1. Introduction to Databases

2. Overview  What is a Database?  What is a Database Management System?  How is information organized in a database?  What is Access?  Database terminology

3. What is a Database?  A database is a collection of data that is related to a particular topic or purpose.  Examples: Library Telephone Book School Records Business Database - Visa

4. What are Database Management Systems?  A database management system (DBMS) is the software that lets you enter, maintain, retrieve, and output data from a database.

5. Understanding Databases Filing Cabinet Drawer #1 Customers Drawer #3 Employees Drawer #2 Suppliers Supplier #100Supplier #1Supplier #2 Name, Address, City, Phone #, etc.

6. How Data is Organized Database Table 1Table 3Table 2 Record 2Record 1 Field 1 Field 2 Field 3 Field 1 Field 2 Field 3

7. What is Access?  Access is a database management system developed by Microsoft. It is part of the Microsoft Office software package (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, etc.).  Access 2003 is the database management system we will be using.

8. Organizing information in Access  In Access, the database is organized into tables. For example: DATABASE Customer Employee SupplierOrders Table

9. Access 2003  Data in a table (or tables) is organized into columns (called fields) and rows (called records) FieldFieldField Record

10. Terminology  Words to know: Table: a storage structure of data that is composed of columns of information (fields) and repeated in rows (records). Query: a question asked of the data contained in tables or other queries. (e.g., What students passed the final?).

11. Terminology Form: a screen used to format the output of a query or table for display or to allow for data entry. Report: Formatted output of data for printing – it receives data from tables and queries

12. Terminology Field: A column of data in a table. (e.g. Last Name in a table of names and addresses) Primary Key: The field on which a table can be related to another table to join the two together. (e.g. Your account number at your bank ties you to a table of transactions, loans, personal data, etc.).