Access 2010 - Intermediate 103-134 Unit 6 - Data Integration Quick Links & Text References Overview Pages AC418 AC419 Showing Data on the Web Pages AC420 AC423 CSV Files Pages AC423 AC428 XML Files Pages AC428 AC437 Excel Files Pages AC460 AC463 Embedding Charts Pages AC445 AC452 Creating PivotTables Pages AC452 AC458 Creating PivotCharts Pages AC458 AC460 This icon designates a video is available as an additional reference. Video DVD is available in the Stevens Point library Overview In Accessing Beginning, you learned how to import certain types of data into Access. In this unit you ll learn how to export Access data so it can be used by other programs. All export options are available in the External Data, Export group OR (conveniently) by right-clicking an object and choosing Export from the popup menu. Forms and reports can also be exported, but tables and queries are more likely. You ll also learn some more advanced import techniques When you create an import or an export, Access offers to save the import or export steps for you. Use this feature to save the steps for imports/exports that you need to do repeatedly Or have to share with your instructor To execute a saved import/export at a later time Click the Saved Imports button in the External Data tab, Import & Link group Click the Saved Exports button External Data tab, Export group in the Page 1 of 11
Showing Data on the Web Access 8: HTML Document Importing Only way to import data from the web is to download CSV or XML (see below) saved to the web. Exporting Data can be exported but data on your computer is not directly accessible via the Web. Need a web server and a data server Can display snapshots of data on the web Aka, static Web page HTML documents are also very portable. Most computers include a web browser (even when not connected to the Internet), so this option allows you to share data snapshots with people who don t have Access installed on their computers. You can of course export the data regularly to keep it current. Select a table, query, form or report. Right-click Choose Export, HTML A dialog box will appear Designate where to save the HTML document Designate whether to include formatting (usually, Yes) Designate which records to select (optional) Designate whether an HTML template should be used. Creating these templates is beyond the score of this course. To view the HTML file, browse to its location and double-click. File automatically opens in your default browser. Page 2 of 11
CSV Files Importing CSV, Comma-Separated Values, files are the most portable means of transferring data from one database system to another. Pure text files, no formatting Each field is listed one after the other, separated by commas Mainframes, PCs, Macs, etc. can all create and read CSV files. Most database management systems, including Access, have the ability to import or export their data in CSV format In the book, CSV files have a.csv extension. This is not required..txt is most common for text files. Select Text File in the External Data tab, Import & Link group Browse to locate the CSV file Designate whether the data should be imported into an existing table or a new table. Access will show you a preview of the file s contents. Ensure the correct delimiting option is selected. If you are importing into a new table, designate the field names and types for the fields. CSV files don t include a header row Designate the primary key Designate the table name Review the created table or records. Exporting Right-click the table or query Export, Text File Designate file location DO NOT export formatting Designate a delimited file Use comma as delimiter Unless data contains commas Verify file location Open file (in Notepad) and check validity Page 3 of 11
XML Files A more modern data sharing format is XML Extensible Markup Language XML is also a text-only data format, but it has significant structure embedded in its text, allowing the file to contain even more information (table structure for instance). Again, because it is so standardized and flexible, XML is another popular way to transfer data from one database system to another. Importing External Data tab, Import & Link, XML File Browse to locate the import file Select the table to import Designate whether data or structure should be imported Open the table to verify its validity Exporting Select the appropriate table or query External Data tab, Export, XML File or Right-click and choose Export, XML File Browse to designate the destination file location and name Click to open the full XML export dialog box Select the table to export If need be, you can also export related lookup tables (parent tables) Select which records to export (usually All) (Schema tab) Schema is another name for a table s structure. Most convenient to choose the Embed option. Structure and data are exported to the same file. Presentation tab allows you to apply a style sheet (XSL) to the XML file. Leave default values Beyond the scope of this course. Double-click the XML file to verify its validity Opens in a browser window If you look closely, you should be able to recognize the table s structure and then its data. Page 4 of 11
Excel Files Given the table-like nature of both Excel and Access, sharing data between them is fairly straightforward Many novices create their first database in Excel Import External Data, Import & Link, Excel Browse to locate the file to import Designate whether a new table should be created or the records should be added to an existing table or a linked table should be created (see below) Verify that column headings and data seem correct If importing to a new table, designate field name and data type of each column If importing to a new table, select the primary key Name the table Export External Data, Export, Excel (or right-click) Designate where to save the file Designate the file format Designate whether formatting should be retained Linking Access 8: Programs Linking allows you to use an Excel table in Access without actually copying it to the database. Linked spreadsheet must be on your computer or network Can open as a table, filter, sort, etc. Can create queries, forms, reports based on this linked table CANNOT edit the data in Access Data must be editing in Excel. Changes automatically reflected in Access External Data, Import & Link, Excel Browse to locate the file to import Designate a linked table should be created Verify that column headings and data seem correct Name the table Page 5 of 11
Embedding Charts Access 8: Programs Though there is a Chart Tool in the Form (and Report) toolbar, Access doesn t have the ability to create or store charts. A linked Microsoft Graph object is created using a wizard Click the Chart button in the Form Design Tools Design tab, Controls group Click where you want the chart to appear. The Chart Wizard begins Designate the table or query to base the chart on Select the field that contains the axis labels for the chart and the field that contains the data to be graphed Select the chart type Most of the chart types you learned about in Excel are available when you edit the chart (see below) Designate which fields are labels and which contain data and what statistic you want (if any) Access does a pretty good job of guessing If you use Date fields as labels, you can group the data by month or year Double-click the date label to change Double-click the statistic label to change Click the Preview button to preview the chart layout Preview is not very accurate (rough preview), easier to change later. Select which fields in the chart are linked to fields in the main form so the chart changes when the data changes Select the primary key of the table the chart is based on Probably already selected Designate a title for the chart Designate whether a legend should be added Use Form view to preview the chart Page 6 of 11
To modify a chart, in Design view, right-click its edge and choose Chart Object, Open Tip: switch to Form view first. The chart will then be more accurate in Design view. Microsoft Graph opens allowing you to change the chart Use the Chart menu to change the chart type or many of its standard components (Chart Options) You can also double-click any chart object to change it. Other menu items provide more advanced options. Simply close the Microsoft Chart window when you are done editing the chart. Note you can also edit a chart by right-clicking it (in Design view) and choosing Chart Object, Edit. The Ribbon is replaced by the Microsoft Chart menu and toolbar I found selecting objects in this mode more difficult To return to Access, click outside the chart Creating PivotTables Access 8: Creating and Using a PivotTable Not really a data integration topic but covered in this unit and a very important topic Employers like people who can create and use PivotTables and PivotCharts Like Excel, Access can create PivotTables (similar to crosstabs) to help analyze data statistics from multiple fields. PivotTables are more flexible than crosstabs because you change or filter the data; crosstabs can t. A PivotTable is actually another way to view a table or a query The PivotTable view parameters are saved along with the table/query Page 7 of 11
To create a PivotTable Open the underlying table/query Switch to PivotTable view Drag fields from the PivotTable Field List window to the appropriate placeholder in the PivotTable view Designate row field Designate column field Designate statistic field Designate a filtering field If you accidentally close the Field List window, click the Field List button in the Show/Hide group of the PivotTable Tools Design tab. To add subtotals and totals Click the detail column header (field for which statistics are created) Click the AutoCalc button in the Tools group of the PivotTable Tools Design tab Select the statistic to generate Totals are generated for each group (row value), each column value, and grand totals at the bottom of the PivotTable I have not found way to select which totals you get (you always get them all) Often the detail records clutter the pivot table. Click the Hide Details button in the PivotTable Tools Design tab, Show/Hide group To bring them back again, click the Show Details button in the same group You can hide the details for individual groups (rows or columns) by using the Show/Hide Details button (aka Drill Buttons) near the group header (+ to expand/show, - to collapse/hide) Page 8 of 11
To filter Click the dropdown arrow next to any field in the PivotTable Turn off the All option Select the values to be included To show all values again, click the All button or Click the AutoFilter button in the Filter and Sort group of the PivotTable Tools Design tab The AutoFilter button removes all filters from all fields The AutoFilter button retains your filtering selections, it just restores all the records Click the button again to reapply the filters To remove a field from the PivotTable Select the field (click) Click the Remove Field button in the Active Field group of the PivotTable Tools Design tab You can also right-click the field and choose Remove Field I like using the Field List to remove Summary Fields. Right-click the summary field in the Field List and choose Delete. Page 9 of 11
Creating PivotCharts Access 8: Creating a PivotChart Once you ve created a PivotTable you can easily create a chart to make the data trends easier to view PivotCharts are also a view Open the table or query Switch to PivotChart view Tip: right-clicking the tab for the table/query (after opening it) provides access to all the views Make sure the PivotTable has been created By default, Access creates a bar chart Click the Change Chart Type button in the Type group of the PivotChart Tools Design tab This opens the Property dialog box with the Type tab preselected. Choose the chart type. Note you can also open this dialog box by clicking the Property Sheet button Showing the legend Show Property Sheet General Tab Add the data legend Select the legend and format it using the Property Sheet or the Home tab, Text Formatting group To remove the legend, select it in the chart and press the Delete key on the keyboard Adding the title Show Property Sheet General Tab Add the title Select the title and format it using the Property Sheet or the Home tab, Text Formatting group To remove the title, select it in the chart and press the Delete key on the keyboard Page 10 of 11
Selecting a data range If you want to change the color of an entire range of data (bar chart, column chart), you have to select all the bars with the same color otherwise only the one bar is changed To select all the bars of one color For some reason, shift-click (ctrl-click) doesn t work Click one of bars Then, shift-click the same bar. All the bars of that color (that data range) should now be selected Legend updates automatically Filtering a PivotChart PivotChart filtering is linked to the PivotTable filtering Any filtering changes made to one are automatically reflected in the other Use the arrows next to the field names One exception Detail records cannot be filtered in PivotChart view Filter in PivotTable view, then return to the chart Caution: if you filter after formatting, when you remove the filter, the formatting may be lost. Page 11 of 11