columns you scroll to the right. If you freeze a column other than the first column, however, the frozen column moves to the far left position in the datasheet. A solid, dark line appears to the right of the last frozen column. To freeze columns, first open the required table in Datasheet view. Select the column(s) you want to freeze. Use the right mouse button to click the header. In the menu, select Freeze Columns. The frozen column is transferred to the left. You can now scroll back and forth without the first column moving. UNFREEZING A COLUMN To unfreeze columns, select a column heading and the Unfreeze All Columns command from the menu. The unfrozen column does not return to its original position but remains at the left. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 55

64 EXERCISE VIEWING AND FORMATTING DATASHEETS 1. Open Train05x. 2. Open the Client table in Datasheet view. 3. Increase the row height by approximately 50%. 4. Change the font to Arial Narrow and the font size to Widen the Name and Address columns so that all data in them appears. 6. Change the cell effect to Sunken. 7. Move the Client ID column to the right of the Name column. 8. Hide the Client ID column. 9. Unhide the Client ID column. 10. If necessary, resize the Datasheet window so that the columns at the far right do not appear. 11. Freeze the Name column, then scroll to view the Phone No column. 12. Unfreeze the column. 13. Close the table without saving the changes. 14. Close the database. Page 56 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

65 LESSON 7 - ORGANISING TABLE DATA 7 INTRODUCTION Tables are the basic entity of any database, storing the data. Access provides facilities for you to assist with entering and editing data, and for locating the data. You can locate records based on the text they contain, and you can apply a filter to change which records are displayed according to the criteria you specify. SORTING RECORDS When you display a table in Datasheet view, Access displays the records in order by their primary key. You may want to edit or print records in a different order (e.g., by last name, post code, or amount due). In this lesson, you will learn how to: Sort records Find specific records Find records using wildcards Use Replace Use Filter By Selection Apply/Remove a filter Use Filter Excluding Selection Use Filter By Form You can sort records in either ascending or descending order. Ascending order sorts numerically from 0 to 9 and then alphabetically from A to Z. Descending order sorts numerically from 9 to 0 and then alphabetically from Z to A. The Sort and Filter group provides buttons for both ascending and descending sorts. To sort a Datasheet, in ascending order, by a certain field, first click in the column you wish to sort by. If necessary, click the Home tab. In the Sort and Filter group, click the Sort Ascending button. The records are then sorted accordingly. MULTIPLE LEVEL SORTING The will be times when it is necessary to sort record by more than one field, for example, you may wish to sort a table of customers by: Country, then by City, then by Shop Name In Access, this is achieved by using the Advanced Filter tool. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 57

66 To carry out a multiple level sort, view the table that you want to sort. If necessary, click the Home tab. In the Sort and Filter group on the Ribbon, click the Advanced button. Click Advanced Filter/Sort. In the grid at the bottom of the window, arrange from left to right the fields that you want to sort by. Ensure that you set a sort order (ascending or descending) for each field. In the Sort and Filter group on the Ribbon, click the Toggle Filter button. CLEARING A SORT ORDER To remove the sort order that has been set on a table and restore it back to sorting by the primary key field, click the Clear All Sorts button in the Sort & Filter group. Alternatively, you can close the table without saving the changes when prompted. FINDING SPECIFIC RECORDS The Find feature allows you to locate records quickly. You can search for records that contain a unique value in a certain field, or you can find all records that have a common value in a field. Access scans the selected field, beginning with the current record, and highlights the first instance of the search text it finds. You can repeat the search to find additional records containing the same data. In the Find and Replace dialog box, you can select options to control how Access searches for matching records. You can use the Look In list to search the current column or the entire table. The options on the Match list allow you to specify whether to match any part of the field, the whole field, or only the start of the field. The Find and Replace dialog box remains open during a search. If needed, you can move the dialog box out of the way to view the search as it progresses. Page 58 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

67 To find specific records in a table, first open the table you wish to search. Click the Home tab. Click in the field you wish to search. Click the Find button in the Find group. Type the text you want to find in either uppercase or lowercase letters. Click the Look in: list arrow to specify whether Find should search the current field or the entire table. Click the Match list arrow and indicate whether you want the text you typed to match all or part of the field. Click the Find Next button as many times as necessary to view all records containing the specified text. When all the records have been found, a message box is displayed. Click the OK button. When finished, click the Close button. FINDING RECORDS USING WILDCARDS You can use wildcards in a find. Wildcards are characters that represent other characters. They allow you to find records, even if you are not sure how the entry appears in the field. Wildcards also allow you to find records that share a common entry within a field, but not necessarily the entire field entry. You can use the following wildcards in a find: Wildcard Description *? Represents any number of characters. It can be used anywhere in the search text. For example, North* will find all entries beginning with the word North; *Sports will find all entries ending with the word Sports; and *Sports* will find all entries containing the word Sports. Represents only one character; for example, Sm?th will find Smith, Smyth, etc. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 59

68 Wildcard [ ]! - # Description Finds any character enclosed in the set; for example, b[ai]t will find bat and bit, but not bet and but. Finds any character except the ones enclosed in the set; for example, b[!ai]t will find bet and but, but not bat or bit. Finds any character in a range in a set; for example, b[u-w]t finds but, bvt, and bwt. Represents only one digit; for example, 1980# finds 19801, 19802, 19803, etc. USING REPLACE The Replace feature allows you to quickly locate and replace data in a field. This feature is especially useful if the same information must be changed in several records. Access scans the selected field, beginning with the current record, and selects the first instance of the search text it finds. You can replace the text or search for the next instance of the search text. You can also replace all the instances of the search text at once. In the Find and Replace dialog box, you can control how Access searches for matching records. The Look In list enables you to search either the current column or the entire table. The options on the Match list allow you to specify whether to match any part of the field, the whole field, or only the start of the field. The Find and Replace dialog box remains open during a search. You can move it as needed to view the datasheet records. Selecting the Replace All button in the Find and Replace dialog box replaces all data that matches the search text. Make sure that you want to replace all data before you use the Replace All button because you may not be able to retrieve the data once it has been replaced. To use the Replace feature to replace record data in a table, first open the table in Datasheet view. Click the insertion point anywhere in the column you want to search. Click the Home tab. Click the Replace button. Type the text you want to find. Press the [Tab] key. Click the Find Next button. Click the Replace button. Click the Replace All button. In the Message box, click the OK button to confirm the replacement(s). Click the Cancel button. Page 60 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

69 USING FILTER BY SELECTION You can filter data in Access. Filtering data allows you to view only those records with which you want to work by hiding the records you do not want to see. For example, you can filter data in a customers table so that only the records of those customers located in a specific region appear. A quick and easy way to filter data in Access is to use the Selection feature. When a filter is in effect, the (Filtered) indicator appears on the status bar. A filter remains in effect until you remove it, though it can be switched on and off by clicking on the Toggle Filter button. To use the Filter By Selection, first open the table you wish to filter. Select any field that contains the data by which you want to filter. Click the Selection button in the Sort & Filter group and choose from the options. Remove the filter by clicking on the Toggle Filter button (which can be used to switch that filter on and off). Whenever you have completely finished with a filter you should clear it, otherwise it may remain active whenever you try to apply another filter. All filters are cleared by clicking on the Advanced button list arrow in the Sort & Filter group and then clicking on the Clear All Filters option. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 61

70 THE FILTER MENU Clicking the list arrow at the head of any column displays a menu. You can also open this menu by clicking on the Filter funnel in the Sort & Filter group. You can then filter according to the options you select. Once you have made the selection(s), clicking on the OK button will produce the filtered result which can then be removed by using the Toggle Filter button. FILTERING BY FORM You can use the Filter By Form feature to filter data. The Filter By Form feature displays a blank record in the Filter by Form window. You enter the data by which you want to filter in the corresponding field. When the filter is applied, only those records with matching data appear; all the other records are hidden. The Filter by Form feature allows you to filter by more than one field. This feature is especially useful when you are filtering a large database with many fields and/or records. Page 62 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

71 All fields in the Filter By Form window have a lookup list that displays existing field data so that you can easily choose the data by which you want to filter. These lookup lists are useful because you do not have to remember exactly how the data was entered into the field. To filter by form, first open the table you want to apply the filter to. Click the Home tab. Clear all other filters by clicking on the Clear All Filters button in the Advanced list. Click the Advanced button list arrow in the Sort & Filter group. Click on Filter By Form. If you have not removed any existing filters, and they are displayed you can still remove them by clicking on the Delete button in the Records group. In the Filter by Form window, select the field by which you want to filter. Click the field list arrow. From the list, click the data by which you want to filter. Click the Toggle Filter button to apply the filter. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 63

72 EXERCISE ORGANISING TABLE DATA 1. Open Train06x. 2. Open the Client table in Datasheet view. 3. Sort the records in descending order by the Zip field. 4. Sort the records in ascending order by the Client ID field. 5. Find all the records in the state of Texas (TX) - 3 records. 6. Use a wildcard to find all records with a telephone number that starts with records. 7. Use the Replace feature to find the telephone number and replace it with Close and save the Client table. 9. Open the Payment table in Datasheet view. 10. Use the Selection filter to extract all records with VISA as the type of payment - 9 records. 11. Clear the filter. 12. Use the Selection filter to extract all records with a balance due that is not records. 13. Clear the filter. 14. Use a Filter to find all records with a payment date of 30/3/01-2 records. 15. Clear the filter. 16. Use the Filter By Form (Advanced) feature to find all records with a balance due of 100 and VISA type of payment (Hint: Remember to Clear All Filters before you apply the new filter.) - 1 record. 17. Close the table without saving changes. 18. Close the database. Page 64 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

73 LESSON 8 - USING SIMPLE QUERIES INTRODUCTION 8 A query is a description of the records you want to retrieve from a database. It is a means of extracting information from tables. You can use queries to analyze the data in a table or to extract data for a form or report. Queries are commonly used to display data in related tables and enable you to control not only which records to display, but also which fields. For example, you may want to give a sales representative a list of the contacts and telephone numbers for a particular region; you can create a query to extract just the contact names and telephone numbers within the specified region. In this lesson, you will learn how to: Use queries and dynasets Use the Query Wizard Create a query in Design view Open a query Add a table to a query Join tables in a query A query does not contain data; rather, it is a set of Run a query instructions. Access uses these instructions to select and display the desired records in a table. As a result, whenever new data is added to the queried table, the query is automatically updated; if the new records meet the conditions of the query, they will be included when the query runs. When you open or run a query, a dynaset appears. A dynaset contains all the fields and records that meet the conditions of the query. Although the dynaset is not a table, it can be used to edit or add new records in the queried tables. THE QUERY WIZARD The Query Wizard guides you through the steps for creating a basic select query. When you use the Query Wizard, you select the table you want to use and the fields you want the query to display. Then, you name the query and choose whether to display the results of the query (dynaset) or go to Design view to work with the query design. All queries you create and save are listed under Queries in the Navigation pane. You can then double- click on a query to run it and display the results. When you run a select query the results show only the selected fields for each record in the table that matches your selection criteria. To view the queries in the Navigation pane, click the pane heading button and select All Access Objects, or Queries if you only want to see the queries in the pane. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 65

74 To create a query with the Query Wizard, first click the Create tab. Click the Query Wizard button in the Other group. In the New Query dialog box, select the type of query you want. Click the OK button. In the Tables/Queries list, choose the one you want to query. In the Available fields: list, select the first field you want in the query. Click the arrow to the right of the Available Fields list box. The field is added to the Selected fields: list. Add other fields as required in the same way. Click the Next button. Change the name of the query if you need. Click the Finish button. The result of the query is displayed in the document window. CREATING A QUERY IN DESIGN VIEW Although a wizard can be useful when you build your first queries, you do not need to use a wizard. You can create a query in Design view. This option gives you the most flexibility in designing a query. It allows you to add criteria for selecting records, as well as sort the dynaset. Page 66 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

75 When you create a query in Design view, the design grid is used to set up the query. The field lists of all tables to be used in the query appears in the top pane. The design grid appears in the bottom pane. You drag the fields you want to use in the query to the design grid and then add the desired criteria and sorts. You can add all the fields from a table to the design grid by dragging the asterisk (*) at the top of the field list to the Field row in any column. You can also add a field to a query by clicking in any blank column in the Field row, clicking the drop-down arrow, and then selecting the field you want to add, or by dragging the field to the design grid. To create a query in Design view, first click the Create tab. Click the Query Design button in the Other group. Click the table you want to use. Click the Add button. Repeat for additional tables. Click the Close button. In the field list in the upper pane, double-click in turn on each field you want to include in the query. In the Design grid, enter any required criteria for the result of the query. In the Sort box, click the list arrow to specify a sort order. Click the Save button. Type a name for the query. Click the OK button. OPENING A QUERY When you open a query, Access runs the query and displays its dynaset in Datasheet view. If you have added records since the last time you ran the query, the new records will appear as long as they meet the query criteria. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 67

76 To open a query, first select Queries on the Objects bar in the Navigation pane. Double-click the query you want to open. OR Use the right mouse button to click the query you want to open. In the menu, click on Open. The result of the query is displayed in the document pane. ADDING A TABLE TO A QUERY You can use more than one table in a query. The field lists of all tables added to a query appear in the top pane of Design view. Join lines will show between the related fields if the tables have had relationships created between them (see page 125), or the tables follow the following rules: 1. Related field names are identically spelled. 2. Related field are same data type (exception to this is the AutoNumber field which is compatible to a number field in another table with a Long Integer field size. 3. One of the related fields must be a Primary Key. The tables must be joined, however, in order for the query to produce accurate and meaningful results. If the tables do not join automatically, you can create a manual join in the top pane of Design view by clicking and dragging between the related fields. Once you have added a table to a query and you are satisfied that any related fields are correctly joined, you can add fields from its field list to the design grid. The Table row in the design grid indicates the table in which a field is stored. Page 68 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

77 When you create a new query in Design view, the Show Table dialog box opens automatically so that you can add the desired table(s). However, when you modify an existing query in Design view, you must manually open it. To add a table to a query, first open the query in Design view. Click the Show Table button in the Query Setup group. Click the table name you want to add and click the Add button. OR Double-click the table name you want to add. Click the Close button. JOINING TABLES IN A QUERY As was described in the Adding a Table to a Query section of this manual (see page 68), there must be valid joins between multiple tables in order for accurate and relevant data to be extracted to a dynaset. The join type is also important. The default type is an inner join, where records are only included in the dynaset if there is matching data in the join fields of both tables. You can, however, create an outer join, where all the records from the one table appear, even if there is no matching data in the other table. To specify the join type, you need to open the Join Properties dialog box. There are three type of join available: Type Description 1 Only include rows where the joined fields from both tables are equal. 2 Include ALL rows from <<first table>> and only those records from <<second table>> where the joined fields are equal. Notes This is the default inner join. This is an outer join. Assume that <<first table>> is a table of customers and <<second table>> a table of orders. You have added to the query grid the Customer Name field from the customer table and the Order ID field from the Orders table. The resulting dynaset would show ALL the customers names but in cases where a customer has not got any related orders in the Orders table, it will leave a blank. This could be useful to identify customers in your WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 69

78 database who haven t placed any orders for your products. 3 Include ALL rows from <<second table>> and only those records from <<first table>> where the joined fields are equal. This is also an outer join. Using the same tables and fields as in type 2 above, the resulting dynaset would show ALL the Order IDs but in cases where an order ID has not got a related customer name, it will leave a blank. This could be useful to identify orders which do not have a recognisable customer due to input error or because the customer records have been inadvertently deleted or lost. In the outer join extract below, it is possible to see that Sportsarama, Great Outdoors and Athlete s World have no order numbers. It is safe to assume, therefore, that they have not purchased any of our products. This would have not been possible to see with an inner join because the three shops names would not have appeared in the query. To join tables in a query, first open the query in Design view. Drag the desired join field from one field list to the matching field in a second field list. Double-click the middle segment of the join line. Select the join type you require. Click the OK button. The arrow head indicates the direction of the join. Page 70 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

79 RUNNING A QUERY You can run a query and display its dynaset directly from Design view. This option is useful for testing the query design to see if its dynaset contains the desired information. Click the Run button in the Results group of the Design window Ribbon. Running a query does not save the query design. If you close the dynaset after running a query, you are prompted to save the changes. While viewing a query, you can switch back to Design view at any time by clicking the View button in the Views group of the Home tab and selecting Design View from the menu. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 71

80 EXERCISE USING SIMPLE QUERIES 1. Open Train09x. 2. Use the Query Wizard to create a simple query. 3. Select the Client table and add the Client ID, Name, and Phone No fields. 4. Name the query Client Names and view its dynaset. Then, close the Client Names query. 5. Create a query in Design view. 6. Add the Client table to the query. Then add the Client ID and Name fields to the design grid. 7. Save the query as Client Query and then close it. 8. Run the Client Query to view its dynaset. 9. Return to Design view. 10. Add the Project table to the Client Query; note that an automatic join is created. 11. Change the join type so that the query displays all the records from the Client table and only the matching ones from the Project table. 12. Add the Project ID, Course Name, Start Date, and Cost fields from the Project field list to the query. 13. Run the query from Design view. Which clients have not attended any courses? 14. Close the Client Query and save the changes. 15. Close the database file. Page 72 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

81 LESSON 9 - MODIFYING QUERY RESULTS 9 INTRODUCTION Once you have completed a query, you can further customise it in Design view. In this lesson, you will learn how to: Sort a query When you run a query, the records in the dynaset appear Add criteria to a query in the same order in which they appear in the design grid. Hide a field in a query You can either sort the dynaset or assigning a sort order in Add a record using a query the query design. You can sort a dynaset just as you would sort a table; however, you would have to perform Print a query the sort every time you run the query. If you assign a sort order in the query design, Access will sort the dynaset automatically each time you run the query. SORTING A QUERY You can sort on more than one field. For example, you can sort by region and then by states within each region. To sort on more than one field, the first sort field must be to the left of the second sort field in the query design grid, since Access sorts from left to right. In Design view, clicking in the Sort row of a field displays a pull down arrow. Clicking on the arrow shows a list of options from which one can be chosen for the Sort required. ADDING CRITERIA TO A QUERY You can use the Criteria row in the design grid to restrict the number of records a query returns. To select records that match a single value, you can enter the value you want to match in the Criteria row of the applicable field. Access automatically inserts quotation marks (" ") around alphanumeric entries and hash symbols (#) around date entries; nothing appears around numeric entries. When you run the query, only those records with values that match the criteria appear in the dynaset. A field name in the Criteria row must be entered exactly as it appears in the field list. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 73

82 To add criteria to a query, first open the query in Design view. Click in the Criteria box under the field you want to match. Enter the value you want to match. Press the [Enter] key. HIDING A FIELD IN A QUERY You can select records that meet specified field criteria without displaying the field in the dynaset. This option is useful when all the records meet the same specified criteria and, as a result, the field does not need to appear. The design grid provides a Show row for each field. If the Show option is selected, the field will appear in the dynaset; if it is deselected, the field will not appear in the dynaset. The Show option is selected by default. When the query is run, the deselected Show field is not displayed. To hide a field in a query display, first open the query in Design view. For the field you want to hide deselect the Show option by clicking to remove the check. Page 74 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

83 ADDING A RECORD USING A QUERY You can use a query to update records in related tables. When you enter data into a query dynaset, Access automatically completes the dynaset data, as applicable, and enters the data into the related tables as well. You can always edit information in queries based on a single table. In queries based on related tables, Access must be able to determine the relationship type (one-to-one or one-to-many) in order for you to be able to edit information. In queries based on a one-to-one relationship, you can always edit the data. In queries based on a one-to-many relationship, you may not always be able to edit the data. To add a record to related tables using a query, first open the query you want to use. Click the New Record button (in the Records group of the Home ribbon). Enter the required value in the first field. Press the [Enter] key. Enter the data into each of the remaining fields, as required, in the same way. PRINTING A QUERY You can print a query dynaset. You can run the query and then print the dynaset, or you can save time by printing the dynaset directly from the Database window. If you print the dynaset from the Database window, Access runs the query and sends the results directly to the printer, rather than to the screen. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 75

84 To print a query dynaset, first select the query you want to print. Click the Quick Print button in the Quick Access Toolbar. Page 76 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

85 EXERCISE MODIFYING QUERY RESULTS 1. Open Train10x. 2. Open the Project table in Datasheet view. Scroll to the last record; notice that it has a Project ID of 1024, for a Client ID of WENDT. Close the Project table. 3. Open the Client Query in Design view. 4. Sort the query in ascending order by the Project ID field. Then, run the query. 5. Add a new record to the dynaset, using the following data: Field Client ID Data ABEL Project ID 1025 Course Name INTMA22 Start Date 19/06/01 End Date 19/06/01 Cost 100 Trainer Initials EK 6. Close the query and save the changes. 7. Open the Project table in Datasheet view. Scroll to the last record; notice the new ABEL record. Then, close the Project table. 8. Re-open the Client Query in Design view. 9. Add a criteria of 125 to the Cost field. Then, run the query. 10. Switch back to Design view. Hide the Cost field and run the query again. Then, close the Client Query without saving the changes. 11. Print the Client Query dynaset from the Navigation Pane window. 12. Close the database file. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 77

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87 LESSON 10 - CREATING BASIC FORMS INTRODUCTION 10 Forms, like datasheets, can be used for viewing and editing data. However, they can also be used to present data in a more attractive format. Forms are usually designed to display all the fields for a single record within the form window, eliminating the need to scroll. You can also display data from related tables in one form. Access provides nine basic types of forms: columnar, tabular, datasheet, justified, split form, multiple item form, Modal dialog, PivotTable and PivotChart. Any of the first six types of form may be used to enter data without having to view the table. However, the information of any records added, or edited, will be saved in the underlying table. In this lesson, you will learn how to: Use forms Use the Form Wizard View records in a form Print records in a form Base a form on a query Use Form buttons Add a record using a form USING THE FORM WIZARD You can use the Form Wizard to quickly and easily create a form. The Form Wizard guides you, step by step, through the form creation process. First, you must choose the table or query on which you want to base the form, and then you can select the fields you want to include. Next, you select the desired type of form layout and you can then select a style from a variety of predefined styles provided by Access. Finally, you must name the form. If you base a form on multiple tables, the tables must all be related. In addition, the Form Wizard will prompt you to select how you want to group the fields on the form. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 79

88 To create a form using the Form Wizard, first click the Create tab. In the Forms group, click the More Forms button. Click on Form Wizard. In the Tables/Queries list, click the list arrow. Click the table or query you wish to use for the form. Specify the fields you want to include in the form by selecting each in turn and clicking on the right arrow OR By either doubleclicking on each field to be included. Click the Next button. Select the desired form layout. Click the Next button. Choose the style you want to use. Click the Next button. Enter a name for the form. Choose whether to open the form in display, or Design view. Click the Finish button. Page 80 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

89 VIEWING RECORDS IN A FORM Navigating records in a form is similar to navigating records in Datasheet view. You can use the navigation buttons at the bottom of the window to display records in a form. The following navigation buttons are available in Form view: Button Description Displays the first record Displays the previous record Displays the next record Displays the last record You can also press the [Ctrl+Home] key combination to display the first record, the [Ctrl+End] key combination to display the last record. The [Page Up] and [Page Down] keys display the previous and next records, respectively. You can go directly to a record by selecting the number in the Record box (located within the navigation buttons at the bottom of the window), typing the number of the record you want to display, and pressing the [Enter] key. PRINTING RECORDS IN A FORM You can print an open form. If you use the Print button to print all the data, Access fits as many whole forms as possible on each page; Access will not break a form in the middle. If a form is large and there are numerous records in it, you may be using a large amount of paper and printer time. If you use the Print dialog box, you can print all records, only specified pages, or all selected records, thereby saving time and paper. You do not need to open the form but merely select it in the Navigation pane. Clicking on the Print option in the Office menu will then open the Print dialog box. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 81

90 BASING A FORM ON A QUERY Forms can extract information from a query as well as from a table. If the query dynaset cannot be updated, you will not be able to edit the form or add records to it. Nevertheless, a form can be used to present query data in a more attractive manner. To base a form on a query, first click the Create tab. In the Forms group, click the More Forms button. Click on Form Wizard. In the Tables/Queries list, click the list arrow. Click the query you wish to use for the form. Specify the fields you want to include in the form by selecting each in turn and clicking on the right arrow OR By either doubleclicking on each field to be included. Click the Next button. Select the desired form layout. Click the Next button. Choose the style you want to use. Click the Next button. Enter a name for the form. Choose whether to open the form in display, or Design view. Click the Finish button. Page 82 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

91 CREATING A QUICK FORM The fastest way to create a form is to use one of the form buttons on the Create tab. You can create a basic form, a split form, a tabular form using multiple items, a blank form, or a Pivot Chart. These buttons automatically arrange the fields from the selected table or query into a form for you. To create a form automatically, you first need to select the table or query you wish to be displayed on a form (the table or query does not have to be open). To create a form, first click the table or query you want to use in the form. Click the Create tab. In the Forms group, click on any one of the following buttons to create form automatically: Form creates a single columnar form displaying one record at a time Split form creates a columnar form and includes the table datasheet Multiple Item creates a tabular form PivotChart creates a form with a chart based on the table datasheet When you have clicked on the button, the form is displayed in Layout view. Click the Save button in the Quick Access Toolbar. Enter a name for the form and click the OK button. Figure 1: Columnar Form Figure 2: Split Form WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 83

92 Figure 3: Multiple Item Form ENTERING AND EDITING DATA IN A FORM Forms are frequently used to add records to one or more tables. It can be easier to work in a welldesigned form than in the underlying table because forms are usually designed to display all the fields for a single record within the form window, eliminating the need to scroll. You can use the [Enter] key to move between fields as you enter data. If you want to skip one or more fields, you can press the [Tab] key until the insertion point appears in the desired field, or you can click in the field in which you want to enter data. When you press the [Enter] key after entering data in the last field in a record, Access automatically saves the record and displays a blank form for entering another record. You can use the [Shift+Tab] key combination to move to the previous field. To enter a new record in a form, first click in Forms on the Objects bar of the Navigation pane. Double-click the form you want to open. If necessary, click the Form View. Click the New Record button. Type the data for the first field. Press the [Enter] key or the [Tab] key to move to the next field. When you have finished entering data you can close the form. Page 84 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

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94 EXERCISE CREATING BASIC FORMS 1. Open Train11x. 2. Use the Form Wizard to create a new form using the Client table (Click the More Forms button Forms group Create tab). 3. Add all the fields to the form. 4. Select the Columnar layout and the Paper style. 5. Name the form Client Data Entry and have the Form Wizard open the form to view or enter information. 6. Print record 9 ONLY - HEMCO. 7. Add a new record, with the following data: Field Data Client ID NELSON Name Nelson Enterprises Address 490 S. Maple St. City Boston State MA Zip Phone Number Close the form and open the Client table in Datasheet view to view the new record. Then, close the Client table. 9. Use the Form Wizard to create a new form based on the Project Payments query. 10. Add all the fields to the form. 11. Select the Tabular layout and the Equity style. 12. Accept the default name, Project Payments and have the Form Wizard open the form to view or enter information. 13. Close the form. 14. Create a Multiple Items Quick Form based on the Trainer table. 15. Close the form, saving it with the default name, Trainer. 16. Close the database file. Page 86 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

95 LESSON 11 - MANIPULATING CONTROLS INTRODUCTION 1 Although screenshots for a form are used in this lesson, the techniques explained apply equally to a report. When you create or edit forms or reports in Design View, you work with controls. Controls are objects in a form or report that contain information. Forms and reports usually include bound text box controls and unbound label controls. Text box controls display data from fields in a table or query on which a form or report is based. Text boxes are known as bound controls because the source of the data is stored in a specific field in a table. When you add a control to a form, you decide where the control gets the information it displays. In this lesson, you will learn how to: Use controls Move controls Size a control by dragging Select non-adjacent controls Select adjacent controls Delete controls Size controls automatically View the properties of an object Label controls are unbound controls. They display information that is not stored in a table. Unbound Change a control property controls can also be text, images, lines, or rectangles drawn on the design. Unbound controls are often paired with bound controls as labels. Unbound controls are also used to enhance a form or report, or to provide more information, such as instructions for entering data. Unbound Control (Label) Bound Control (Text Box) Text box and label controls are automatically added to a form created using the Form wizard. However, you can use the toolbox in Design view to add other controls to a form or report. These controls include list boxes, combo boxes, drop-down list boxes, command buttons, check boxes, option buttons, option groups, toggle buttons, and tabs. Calculated controls derive their information using an expression to manipulate the table data on which a form is based. For example, you can display an order total on a form that is calculated by multiplying the Unit Price and the Quantity fields in an Orders table. Calculated controls are unbound since the result of the calculation is not stored in a table. LAYOUT VIEW Access 2007 introduces a new Layout view that lets you make many of the most common design changes to your forms and reports while viewing them. For example, you can add a field by dragging it from the Field List pane, or change properties by using the property sheet. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 87

96 Layout view uses stacked and tabular layouts, ie. groups of controls that you can manipulate as one, in order to more easily rearrange fields, columns, rows, or the whole shebang. In Layout view, you can also move, add, and remove fields and/or format objects. NB Design view still remains available for more detailed design work and is dicussed later in this lesson. MOVING CONTROLS IN LAYOUT VIEW Layout view allows you to quickly and easily re-order paired controls in a column, ie. move them up or down the stack. Right click the required form in the Navigation Pane. Select Layout View from the menu. Move the mouse pointer until it is inside either of the paired controls that you want to move; it will change to a white arrow with a cross at the point. Click and drag down (or up) until the orange coloured bar appears where you want to move the selected controls to. Release the mouse button. SIZING A CONTROL BY DRAGGING You can change the size of a control in Layout view. Controls that display text generally display a single line of text horizontally and are long enough to show the entire data entry. If a field contains a large amount of text (eg. a memo field), you can display several lines of text in the field by vertically increasing the size of the controls. To gain more control, you can size selected controls with the keyboard by holding the [Shift] key while pressing the [Up], [Down], [Left], or [Right] arrow keys, although this can cause unusual screen effects! Changing the size of the control does not change the size of the text it contains. Page 88 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

97 Right click the required form in the Navigation Pane. Select Layout View from the menu. Click the control you want to resize. Move the mouse cursor to the edge of the control (over the orange coloured border) that you wish to resize it from; it will change to a sizing handle a small, black, double-headed arrow. Click and drag the sizing handle in the desired direction to expand or contract the control. ADDING FIELD CONTROLS You can add controls in Layout view. This may be required because you ve deleted a control and then wish to re-include it on the form, or because the field wasn t selected in the Form Wizard when the form was first created. To add field controls, first open the required form in Layout view. Click the Add Existing Fields button in the Format tab of the Ribbon. Select the field that you want to add from the Fields available for this view: section on the Field List pane. Click and drag the field to the form layout until an orange coloured bar appears where you want to add the field. The mouse pointer changes to a copy shape +. Release the mouse button. + WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 89

98 DELETING CONTROLS You can delete controls from Layout view. When you delete a pair of control, you do not delete the field in the table or the data that it contains; you just keep the data from being displayed in the form or report. To delete controls, first open the required form in Layout view. Select either of the paired controls that you intend to delete. Press the [Delete] key. INCREASE SPACING BETWEEN CONTROLS AUTOMATICALLY Layout view has formatting commands that you can use to move and size controls automatically. You can use these commands to improve the appearance of a form or report by giving the display a consistent and orderly look. The available commands are available in the Arrange tab under Form Layout Tools. Open the required form in Layout view. Click the Control Padding button in the Control Layout group of the Arrange tab. Select Wide. CREATING A TABULAR LAYOUT A tabular form shows the form fields in a row with the labels above, rather like a spreadsheet. The difference with a form is that it shows just one record at a time and not the entire recordset. Tabular forms are useful for creating mainform/subforms arrangement (covered on the Access 2007 Advanced course). Page 90 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

99 Open the required form in Layout view. Press [Ctrl A] on the keyboard to select all the controls. Click the Tabular button in the in the Control Layout group of the Arrange tab. Click the Size to fit button in the Position group. Manually adjust the width of any controls which may still be too wide or too narrow. CREATING A CUSTOM FORM IN LAYOUT VIEW Access 2007 offers two predefined layouts for forms, Columnar and Tabular. You can, however, remove the auto layout feature to give yourself more flexibility in arranging your form controls. Open the required form in Layout view. Press [Ctrl A] on the keyboard to select all the controls. Click the Remove button in the in the Control Layout group of the Arrange tab. Click the control that you want to move, reposition or delete. To move a control, position the mouse pointer until it is inside the control that you want to move. Click and drag until the black frame of the control appears where you want to move it to. Release the mouse button. To resize a control, move the mouse cursor to the edge of the control (over the orange coloured border) that you wish to resize it from. Click and drag the sizing handle in the desired direction to expand or contract the control. To delete a control, select the control that you wish to delete. Press the [Delete] key. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 91

100 EXERCISE MANIPULATING FORMS IN LAYOUT VIEW 1. Open Train12x. 2. Open the Client Data Entry form in Layout view. 3. Reduce the width of the bound controls by approx. 1cm. 4. Reduce the width of the unbound controls by approx. 2cm. 5. Add the ZIP field to the bottom of the form. 6. Move the ZIP field controls above the Phone No. field. 7. Save the design changes and close the form. 8. Open the Trainer form in Layout view. 9. Move the ZIP, Home Phone and Memo field controls to the bottom of the first column. 10. Select ALL the controls. 11. Increase the control padding to Medium. 12. Save the design changes and close the form. Page 92 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

101 LESSON 12 - USING FORM AND REPORT DESIGN VIEW 12 INTRODUCTION Although screenshots for a form are used in this lesson, the techniques explained apply equally to a report. When working in Design view, you can use the features provided by Access to make your task easier, while ensuring a professional look to your displays. You can not only arrange, and format the objects already on your form/report, but you can add extra objects and controls as you wish. In this lesson, you will learn how to: Hide or display the ruler Disable the Snap to Grid feature Display the field list Add a field Move part of a paired control Align controls Space controls Adding and modifying controls Add a label Add an image Add a rectangle Add a line Edit an unbound control Use multiple Undo/Redo in Design view DE-ACTIVATING CONTROL LAYOUT When you first open a form or report in Design view, the controls are auto arranged in a similar way to Layout view. To work with the controls in a more flexible and individual manner, you have to de-activate the auto control layout. Open the required form in Design view. Press [Ctrl A] on the keyboard to select all the controls. Click the Remove button in the in the Control Layout group of the Arrange tab. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 93

102 THE RULER You can hide or display the ruler in Design view. The ruler provides two scales in the Design window, one across the top and one down the left side. These scales are useful when you want to create controls that are a specific size or place controls in a specific location. When you move objects, the appropriate area on the ruler is highlighted. This highlighted area indicates the size and position of the control. The ruler commands act as toggles so you click to display them and you click the same command to hide them. To hide, or display, the ruler first open a form or report in Design view. Use the right mouse button to click on a blank area of the form/report to display the menu. Click Ruler. Alternatively, click the Arrange tab on the Ribbon. In the Show/Hide group, click the Ruler button. THE SNAP TO GRID FEATURE Access provides several features to help you size and position controls on a form. The grid in Design view is a series of small points and lines in the Design window. These points and lines (gridlines) help you position controls. When the Snap to Grid feature is activated, all controls added to the view are automatically positioned on grid points. The Grid button is used as a toggle to activate, or remove, the grid. To control the Grid feature, first open a form/report in Design view. Click the Arrange tab below the Design Tools tab. In the Show/Hide group, click the Grid button. Alternatively, use the right mouse button to click on a blank are of the form/report and select Grid from the menu. Page 94 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

103 DISPLAYING THE FIELD LIST If a form or report is based on a table or query, you can display the field list pane. This option allows you to easily add fields to the view. The field list appears as a window at the right of your screen, displaying the fields available in your table and any related tables. The Field List button acts as a toggle. You click it to display the field list and click it again to close the field list. You can also close the field list by clicking the Close button on the title bar. To display the field list with a form or report in Design view, first click the Design tab. In the Tools group, click the Add Existing Fields button. The Field List is displayed as a pane at the right of the window. ADDING A FIELD When you add a field to a form or report, you add both a bound and an unbound control. The bound control is a text box that displays the data from the table. The unbound control is a label that contains the field name. When you add a field, the mouse pointer changes into the following shape. +. This point of the arrow indicates where the top left corner of the bound control will appear on the form. The unbound control, by default, will be located to the left of the bound control. If you move the bound control too close to the left margin, the unbound control may not be totally visible. To add a field to a form or report in Design view, first click the Add Existing Fields button in the Tools group of the Design tab on the Ribbon. Locate and select the field you wish to add to the form. Drag the field name to the desired location on the form design. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 95

104 + + MOVING PART OF A PAIRED CONTROL A bound and an unbound control can be paired. When you select a bound control, the unbound control is selected. An example is a field text box (the bound control) and its label (the unbound control). You can reposition these controls as a single unit, or you can reposition them individually. When you select paired controls, a large, black box appears in the upper left corner of both the bound and unbound controls (the move handle ). You use the these handles to move the controls individually by pointing at the move handle of the control that you wish to move and then dragging the control to its new location. Page 96 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

105 ALIGNING CONTROLS You can automatically align controls with one another. This option allows you to line up the edges of controls quicker and more accurately than lining them up individually. The available alignment options are listed in the following table: Option Left Right Top Bottom To Grid Description The left edges of the controls are aligned with the left edge of the leftmost control in the selection. The right edges of the controls are aligned with the right edge of the rightmost control in the selection. The top edges of the controls are aligned with the top edge of the top control in the selection. The bottom edges of the controls are aligned with the bottom edge of the bottom control in the selection. The controls are aligned with the grid. To align controls, first select the controls you intend to align, using the [Shift] key to select successive controls. Click the Arrange tab below the Design Tools tab. Click the required Alignment button. Alternatively, use the right mouse button to click on one of the controls. In the menu, click on Align. Click the alignment you want. The controls are aligned accordingly. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 97

106 SPACING CONTROLS You can increase or decrease the spacing between selected controls, or space them evenly between the top and bottom controls. You can also implement spacing changes horizontally or vertically. To change the spacing between controls, with the form/report in Design view, select the controls you intend to change the spacing of. Click the Arrange tab below the Design Tools tab. In the Position group, click the Spacing button you want. The controls are spaced accordingly. ADDING AND MODIFYING CONTROLS Controls can be used to improve the appearance of a form or report. They allow you to display more information. Additional controls of various types can be accessed from the Controls group of the Design ribbon. Many controls open and start control wizards. To add a label first open, in Design view, first open the form/report you intend to add a label to. Click the Design tab below the Design Tools tab. In the Controls group, click the Label button. Click in the form/report where you want the top left corner of the label to appear. Type the text for the label. Press the [Enter] key. If the label is not associated with a control an error message may display. It can be removed by clicking on the list arrow and selecting Ignore error. Page 98 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

107 ADDING AN IMAGE You can add a control to a form or report that contains an image. The image is unbound and usually added only for aesthetics. Images can be any type of graphic file. If a graphic file is too large to fit in the frame of the control, the entire graphic will not appear. However, you can resize the frame to display more of the image. When you activate the Image control in the Controls group, the mouse pointer changes into a copy of the tool with a plus sign (+) above and to the left of it. As you drag to draw the frame of the control, the centre of the plus sign (+) indicates the position of the top left corner of the frame. To add an image in the Design view of a report or form, first click the Design tab below the Design Tools tab. In the Controls group, click the Image button. Drag to form a frame for the control. In the Insert Picture box, locate the image you wish to insert. Click the OK button. The image is entered and can be moved or resized if necessary. LINES AND RECTANGLES The Controls group contains tools for both lines and rectangles which you can add to your layout for effect or enhancement. The same principles are involved in order to add lines and rectangles to your layout. Selecting the tool you require and then dragging in the Design view will produce the object you want. The object can then be formatted as necessary with fills and colours. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 99

108 EDITING AN UNBOUND CONTROL You can edit text in an unbound control (i.e., a label). However, you must be in edit mode. In edit mode, the insertion point and a solid background appear in the unbound control. You cannot edit text while the sizing handles are displayed. Also, deleting all the label text does not delete the control. USING MULTIPLE UNDO/REDO IN DESIGN VIEW The Undo feature allows you to reverse the results of the previous command or action. Once you have used the Undo feature, the Redo feature becomes available. The Redo feature allows you to restore the results of the command or action you reversed with the Undo feature. Both features can be accessed on the Quick Access Toolbar. When you work with Access object types, such as tables, queries, forms, or reports, in Design view, you can also use the list arrow on the Undo or Redo button to undo or redo multiple actions. This feature is useful if you want to reverse a previous action, but have performed a number of actions subsequent to it. When you select an action to undo or redo, however, all the items performed after the selected action in the list are also reversed or redone. Page 100 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

109 However, when you open a table or query in Datasheet view, you are limited to undoing one action at a time. Each time you choose the Undo button in Datasheet view, the last action performed is reversed. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 101

110 EXERCISE USING DESIGN VIEW 1. Open Train18x. 2. Open the Project Form 2 form in Design view. 3. Hide the ruler; then, redisplay it. 4. Disable the Snap to Grid feature; then, enable it again. 5. Hide the field list, if necessary. 6. Size the Form window to 16cm horizontally. Then, resize the Detail section to 15cm horizontally and 7.5cm vertically. 7. Show the field list (Hint: Click the Add Existing Fields button in the Tools group of the Design Ribbon). 8. Select all the controls on the form (Hint: press CTRL A) and remove the automatic control layout feature (Hint: Look in the Arrange Ribbon). 9. Add the Sales Rep field to the bottom of the form below Phone Number. Hide the field list. 10. Select all the labels (Hint: use the SHIFT to make multiple selections) and align them left. 11. Select all the text boxes and size to widest AND align them right. 12. Apply equal vertical spacing to all the controls in the Detail section the form (Hint: make sure they are all selected first). 13. Replace the text in the Form Header label to Worldwide Training Corp. 14. Adjust the label width so that the text fits on one line only. 12. Add the Wwtlogo image at approx. 10cm horizontally and 0.5cm vertically, next to the Worldwide Training Corp label. 13. Draw a rectangle around the Worldwide Training Corp. label and the image. 14. Draw a vertical line from the top of the Detail section to the bottom at approx. 4cm horizontally (Hint: Hold the [Shift] key to draw a straight line.). 15. Use the Undo feature to reverse the previous action. 16. Use the Redo feature to redo the reversed action. 17. Switch to Form view to view the completed form. 18. Close the form, saving the changes. 19. Close the database file. Page 102 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

111 LESSON 13 - CREATING BASIC REPORTS INTRODUCTION 1 Although you can print records from a table or form, a report provides more precise control over the final output. Reports can include page headers and footers, calculated totals and subtotals, and even graphics. In addition, reports can be used for invoices, orders, presentations, and mailing labels. There are two basic types of reports: columnar and tabular. In a columnar report, the field names are listed on the left side of the page, and the field values are listed on the right. If space on the page permits, there can be more than one column. In a tabular report, the field names are listed across the top of the report, and the field values appear in the corresponding columns. Reports can include data from a single table or related tables. Reports can also be based on queries. In this lesson, you will learn how to: Use reports Use the Report Wizard Use print preview - reports Print pages of a report Group and summarize report data Use Other Reports USING THE REPORT WIZARD You can use the Report Wizard to quickly and easily create a report. The basic steps needed to create a report using the Report Wizard are as follows: 1. Select the table(s) you want to use. 2. Select the fields you want to include. 3. Group the data. 4. Add grouping levels. 5. Sort the data. 6. Select a layout. 7. Select a style. 8. Name the report. When you have finished creating a report, the Report Wizard displays it in print preview. Print preview allows you to view the report before you print it. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 103

112 To create a report using the Report Wizard, first click the Create tab. Click the Report Wizard button. Click the list arrow below Tables/Queries and select the item you want. Select the fields you want to include in the Report and either double-click on each item or use the right arrow to include them in the report. To include fields from another table, select from the table/query list again. Select the required fields and include them in the report. Click the Next button. Specify how the data is to be viewed (this step only appears if the report is based on more than one table). Click the Next button. Specify any groupings of the records. Click the Next button. Specify any sorting of the records and the order. Click the Next button. Set the layout and orientation. Click the Next button. Choose the style you want to use. Click the Next button. In the final dialog box, type a name for the report and whether to preview or display in Design view. Click the Finish button. Page 104 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

113 USING PRINT PREVIEW FOR REPORTS When you open a report, it appears in print preview. Print preview allows you to see how the printed report will look before you print it. Print preview provides options for viewing the report. By default, the report appears magnified at 100%, the same size as the printout. You can zoom out to see more of the report or zoom in to see a portion of the report in more detail. The Zoom list in print preview allows you to choose from several magnification options, from as small as 10% to as large as 500% or 1000%. You can display a report in One Page, Two Pages, or Multiple Pages view. The buttons at the bottom of the window allow you to navigate pages, and the scroll bars allow you to view different areas of a page. To preview a report, first select the report you want to preview. Use the right mouse button to click the report and select Print Preview from the menu. The Print Preview ribbon is displayed. Click the document window to zoom in. Click the document window to zoom out. Use the view options in the Zoom group according to how you want to view the display. When finished, click the Close Print Preview button. PRINTING PAGES OF A REPORT You can print specific pages of a report. This option is useful if the report contains numerous pages, and you only need information from one or more particular pages. The Print dialog box allows you to specify the pages you want to print. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 105

114 To print a report, use any of the following options: Click the Print button on the Quick Access Toolbar OR Click the Print button in the Print Preview ribbon OR Click the Office button and then select Print in the Office menu. The last two options will open the Print dialog box. GROUPING AND SUMMARISING REPORT DATA The Report Wizard provides options for grouping and summarizing report data. You can organize your report by selecting the fields into which you want to group data. If you create more than one group, you can prioritize the groups into levels. In addition to grouping data by a field, you can add grouping intervals. Grouping intervals vary, depending upon the selected field. For instance, a date field can be grouped by month, quarter, year, etc.; a numeric field can be grouped by numeric intervals of 10s, 50s, 100s, etc.; and a text field can be grouped by its first letter, second letter, etc.if you have included a field with numeric data in your report, you can add summary calculations. Summary calculations include Sum, Avg (average), Min (minimum), and Max (maximum). If you select the Sum calculation, you can include a calculated percentage of the total for each group. You can also display just the summary calculations in the report or both the field data (details) and the summary calculations. Page 106 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

115 To create a report which groups and summarises data, first click the Create tab. Click the Report Wizard button in the Reports group. Select the table/query you wish to use. Add the fields you want to include in the report. Click the Next button. Select the desired grouping action. Click the Next button. Choose any added required grouping level. Click the Grouping Options button. In the Grouping Intervals box, select the grouping interval you want from the list. Click the OK button. Click the Next button. Click the Summary Options button. In the Summary Options box, select the required summary options. Click the OK button. Set a Sort as required. Click the Finish button unless you want to specify a layout and style. The Print Preview shows the group and summary layout. OTHER REPORTS You can quickly create a simple report in Access by using one of the form buttons in the Reports group of the Create tab. You can create a basic ( Quick ) report, a blank report, or labels from this group. If you have a table or query already selected, clicking on the Report button will automatically create a report for you which you only have to name and save. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 107

116 To create a report, first select the table or query you wish to base the report on. Click the Create tab. In the Reports group, click on: The Report button to create a Quick columnar report Labels to open the Wizard which allows you to create a set of labels Blank Report where you can choose to insert fields from different tables. Page 108 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

117 EXERCISE CREATING BASIC REPORTS 1. Open Train13x. 2. Use the Report Wizard to create a new report. 3. Select the Project table and add the Project ID, Course Name, and Cost fields to the report. 4. Do not add any grouping in step 2 of the Wizard. 5. Sort the report by Course Name. 6. Select the Tabular layout, the Portrait orientation, and the Civic style. 7. Name the report Projects Report and display it in print preview. 8. Zoom to display the entire page. 9. Zoom to 100% to display the report in more detail. 10. Print page 3. Then, close print preview. 11. Use Report Wizard to create a report from the Project Payments query. 12. Add all the fields to the report. 13. In step 2, remove the Client ID grouping and replace it with Project ID. 14. Sort by Client ID and add a Summary Option to Sum by Amount Paid. 15. Select the Stepped layout, the Landscape orientation, and the Paper style. 16. Accept the default name of Project Payments and preview the report. Then, close print preview. 17. Create a Quick report for the Trainer table. 18. Preview the report then close print preview, saving the report as Trainer. 19. Close the database file. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 109

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119 LESSON 14 - FORMATTING CONTROLS INTRODUCTION 1 The objects in a database are mainly in the forms and reports. Access provides many formatting, layout, and style options for you to enhance the appearance of your forms and reports. You can also add special effects to certain objects, giving them an embossed or 3-D effect. After you have created a form or report with the structure you want, you can refine the appearance of the text that appears in it. Design view in Access contains many of the same features found in word processors. Although screen shots for a report gave been used in this lesson, the techniques described can be similarly applied in form design. In this lesson, you will learn how to: Select objects with the toolbar Change the font Change the font size Change the character format Change the font colour Change fill and background colours Format lines and borders Apply special effects Use the Format Painter Use AutoFormat Run the spelling checker Set AutoCorrect options Add AutoCorrect entries The Object list in the Property Sheet displays a list of all the objects in a report or form, including the report or form itself. When selecting an object, rather than scrolling and searching the Design window, you can simply select the desired object from the list. Unbound labels are sequentially numbered Label17, Label18, etc. You can use the Name property on the Other page in the properties sheet to give the label a more descriptive name, if desired. CHANGING THE FONT You can use Design view to change the font for any object (i.e., a control or label) to improve the overall appearance of a form or report. Different fonts can also help emphasize desired parts of a form or report. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 111

120 Access includes many font typefaces from which you can choose. They range from heavy bold typefaces to thin light ones. A list of available font typefaces and a sample of their appearance can be viewed in the Font list on the Design ribbon. You can mix fonts within a single form or report. If you have a form or report with headings and text beneath each heading, you can select one font for the headings and another for the text. Varying the font within a form or report improves the readability of the text and emphasizes key points. However, mixing too many fonts can be distracting. You can use the Align Left, Center, and Align Right buttons in the Font group of the Design ribbon to change the alignment of text in controls. You can select a font by selecting the list arrow in the Font group on the Design ribbon, and choosing the font you want to use. You can also change a font using the Font Name property in the Property Sheet. In Design view, you can select different font sizes for any text displayed. Generally speaking, larger font sizes are used for labels or text of great importance, and smaller font sizes are used for less important objects, such as page numbers. You can also change a font size using the Font Size property in the property sheet. Font size is measured in points. One point is approximately 1/72 of an inch. Therefore, a word with a 36 point font size is approximately one-half inch in height. The larger the font size, the larger the type. To change the font and its size, first open the desired form or report in Design view. Select the object for which you want to change the font name. Click the Font list arrow and choose the font you require. Set the font size by clicking on the font size list arrow. Select the font size you want to use. CHANGING THE CHARACTER FORMAT You can change the character formats of an object, either to add emphasis or to enhance the appearance of the text. The most commonly used character formats are bold, italic, and underline. You can tell which character formats have been applied to specific text by positioning the insertion point in the object. Page 112 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

121 You can apply character formats to existing text or change character formats as you type text. If you no longer want a character format applied to text, you can remove the formatting. These font formats apply to the entire contents of the control; you cannot change individual characters within a control. The Bold, Italic, and Underline buttons are toggles. If you select an object that contains one of these formats and click the Bold, Italic, and Underline button, the format is removed. You can also use the property sheet to add font formats to text. You can use the Font Underline and Font Italic properties to add underlining and italics. The Font Weight property provides multiple bolding options, including Thin, Semi-bold, Extra Bold, and Heavy. To change the character formatting, first open the required form/report in Design view. Select the object for which you want to change the character formatting. Click the desired format button in the Font group. CHANGING THE FONT COLOUR You can change the colour of the font in any object that contains text. You can change the colour of all the text in the object, or you can change only the font colour of selected characters. Changing font colour draws attention to text. When selecting a font colour for text, you should be aware of the background colour of the object. For example, red text will stand out on a white background, whereas yellow text will not. The Font Color button has a list arrow which enables you to select a colour. The Color palette also allows you to create custom colours. You can also change the font colour using the Fore Color property in the Property Sheet. To change the colour of text, first select the object whose text you wish to change. In the Font group, click on the Font Color list arrow. Select the colour you want to use. The object text will be formatted with the colour you chose. CHANGING FILL AND BACKGROUND COLOURS You can change the fill colour of a control or drawn object at any time. Adding colour to a form may make it easier to enter data when viewed on a monitor. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 113

122 In addition to changing the fill colour of objects, you can change the background colour of the of the design grid. Each section, Detail, Page Header, Report Header or Form Header, can display a different background colour. If the fill colour of a drawn object hides text in a form or report, you can remove the fill by selecting the Transparent option for that object. Then, only the border of the object appears around the text. You can also layer objects by moving one object behind another. That way you can create a filled colour rectangle behind related controls. The default background colour of a report is white, not transparent. The Fill/Back Color button consists of two components. The button face displays the currently selected colour. To apply the currently selected colour to another object, you only have to select the object and click the button. You can also use the Fill/Back Color list to select the desired colour from the colour palette. You can also change the background of an object using the property sheet. Use the Back Style property to specify if the object is filled (Normal) or Transparent and the Back Color property to change background colours. The Color palette allows you to create custom colours. To change the fill and background colours of objects, first open the required form/report in Design view. Click the object you want to colour. In the font group, click the Color list arrow. Select the colour you want to use. The object now has a background of that colour. FORMATTING LINES AND BORDERS You can format lines and borders by selecting them and then changing the line colour, width, and style. In an enclosed object, such as a control, the line is the border around an object. In an open object, such as a drawn line, the line is the object itself. You can change the width of a line or border using the Line Thickness button. The default line width is Hairline, but the width of a line can be increased from 1 to 6 points. You can also change the line/border colour of an object using the Line Color button. Changing the border colour can enhance the appearance of the object. Page 114 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

123 For example, if you are creating a logo, changing the line colour can help distinguish the border of the logo. You can either apply the current colour by clicking the button face or select a different colour from the Line Color list. In addition to changing the line width and colour, you can also change the line style. The default line style is a solid line, but other choices include dashes, dots, and combinations of dashes and dots. The line style can be changed using the Line Type property in the Property Sheet. The three buttons are in the Controls group of the Design ribbon. All you have to do is select the object(s) and choose the colour/line thickness/type. APPLYING SPECIAL EFFECTS Special three dimensional effects can be applied to objects to create interest or a feeling of depth. There are five special effects you can apply: Raised, Sunken, Etched, Shadowed, and Chiseled. You can remove a special effect by applying the Flat effect. To apply a special effect, you select the object which is to have the special effect, and click the button for the special effect you want applied. The special effects are accessed from the list arrow on the Special Effects button in the Controls group. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 115

124 USING THE FORMAT PAINTER You can use the Format Painter button on the Home or Design ribbons to copy the style of a specific object and apply it to other objects. This feature saves time when multiple formats have been applied to the object and you want to format other objects with the same formats. When the Format Painter is active, the mouse pointer becomes an I-beam with a paintbrush to its left. To copy the selected formatting to multiple locations, double-click the Format Painter button to enable it. Then, click it again when you have finished formatting text to disable it. To use the Format Painter to copy styles to other objects, first open the required form or report in Design view. Select the object containing the style you want to copy. Click the Format Painter button on the Home or Design ribbon. Click the object to apply the style. USING AUTOFORMAT A fast way of formatting a report or form is by using the AutoFormat button which can be used in Design or Layout view. When you click on this button, you can select from a variety of layouts and styles. After you have made your selection, Access formats the selected object in a consistent manner for you. The AutoFormat Wizard allows you to have more control of the AutoFormat style, in which you can select from different options during the process. To format a form or report with AutoFormat, first open the one you want to format in either Design or Layout view. If in Design view, click the Arrange tab under the Report (or Form) Design Tools tab. If in Layout view, click the Formatting tab under the Form Layout Tools tab. Select all or part of the form or report which you wish to format. Click the AutoFormat button to apply that format to the selected items. Page 116 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

125 Clicking on the AutoFormat Wizard button allows you to select the options you want in the AutoFormat box. RUNNING THE SPELL CHECKER The Spelling facility helps you to proof read you data by identifying possible misspelled words and suggesting possible spelling to use instead. You can correct the spelling, ignore the word, add the word to your dictionary, or create an AutoCorrect entry. To check the spelling in a table, first open the table in Datasheet view. Click the row selector or column heading you want to check. Drag the mouse to select additional items. Click the Home tab. In the Records group, click the Spelling button. Correct, or ignore, the identified words as appropriate. To change the spelling of an identified word, select the desired spelling from the Suggestions list box. Select Change or Change All as necessary. To ignore an identified word, select Ignore or Ignore All. Click on Add to add the word to your dictionary so the spell checker will not identify it as a misspelled word. Click on AutoCorrect to add the word to the AutoCorrect list. If prompted, click the OK button to end a spell check. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 117

126 Microsoft Office 2007 programs all share the same spell checker and dictionary. SETTING AUTOCORRECT OPTIONS AutoCorrect automatically corrects misspelled or mistyped words as you type. For example, if you inadvertently type the instead of the, Access will automatically make the correction. Access uses a predefined list of commonly misspelled or mistyped words. You can easily customise the preset AutoCorrect options or add errors that you know you commonly make to the list of AutoCorrect entries. AutoCorrect cannot make the corrections immediately, because it needs to sense what you are typing before it can make a change. As soon as you press the [Spacebar] key or type punctuation, AutoCorrect attempts to make the correction. To set the AutoCorrect Options, first click the Office button. In the Office menu, click the Access Options button. In the left pane, click on Proofing. Click on AutoCorrect Options Click in the Replace text as you type check box to enable AutoCorrect. Select, or clear, other options as you require. Click the OK button. ADDING AUTOCORRECT ENTRIES To use AutoCorrect to its full potential, it is a good idea to add the typing mistakes you make most often and the correct replacements to the AutoCorrect dictionary. You can also add abbreviations for commonly typed text. For example, you can add initials and the corresponding full name to the dictionary so that when you type JAD, AutoCorrect replaces it with John Alan Doe. Page 118 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

127 To add an AutoCorrect entry, click the Office button. Click the Access Options button. Click on Proofing in the left pane. Click the AutoCorrect Options button. To add an entry, type a word or phrase you tend to mistype or misspell. Type the correct spelling of the word or phrase. Click the Add button. Click the OK button. Click the OK button to close the Access Options. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 119

128 EXERCISE FORMATTING CONTROLS 1. Open Train19x. 2. Open the Client Information Report report in Design view. 3. Use AutoFormat to apply the Equity style (Hint: Select the whole report first CTRL A). 4. Change the font size of the controls in the Details section to 12. Preview the report. 5. Remove the automatic control layout feature. 6. Resize to fit the controls in the Details section and increase the vertical spacing. 7. Make the Client ID bound control (text box) bold and italic. 8. Using the Format Painter, apply the style of the Client ID bound control to all of the other bound controls (text boxes only). 9. Preview the report and then close it without saving the changes. 10. Open the Project Information Report report in Design view and maximize the window. Hide the Properties Pane, if necessary. 11. Change the background colour of the Report Header and Page Footer sections to dark grey Make the background of the Project Information Report label transparent and the font colour white. 13. Select the rectangle in the Trainer Initials Header. (Hint: Click a border since the object is transparent.) Add a Brown 5 background colour. 14. Increase the thickness of the top line in the Detail section to 3 points. Then, change the line colour to Brown Copy the formatting of the line in the Detail section to the top line in the Trainer Initials Footer section (Hint: use the format painter). 16. Add a raised special effect to the Trainer Initials text box and a shadow special effect to the world logo in the upper left corner. 17. Preview the report. 18. Close the report, saving the changes. 19. Close the database file. Page 120 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

129 LESSON 15 - WORKING WITH HELP INTRODUCTION 15 If you need assistance on any Access topic or task, you can use Access s extensive Help facility. The Office Help Viewer provides both the answers and the resources you need. Online help includes feature help, articles, tips, templates, training, and downloads. By using Microsoft Office Online, you have access to standard product help as well as updated information from the Web. The Web browser style Help Viewer allows you to browse the catalogue of topics using a table of contents, or you can type a question to search for specific information. In this lesson, you will learn how to: Work with online Help Use Help Contents Search for Help Check Connection Status View ScreenTips To use the Help Viewer to get general help on Access, first click the Help button at the top right of the ribbon (or press the [F1] key). If necessary, click the Table of Contents on the toolbar. Locate the topic you require. Click on a category. Click the required topic. Read the topic help information. Click on any links to get more information. Use the Back, Forward, Stop, Refresh, Home, and Print buttons as necessary. Use the Keep on Top button to help keep the Help Viewer window in view. When you have finished using the Help, click the Close button. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 121

130 To search for specific help, first click the Help button. Click in the Search box. Type one or more keywords. Click the Search button. Alternatively, click the Search list arrow to view more search options. Click on an item in the Topics on the right. Read the topics. Click on any links to get more information. When you have finished using the Help, click the Close button. To check the Help Connection Status, first click the Help button on the Ribbon. Click the Connection Status button at the bottom right of the Help Viewer. Click the connection option you need for the help you require: Show content from Office Online connects you to the online Microsoft Office help Show content only from this computer is used for the installation help offline only. When you have finished with the Help Viewer, click the Close button. SCREENTIPS ScreenTips are small windows that display information text when you rest the mouse cursor on a command, or control, button. Enhanced ScreenTips are larger windows that display more descriptive text than a ScreenTip and can have a link to a Help topic. Page 122 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

131 To set the Screentips options, first click the Microsoft Office button, and then click Access Options. Click the Popular tab. Under Top options for working with Access, in the ScreenTip style list, click the option that you want: Show feature descriptions in ScreenTips turns on ScreenTips and Enhanced ScreenTips. This is the default setting. Don't show feature descriptions in ScreenTips turns off the Enhanced ScreenTips, but you still see the standard ScreenTips. Don't show ScreenTips turns off ScreenTips and Enhanced ScreenTips. When you have set your ScreenTips options, click the OK button. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 123

132 EXERCISE USING HELP 1. Open Train14x. 2. Use the Help Viewer to find out how to create a form for the data in a query. 3. Using Help Contents, display help information about changing the primary key of a table 4. Close the Microsoft Access Help window. 5. Open the Access Options and ensure that the ScreenTip style shows the feature descriptions. 6. Close the database. Page 124 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

133 LESSON 16 - CREATING RELATIONSHIPS INTRODUCTION 16 Tables can be joined, or related, in order to access and coordinate information in all the fields of the related tables. Joining tables is a useful way to avoid entering duplicate information in various, related tables. In addition, it allows you to create reports, forms, and queries from the related data tables and save them in the database file. Relating tables allows you to create smaller, more efficient tables that can be referenced when you need access to the data. In this lesson, you will learn how to: Use related tables Create a relationship between tables Set referential integrity View subdatasheets Delete a join line When you relate tables, the table from which you select a field to join is the primary table, and the second table containing the field you want to associate is the related table. The tables must have at least one common field that contains the same type of data. This common field is called the join field. The join fields in both tables must have the same or equivalent data types and, if they are Number fields, they must have the same field size. In addition, the join field in the primary table must be the primary key in order to avoid duplicate entries. For example, the following table consists of customer names and address fields, along with a unique identification number for each customer, which serves as the primary key in the table. ID # Names Address City State Zip 1 Smith J St. NW Washington DC Conrad 16 Allegheny Center Pittsburgh PA Kane 1012 Broadway Lexington KY Apple 516 Beacon Ave. Seattle WA Billow 9249 Cavalcade St. Houston TX You could then create a separate table consisting only of orders placed by customers. This table would also contain the field for the unique customer identification number, but not the customers names and addresses. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 125

134 ID # Order 1 Office Work Center 2 All-In-One Corner Desk and Hutch 3 Open-Front Steel Bookcase 4 2-Drawer Letter File 5 Executive Leather Chair, Black By relating the two tables through the common customer identification number field, the customers name and address does not have to be entered for every order. All that has to be entered is the customer identification number, along with the orders. Access includes two basic types of relationships: one-to-many and one-to-one. A one-to-many relationship occurs when one record from the primary table matches many records from the related table (e.g., one customer record matches many order records). A one-to-one relationship occurs when one record from the primary table matches one record from the related table. Access determines the relationship type automatically when you create the relationship. CREATING A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TABLES The Relationships window displays a graphic representation of database relationships and allows you to create relationships between tables. You drag field lists in the Relationships window to reposition them as needed. In addition, any field name that represents a primary key is bolded in the corresponding field list. You can add tables to the Relationships window for additional joins. For example, if the Relationships window displays only two related tables and you need to access information from a third table, you can easily add the required table to the Relationships window and then create the join. To create a relationship between two tables, first click the Database Tools tab. Click the Relationships button in the Show/Hide group. If necessary, click the Show Table button. Click the Tables tab. Click the first table you want to relate to. Click the Add button. Select the second table you want to relate. Click the Add button. Add further tables as required. Click the Close button. Page 126 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

135 Drag the common field in the first table to the common field in the second table. In the Edit Relationships dialog box, click the Create button. Repeat for any further relationships. Click the Close button. Close the Relationships window. In the Message box, click the Yes button. SETTING REFERENTIAL INTEGRITY When you create a relationship between two tables, you can set referential integrity. Referential integrity is a built-in set of rules Access uses to make sure that the relationship is valid. Referential integrity can also prevent accidental deletion or editing of data. In order to use referential integrity, the following conditions must be true: the related field in one table must be its primary key, the related fields in both tables must have the same data type, and both tables must belong to the same database. When you set referential integrity, you must observe the following three rules. First, you cannot enter data in the join field in the "many" table that does not have a match in the join field in the "one" table. Second, you cannot delete records from the "one" table if there are matching records in the "many" table. Third, you cannot edit primary key values if related records exist. If you want to perform any of the changes listed above, however, and still maintain referential integrity, you can select the Cascade Update Related Fields and Cascade Delete Related Records options in the Edit Relationships dialog box. If either or both of these options are selected, Access automatically makes the necessary changes to related tables to maintain referential integrity. It is recommended that these two options be selected only after careful consideration, since the changes cannot be undone. When referential integrity is enforced, Access displays symbols above the join line to indicate the type of relationship, one-to-one or one-to-many. The number 1 above a join line indicates one, and the mathematical symbol for infinity (which resembles a horizontal 8) indicates many. Double-clicking the middle segment of any join line opens the Edit Relationships window with the selected join displayed. Double-clicking the beginning or ending segment of any join line opens the Edit Relationships window, but with no join selected. You can then use the Table/Query list to select the desired join. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 127

136 To set referential integrity for the relationship between tables, first click the Design tab below the Relationship Tools tab. Open the Relationships window by clicking on the Relationships button. Click the Edit Relationships button in the Tools group (or double- click the join line between the two tables whose referential integrity you want to establish). In the Edit Relationships dialog box, select the Enforce Referential Integrity option. Click the OK button. VIEWING SUBDATA SHEETS Subdatasheets are datasheets nested in the primary table and display the data in joined tables. When you join tables in a one-to-many relationship, Access creates subdatasheets in the table containing the primary key. Access can also create subdatasheets for one-to-one relationships. When tables are joined, Access inserts a column containing plus signs to the left of the first field in the primary table. Clicking the plus sign expands a subdatasheet with the data in the related table displayed. If the table contains additional joins, you can expand subdatasheets to display each related table. Access can display up to eight levels of subdatasheets. In addition to viewing data, you can edit data right in the subdatasheet; the edited data is saved back to the table in which it is stored. To display subdatasheets, first open the table in Datasheet view. Click the plus sign [+] next to the record you want to expand. Display additional subdatasheets, if available. Click on any minus sign [-] to collapse the subdatasheet. Close the table. Page 128 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

137 DELETING A JOIN LINE Deleting a join line removes the relationship between two tables. You may want to delete a join line if you no longer need to relate the tables or you want to create a different relationship. You must select a join line before you can delete it. You must click the middle segment of a join line in order to select it; clicking the beginning or ending segment does not select the join line. You can also delete a join line by right-clicking its middle segment and selecting the Delete command. To delete a relationship, first open the Relationships window. Click the middle of the join line you wish to delete. Press the [Delete] key. Confirm the Message box by clicking on the Yes button. Alternatively, use the right mouse button to click the join line. Select Delete and confirm the Message box. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 129

138 EXERCISE CREATING RELATIONSHIPS 1. Open Train08x. 2. Open the Relationships window. 3. Add the Client and Project tables to the Relationships window. 4. Create a relationship between the Client ID field in the Client table and the Client ID field in the Project table; set referential integrity for the relationship. 5. Add the Trainer table to the Relationships window. 6. Create a relationship between the Trainer Initials field in the Project table and the Initials field in the Trainer table; set referential integrity for the relationship. 7. Close the Relationships window and save the changes. 8. Open the Client table in Datasheet view and view the subdatasheet for the CONCORD client. Then, collapse the subdatasheet and close the Client table. 9. Open the Relationships window. Delete the relationship line between the Project and Trainer tables and remove the Trainer field list, since it is no longer related to any tables. Then, close the Relationships window and save the changes. 10. Close the database file. Page 130 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

139 LESSON 17 - USING OPERATORS IN QUERIES 1 INTRODUCTION You can add criteria to a query in order to limit the number of records in the dynaset. The simplest criterion is to find all records matching a single value. You can also use comparison operators to limit the dynaset to a group of records. Comparison operators are symbols that represent conditions recognized by Access. In this lesson, you will learn how to: Use comparison operators Use an And condition Use an Or condition Use the Between And operator Use the Expression Builder Use a wildcard character The following comparison operators are available in Access: Operator Description < less than <= less than or equal to > greater than >= greater than or equal to = equal to <> not equal to Not reverses logic You can use one or more comparison operators to compare a specified value to all the values in a field. For example, you may want to find all customers with credit limits of less than 1000 or all customers with a contract date on or before January 2001; you can use a combination of comparison operators and field values to write an expression defining the desired criteria (e.g., <1000 or <=1/1/01, respectively). When you run the query, only those records with values meeting the specified criteria appear in the dynaset. Open the required query in Design view. Select the Criteria row in the field for which you want to add criteria. Type the desired comparison operator and value. Press the [Enter] key. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 131

140 USING AN AND CONDITION Many times, a query requires more than one condition to obtain the desired result. If you want to find all customers in one region with sales to date of over 10,000, for example, you need two conditions: Region=PA and Sales to Date> The records must meet both conditions in order to be included in the dynaset. When two or more criteria must be met, you are creating an And condition. An And condition is created using the And logical operator. You can create an And condition by adding multiple criteria to a single field. In order to do this, you must use the And operator to find records that fall within a range. For example, to find customers whose contract dates fall between 1/9/99 and 30/9/99, you would type both criteria on a single line in the Criteria row of the appropriate field (i.e., >=1/9/99 And <=30/9/99 in the Contract Date field). An And condition is assumed when you enter conditions in the same Criteria row of two or more different fields; in this case, the And operator is unnecessary. Criteria entered in the same row of the design grid create an And condition, and criteria entered in different rows create an Or condition. To use an AND condition in a query, first open the required query in Design view. Select the Criteria row of the first desired field. Type the desired criteria. Type additional criteria in the same Criteria row of one or more other fields. Press the [Enter] key. USING AN OR CONDITION There are times you may want to find records that meet only one of several specified conditions. This is called an Or condition. If you want to find all customers in PA or all customers with sales to date of over 10,000, for example, you would need two conditions: State=PA and Sales to Date> A record needs to meet only one of the conditions in order to be included in the dynaset. You can create an Or condition in a single field by entering criteria in different Criteria rows of that field. You can also create an Or condition by typing criteria in different Criteria rows of two or more fields. You can create additional Or and And conditions by typing criteria into the Criteria row, the or row, or any row below the or row. Any criteria entered into the same Criteria row creates an And condition, any criteria entered into different rows creates an Or condition, and you can even create a combination of And and Or conditions. Criteria entered in the same Criteria row across the design grid create an And condition, and criteria entered in different Criteria rows create an Or condition. Page 132 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

141 To use an OR condition in a query, first open the required query in Design view. Select the Criteria row of the desired field. Type the desired criterion. Select the Or row of the next required field. Type the second criterion. Press the [Enter] key. USING THE BETWEEN AND OPERATOR You can use the Between And operator to find data that includes or falls between two stated values. The Between And operator is inclusive; all records with values that include or fall between the stated criteria are included in the dynaset. It can be used in text, numeric, or date fields. Spaces must be included between the criteria and the words Between and And. If you do not include the proper spacing, the Data type mismatch in criteria expression error message will appear. To use the Between And operator in a query, first open the required query in Design view. Select the Criteria row of the desired field. Type Between, the first value in the range, then type And, and then, the last value in the range. Press the [Enter] key. Access recognises the And Between and capitalises the initial letters. USING THE EXPRESSION BUILDER When you enter criteria, you are actually creating an expression. Expressions are calculations and can include database objects, operators, and values. Objects range from table fields to controls in a form. Operators are standard mathematical operators used in calculations (such as +, -, *, /, (), <>). Values can be numbers, dates, text, and built-in functions, as well as field, control, and property identifiers. You can create an expression by typing the expression elements, or you can use the Expression Builder. The Expression Builder is a tool that provides all the elements needed to build the expression. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 133

142 The Expression Builder displays the Expression box in its top pane, a row of operator buttons below the Expression box, and three lower panes that display categories, subcategories, and values, respectively. New expressions appear in the Expression box. You can use a combination of methods to build a new expression. You can type some elements of the expression and select others (such as operators, functions, and values) from the element panes. If you make a mistake, the Undo button allows you to undo previous actions, one at a time. Additionally, you can select and delete any elements you want to remove from the Expression box. The Expression Builder is available in Design view for any database object for which you need to create an expression. For example, you can use the Expression Builder to create a validation rule for a table field. To use the Expression Builder for query criteria, first open the required query in Design view. Select the Criteria row under the desired field. Use the right mouse button to click the criteria row. From the menu select Build OR Click the Builder button in the Query Setup group of the Design ribbon. In the Expression Builder, expand the left pane as necessary. Click the required category. Click the required subcategory in the centre pane. Double click on a value in the right pane to insert it in the Expression box. To enter a value, select existing text or position the insertion point as needed in the Expression box. Type the required value. Complete the expression. Click the OK button. The expression is entered in the Criteria row. USING A WILDCARD CHARACTER You can use a wildcard in a query in place of one or several characters. Wildcard characters are helpful when you want to find criteria with a pattern (such as all last names beginning with M), or if you are not sure exactly how values you want to find appear (such as the correct spelling Kline or Klein). When you use wildcard characters (? and *), Access automatically inserts the word Like before the criteria and quotation marks ( ) around text. Page 134 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

143 The two most common wildcards are listed in the following table: Wildcard Used for Example? Any single letter or number * One or more letters or numbers Sm?th finds Smith and Smyth, whereas?andy finds Sandy, Randy, etc. M* finds all records that start with M; 8/*/00 finds all dates in August, 2000; and *ball* finds all records that have the word ball anywhere in the field To use a wildcard character in a query, first open the required query in Design view. Select the Criteria row of the required field. Type the desired criteria, using wildcards as appropriate. Press the [Enter] key. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 135

144 EXERCISE USING OPERATORS IN QUERIES 1. Open Train17x. 2. Open the Course Query query in Design view. 3. Set criteria to find only projects with a cost of more than Run the query; the criteria should find 16 records. Then, return to Design view and delete the criteria. 5. Use wildcards and an Or condition to find only records with the text excel or word occurring anywhere in the course name (Hint: Use asterisks both before and after each criteria.). 6. Run the query; the criteria should find 7 records. Then, return to Design view and delete the criteria from the query. 7. Use the Expression Builder to find only records with a start date between 1/4/2001 and 30/6/2001. (Hint: Select Operators from the left pane, Comparison from the center pane, and Between from the right pane. Then, replace the <Expr> expressions with the appropriate dates.) 8. Run the query; the criteria should find 12 records. Then, switch back to Design view and delete the criteria. 9. Find all records with trainer initials of DF and a cost of 175 or more. The criteria should find 5 records. 10. Close the query, saving the changes. 11. Close the database file. Page 136 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

145 LESSON 18 - ADVANCED QUERIES INTRODUCTION 18 Access offers several types of queries to help you to display the information you wish to retrieve from the database. You can apply functions and other expressions to fields so as to deliver calculated results, specify limitations to the number of values you display, and summarise values from the values in your tables. You can limit the results of a query so that only the highest or lowest values in a field appear in the dynaset. You can also limit the number of records to a specific number or percentage of all records being queried. In this lesson, you will learn how to: Set top values in a query Create a calculated field Format a calculated field Create a function query Create a parameter query Create a concatenation in a query The field for which you are setting the top or bottom values must be sorted. If the field is sorted in descending order (Z to A, 9 to 0), the top values will be found. If the field is sorted in ascending order (A to Z, 0 to 9), the bottom values will be found. To set top values in a query, first open the query in Design view. Select the Sort row of the required field. Select the order you require (descending). In the Query Setup group, click the Return list arrow. Click the value you require (or type your own in the box). When the query is run, only the top number of values is displayed. CREATING A CALCULATED FIELD Access allows you to create expressions that calculate new field values; for example, you can create an expression that multiplies the value in the Quantity field by the value in the Price field to calculate total sales. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 137

146 In expressions, field names are enclosed in square brackets ([ ]); numbers are not. For example, to calculate 20% of sales and display the results in a column named Commission, you would enter Commission:0.2*[Sales] in the design grid. (The colon separates the column name from the expression.) The field names used in an expression must be the same as the field names that appear in the table. Calculated fields are created in queries. You can also use criteria to remove nonessential records, thereby allowing the query to run faster. The results of your query can then be used to generate a report. You can also use the Expression Builder to create a calculated field by selecting any blank Field row and clicking the Build button on the Query Design toolbar (see Using The Expression Builder on page 133). One of the easiest ways to see a calculated field expression while you are creating is to hold down the [Shift] and F2 keys which will open the Zoom box in which you can type your expression more clearly. To create a calculated field in a query, first open the required query in Design view. Click in a blank Field row. Type the expression required for the calculation. Press the [Enter] key. When the query is run, a new field is displayed with the result of the calculated expression. FORMATTING A CALCULATED FIELD Once you have created a calculated field, you can change its properties as you would any other field on the design grid. The Format property determines how data appears in Datasheet view. For example, you can change the properties of a calculated field so that the field values display as currency. To format a calculated field in a query, first open the required query in Design view. Click in the field to be formatted. In the Show/Hide group, click the Property Sheet button. In the Property Sheet, click the Format list arrow. Select the required format. The column is formatted when the query is run. Page 138 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

147 CREATING A FUNCTION QUERY Access allows you to create a query that groups records by a selected field and then applies a function that calculates a value within the grouped fields. Access allows you to perform more than one calculation on a field. For example, you can group records by weekly sales and then find both the minimum and maximum values. There are several types of functions from which you can choose. The most commonly used functions are listed in the following table: Function Sum Average Count Max Min Description Totals the values in the calculated field Averages the values in the calculated field Counts the number of records in the calculated field Finds the highest value in the calculated field Finds the lowest value in the calculated field To create a function query, first open the required query in Datasheet view. Click the Home tab. Click in the column you wish to apply the function to. In the Records group, click the Totals button. Click in the box to select the function from the Total list arrow. Click the required function. The result is displayed in the cell. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 139

148 CREATING A PARAMETER QUERY You can create a query to which you add different criteria each time you run it; such a query is called a parameter query. A parameter query is designed to prompt the user for input each time it is run; Access then runs the query based on the criterion (parameter) entered. A parameter query allows you to quickly and easily change query criteria without having to redesign the query. You can add multiple parameters to a query. When you run the query, a prompt will appear for each parameter in it. To create a parameter query, first open the required query in Design view. Click in the Criteria row of the desired field. In the Show/Hide group, click the Parameters button. In the Query Parameters box, under Parameter, type the prompt surrounded by square brackets. In the Data Type box, click the list arrow. Select the required data type. Click the OK button. When the query is run, the prompt is displayed in the Enter Parameter Value box. Page 140 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

149 CREATING A CONCATENATION IN A QUERY A concatenation query allows you to combine two or more text fields into one field. In other words, concatenation enables you to append one text string to another. In addition, you can insert characters between the text strings as needed. For example, you can concatenate the City, State, and Postal Code fields and store the concatenated text string in a fourth field, the Address field, adding commas and spaces between the text strings as needed. When typing a concatenation expression, the first part of the expression defines the name of the new field and the second part of the expression defines the fields which are to be concatenated. All field names must be surrounded by brackets. The concatenation character (the ampersand - &) appears between field names, and you must enclose any additional characters in double quotes. For example, the expression Names: [Last Name]&", "&[First Name] concatenates the Last Name and First Name fields and inserts the concatenated text string into a field called Names. The new field displays the last name, a comma, a space, and the first name for each record in the table. You can also use concatenation to create text strings in forms and reports. To create a concatenation query, first open the required query in Design view. Click in any blank Field row in the design grid. Type the required concatenation expression. Press the [Enter] key. When the query is run, the result is displayed as a column with the concatenation appearing as ordinary text. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 141

150 EXERCISE DESIGNING ADVANCED QUERIES 1. Open Train17x. 2. Open the Project Sales query in Design view. 3. Create a new calculated field named Total Sales that multiplies the number of students to be trained (Students field in the Project table) by the per student cost of the course (Cost field in the Courses table). 4. Run the query to view the results. Close the query and save it. 5. Open the Trainer Pay query in Design view. 6. Create a new field that concatenates the first and last names of each trainer. Name the field Trainer Name and use the Last Name, First Name format. (Hint: Use the format Trainer Name:[last name]&", "&[first name]) 7. Run the query and widen the Trainer Name column to view the text. Then, return to Design view. 8. Trainers are paid 15% percent of the total sale for each project. Create a calculated field named Pay that calculates the trainer's pay for each project. (Hint: Use Pay:[students]*[cost]*0.15) 9. Format the Pay field as currency. (Hint: Use the Property Sheet button.) Run the query to view the results. Then, return to Design view. 10. Group the dynaset (Hint: Use the Totals button on the Query Design toolbar to group the dynaset.). Then, select Sum from the Total row for the Pay field. Run the query to view the results. Then, return to Design view. 11. Find the three trainers with the highest pay. (Hint: Sort the Pay field in Descending order and type 3 into the Top Values box on the toolbar.) Run the query to view the results. Then, return to Design view. 12. Reset the Pay field back to (not sorted) and the top values back to All; then, remove the Total row. (Hint: Use the Totals button on the Query Design toolbar.) 13. Run the query again. Use the Filter by Selection button to display only those records for George Edwards. 14. Close the query, saving the changes. 15. Open the Sales by Rep query in Design view. Add a parameter to the Criteria row of the Sales Rep field that prompts you to enter the initials of the sales rep each time the query is run. 16. Run the query, typing sh when prompted. Notice that only records that match the criteria appear in the dynaset. 17. Close the query, saving the changes. 18. Close the database file. Page 142 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

151 LESSON 19 - ACTION QUERIES INTRODUCTION An action query performs operations on the records, instead of merely displaying according to your criteria. There are four types of action query you can use on tables: Make Table, which will create new tables based on matching records from your criteria Append, which will add new records to the end of a table Update, which will make changes to existing matching records Delete, which will delete records, matching your criteria, from the table. 1 In this lesson, you will learn how to: Create a make-table query Create an update query Create an append query Create a delete query CREATING A MAKE TABLE QUERY A make-table query creates a new table from data in existing tables and queries. Make-table queries have many uses. The new table can be a duplicate of an existing table, to serve as a data backup. Make-table queries can create a compact version of an existing table, displaying only those fields you want to see. They can also bring fields from many tables into one table, making reports and queries based on the new, single table run faster. You can limit both records and fields in a new table. If you use criteria in a make-table query, only those records that meet the criteria will be added to the new table. The fields in the new table retain the data type and field size properties assigned to them in the source tables. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 143

152 To create a new table with a query, first click the Create tab. In the Other group, click the Query Design button. Create the query to be used to make the table. Click the Make Table button. Enter the name of the table you wish to create, or click the list arrow and select a table if you wish to replace the existing one. Click the Current Database option if the table is in the currently open database, otherwise click the Another Database option, entering the location and name of the database to be used. Click the OK button. Click the Run button. Click the Yes button to confirm you want to create the new table. The new table is created according to your query requirements. CREATING AN UPDATE QUERY An update query is used to change data values in an existing table. Update queries save time because they allow you to update a large number of records at one time. You can use an update query, for example, to increase all the values in a Unit Price field by 10%. You can also use an update query to calculate and enter values in a table field. You could, for example, use an update query to multiply the value in the Unit Price field by 75% and place the result of the calculation in the Sale Price field of the same record. If you do not want to update all the records in the table, you can use criteria to select only those records you want to update. Page 144 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

153 Not all table fields have to be included in an update query. You need to include only those fields you want to update and those to which you want to add criteria. An update query permanently alters field values; make sure that the correct records are selected and that the expression in the Update To row of the design grid is correct. However, if you run the query a second time you will update the figures again, further to the update you have already made. When you use field names in any expression, they must be enclosed in square brackets ([ ]). To create a query to update records, first create a new query suitable for the purpose. Click the Update button. In the Update To: row, enter an expression to update the selected field. Enter a criterion, if required, to indicate which records are to be updated. Click the Datasheet view to ensure the records to be updated are appropriate. Click the Run button. Confirm the Message box. The table now contains the new values. If required, save the query. CREATING AN APPEND QUERY An append query copies records from one table or query and adds them to the end of a different table. Append queries are useful in transferring data from one table to another. If the fields in both tables have the same names, the copied data is automatically appended. If the fields have different names, however, you must specify the fields to which you want to append the data. You can use criteria to select the records you want to append. Only those records that meet the criteria are appended to the table. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 145

154 To add records with an append query, first create the query you need to use. Click the Append button. Enter the name of the table to which you intend to append the records. Alternatively, click the list arrow and choose the table. Click the Current Database option, otherwise click the Another Database option and enter the location and name of the required database. Click the OK button. In the Append To row of the Design grid, add the field(s) whose values you wish to be appended (if necessary). Click the Run button. Click the Yes button to confirm the records are to be appended. The specified table now contains the appended records. Close and save the query as necessary. CREATING A DELETE QUERY You can use delete queries to maintain the appearance, usefulness, and efficiency of tables in a database. When records have been appended or archived to a secondary table, or they are simply no longer of use to you, it is a good idea to delete them. Deleting records saves disk space and makes tables more efficient; the more data there is in a table, the more time it takes to save, sort, and query a table. A delete query always deletes entire records; you cannot use one to delete data only in specific fields. Delete queries enable you to apply criteria to select and delete groups of records at one time. Page 146 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

155 The records deleted by a delete query are not retrievable. Therefore, you should always preview the selected records by first running a select query. Only after you have confirmed that the selected records are correct should you run the delete query. To create a delete query, first create a new select query. If necessary, click the Design tab under the Query Tools tab. In the Query Type group, click the Delete button. If required, click the Datasheet view button to preview the records to be deleted. Click the Run button. Click the Yes button in the Message box to confirm the deletion. The specified records are removed from the table. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 147

156 EXERCISE CREATING ACTION QUERIES 1. Open Train17x. 2. Create a query in Design view. Add the Client Balance Due query and the Client, Courses, and Project tables. (Hint: Use the Tables and Queries tabs.) 3. Add the following fields to the design grid, in the order listed: Table/Query Field Client Client Name Client Address Client City Client State Client Zip Courses Course Name Client Balance Due Balance Due 4. Enter criteria in the Balance Due field to select only those records with an outstanding balance. (Hint: >0) 5. Use the Query Type list to create a Make-Table Query. Name the table Invoice. Then, run the make-table query; selecting Yes at the prompt. 6. Close the make-table query, saving it as Create Invoice. 7. Open the Create Invoice table in Datasheet view; notice that the table contains all the information you need to send an invoice. Then, close the Create Invoice table. 8. Create a query in Design view. Add the Create Invoice table and then add the Balance Due field to the design grid. 9. Use the Query Type list to create an Update Query. Then use the Update To row to increase the values in the Balance Due field by five percent. (Hint: Try using [Balance Due]*1.05.) Run the query; selecting Yes at the prompt. 10. Close the update query, saving it as Surcharge. 11. Open the Create Invoice table in Datasheet view; notice that the Balance Due field has been updated. Then, close the Create Invoice table. 12. Create a query in Design view. Add the Interviews table, and then add each field to the design grid, in the same order as in the table. Run the query and scroll to view the Hire? field. Then, return to Design view. 13. Have the query select only those records that have the Hire? field check box selected. (Hint: Use criteria of true.) Run the query to view the results. Then, return to Design view. 14. Create an Append Query to the Trainer table. Then, run the append query. Select Yes to append the records. Page 148 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

157 15. Close the append query, saving it as New Trainers. 16. Open the Trainer table in Datasheet view to verify that the new records were added. Then, close the Trainer table 17. Create a new query to remove all the newly hired trainers from the Interviews table, since they are now listed in the Trainer table. Add only the Interviews table to the query, and then add only the Hire? field to the design grid. 18. Add a criteria of true to the Hire? field. Create a Delete Query. Then, run the query, selecting Yes at the prompt. 19. Close the delete query, saving it as Delete Hires. 20. Open the Interviews table in Datasheet view to verify that the records were deleted. Then, close the Interviews table. 21. Close the database file. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 149

158 APPENDIX A - USING THE LABEL WIZARD Access has a Label Wizard that guides you through the process of creating a report that prints labels. You can choose from many standard types of labels, or you can create your own custom label definition. The Label Wizard provides a sample label into which you insert the fields you want to print in their desired order. In this lesson, you will learn how to: Use the Label Wizard You can also type additional text that you want to appear on each label. For example, if you are creating an address label, you may want to include the text Attn: before the name of the addressee. To create labels, first select Tables in the Navigation pane. Click the table you want to use. Click the Create tab. In the Reports group, click the Labels button. Select the desired label manufacturer. Select the type of label you are using. Click the Next button. Select font specifications as required. Click the Next button. Double click the field names you want for the label in the Available Fields: list, remembering to press the [Enter] key for each line. Click the Next button. Set any sort order you require. Click the Next button. Name the Label report if necessary. Click the Finish button. Page 150 WWP Learning and Development Ltd

159 APPENDIX B - EXCHANGING DATA WITH EXCEL IMPORTING DATA FROM EXCEL If you have data in an Excel workbook, you can use the information in an Access database. You can import or link all the data from a workbook or the specified data from a named range. When you import or link data, Access usually creates a new table for the information. In this lesson, you will learn how to: Import data from Excel Export data to an Excel workbook To import data from Excel, first open the database in which you want to import or link data. Click the External Data tab. In the Import group, click the Excel button. Locate, and select, the Excel workbook you want to import. Click the Open button. Choose from the three options as to whether you want import, append, or link. Click the OK button. Select the worksheet containing the data you want to import. Click the Next button. Specify whether the data has column headings. Click the Next button. Select the field options for each field (column). Click the Finish button. Choose whether to save the import steps for the future. Click the Close button. The data is displayed in a table datasheet. WWP Learning and Development Ltd Page 151

160 Once the data has been transferred, Excel can be used to analyse or chart the data, then the resulting data can be imported back into Access. EXPORTING DATA TO EXCEL Access table data can easily be converted into an Excel worksheet for analysis. Before you can analyse Access data, you must first convert it to an Excel workbook. You can use the Excel command in Access to export data as an Excel table file. Alternatively, you can use the PivotTable or PivotChart and PivotTable Report option in Excel to use the Access data as a PivotTable. The PivotTable is a table you can use to perform calculations with or rearrange large amounts of data. To export a table into an Excel workbook, first click the table or query you want to export in the Navigation pane. Click the External Data tab. In the Export group, click the Excel button. In the Export Excel Spreadsheet dialog box, select the Export options and the Browse button to specify the destination. In the File Save dialog box, select the location for the new workbook and name it. Click the Save button. Click the OK button. The table is saved as an Excel workbook. If necessary, click to put a check in the Save export steps check box. Click the Close button. Page 152 WWP Learning and Development Ltd