1. Chapter 17
Creating a Database

2. What’s Inside and on the CD?
In this chapter, you will be introduced to Microsoft Access and its powerful tools for:
Entering and updating information
Deleting information
Sorting data
Searching for specific data
Creating reports
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

3. How is data organized in a database?
Database software like Microsoft Access can be complex but is useful for organizing many types of data
An Access database consists of tables
Each table is similar to a stack of index cards
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

4. How is data organized in a database?
Each card in the stack contains similar information, which relates to a single entity.
A database record is equivalent to one index card.
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

5. How is data organized in a database?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

6. How is data organized in a database?
Data can be displayed in different ways
The table view is a grid of rows and columns
Each row contains one record, equivalent to one index card
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

7. How is data organized in a database?
Each cell in a row contains the data for one field
The table is composed of all fields in all rows, equivalent to the entire stack of index cards
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8. How is data organized in a database?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

9. What’s in the Access window?
To start Access:
Click Start
Click All Programs
Click Microsoft Office
Click Microsoft Office Access 2007
Getting Started with Microsoft Office Access window appears – use it to:
Connect to Microsoft Office Online
Search for an existing file
Create a new database
Open an existing database
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

10. What’s in the Access window?
With Access, you typically don’t create a new database but open an existing one to add to or edit data it contains
Unlike other Microsoft programs, Access databases are not displayed as they will be printed
Access provides several tools used to create, modify, and display data
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

11. What’s in the Access window?
Tools, used to create tables and simple queries, are contained in the Navigation Pane on left side of the database window
Access offers many different ways to use each tool
Access is a complex software
In order to simplify introduction, some basic ways to use most common tools will be introduced
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

12. What’s in the Access window?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

13. How do I create a new database or open an existing database?
Creating a database is different from a document, worksheet, or presentation
In Access you first save an empty database then create elements of database
Elements include:
Tables
Reports
Forms
Queries
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

14. How do I create a new database or open an existing database?
Database needs to be saved only once
As you add or change data, changes are automatically saved
When finished, just close it
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

15. How do I create a new database or open an existing database?
If database is already created, select name from Getting Started with Microsoft Office Access window
To open database:
Use More files link on Getting Started with Microsoft Office Access window
Select storage device
Select file name
Click Open
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

16. How do I create a new database or open an existing database?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

17. How do I create a table using a Table Template?
You must specify the structure of tables, records, and fields before you can enter data
Table Templates make it easy to create tables for common business and personal databases.
A table contains records
Each record contains one or more fields
Each field contains a type of data such as name or data
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

18. How do I create a table using a Table Template?
After you create the database, make sure that Table is selected in the Objects list
Double-click Create table by using wizard
Select the most appropriate table type
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19. How do I create a table using a Table Template?
Have Access create a primary key, which is a field that uniquely identifies each record
Save the table
Give the table a unique name
Not necessarily the same name for the database
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20. How do I create a table using a Table Template?
If you are saving to a floppy disk or USB flash drive, do not remove it until the Access window closes
To open the database the next time you start Access, click the file name from the Getting Started with Microsoft Office Access window
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

21. How do I create a table using a Table Template?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

22. How do I create a table using a Table Template?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

23. How do I create a table using a Table Template?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

24. How do I enter and edit data in a table?
Once fields are defined for table, data for each entity becomes one record, or row, in table
If table is not open, double-click the name of the table in the Navigation Pane
An empty record is always displayed at bottom of table
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25. How do I enter and edit data in a table?
Each time record added, a new empty row appears
Make sure data is consistent - for example, don't use MI and Michigan in same database
To edit data, click cell containing data
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26. How do I enter and edit data in a table?
Use left and right arrow keys to move insertion point within field
Use Backspace and Delete to delete text to left or right of insertion point
To delete entire record:
Right-click row header
Click Delete Record on shortcut menu
Click Yes button
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27. How do I enter and edit data in a table?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

28. Can I import data into a database?
You can import data from files created with other software
Worksheets created with Excel
Databases created with older versions of Access
address books created with Outlook
Comma-delimited files
A comma-delimited file, sometimes referred to as a CSV file, is data separated by commas
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

29. Can I import data into a database?
Many software applications offer an export option that creates a comma-delimited file
Import a CSV file by selecting the Import text file from the External Data tab and then select the file
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30. Can I import data into a database?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

31. How do I create a table in Design View?
If Table Templates don’t meet your needs for a table design, you may create your own in Design View
When you create your own table, you must specify a data type for each field
A data type determines what kind of data can be entered into the field
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

32. How do I create a table in Design View?
Use Text data type for fields that will contain data up to 255 characters in length
Use Memo data type for fields that will contain variable length data, such as comments, notes, and reviews
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33. How do I create a table in Design View?
Use Number data type for fields that will contain numeric data
Don't use Number data type for data that looks like a number but will never be calculated
A telephone number field should be defined as Text
Use Date/Time data type for dates and times
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34. How do I create a table in Design View?
If you have allowed Access to define the primary key
ID field is created using the AutoNumber data type
Unique number is automatically entered in field as record is entered
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35. How do I create a table in Design View?
Yes/No data can be useful for fields designed to hold simple Yes/No or True/False data
Example, use Yes/No data type for field “Subtitled?"
After all fields defined, save and close table to begin entering data in new table
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

36. How do I create a table in Design View?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

37. How do I work with tables?
Working with data in Access can be similar to working with data in an Excel worksheet
You can add, delete, move, sort, and search for data
Controls for these operations are on the ribbon
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

38. How do I work with tables?
Operations for working with tables include:
Modify data
Insert a record
Delete a record
Move a field
Hide a field
Sort records
Search
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

39. How do I work with tables?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

40. How do I create a query using a wizard?
Data in a table can be manipulated in many ways, e.g.:
search a company database for products that cost more than $10
create a query to search for records containing particular data
A query contains criteria that specifies what you want to find
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41. How do I create a query using a wizard?
Use query to display some, but not all, fields in table
The Query Wizard is a quick way to learn about simple queries and use them to locate data
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

42. How do I create a query using a Wizard?
Simple Query Wizard – What fields do you want in your query?
click a field
click button to add an individual field to query
click button to add all fields to the query
click button to remove an individual field from query
click button to remove all fields from query
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

43. How do I create a query using a Wizard?
Simple Query Wizard – Would you like a detail or summary query?
Detail option shows all specified fields for records
The Summary option displays how many records match your criteria
Simple Query Wizard – What title do you want for your query?
Enter a title and click the Finish button to see the results of your query
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

44. How do I create a query using a Wizard?
To refine search, specify query criteria
Example, to see only records of items costing more then $10:
Close query window
Right-click query tab
Click Design View on shortcut menu
Type >10 in criteria row under Price field
Click Run button on Query Tools Design contextual tab
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45. How do I create a query using a Wizard?
When window closed after viewing results of query specified by query criteria:
Message asking - Do you want to save changes to design of query ‘Query Name’?
Click Yes if you want to use same criteria every time you use query
After query is saved, you can use it repeatedly on all data that matches criteria specified
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

46. How do I create a query using a Wizard?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17

47. How do I create a query using a Wizard?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 17