fall 2003sylnovie merchant, ph.d. access tutorial note: the purpose of this tutorial is to provide...

Sylnovie Merchant, Ph.D. Fall 2003

ACCESS Tutorial

Note: The purpose of this tutorial is to provide an introduction to some of the functions of ACCESS in the easiest possible way for a beginning user. There are several ways to accomplish tasks in ACCESS and more complex functions are available. You are encouraged to explore these on your own.


Creating the Initial Database

• Enter the Microsoft ACCESS Program.

• The Microsoft ACCESS screen will appear with the task pane on the right as shown on the following page.– Click on “Blank Database”



• A File New Database Screen will appear– Enter a new file name for the database

– Click “Create”



• A Database screen with your selected name appears.



• Click on “Tables” (if not already selected)– Double click on “Create Table Using Wizard”

• The first screen you see will ask you to select the fields you want in your database.


Table Wizard Screen #1

• Sample tables– Select “Business”– Scroll down table until you find the Transaction

Processing System you need (e.g. Products)


Table Wizard Screen 1• Moving fields from the sample to your table (file)

– Legends• “>” move selected field to the new table• “>>” moves all fields to the new table• “<“ deletes one field from the new table• “<<“ deletes all fields from the new table

– Select the field(s) you want in the order you desire in the sample table and move them to the new table– If you want to rename a field:

• Click on the field in new table• Click on “Rename”• Type in the new name• Click on “Next”


Table Wizard Screen 2

• Name the new table• For primary key

– ACCESS will automatically increment the primary key field beginning with the number “1”

– If you don’t want this, click on “No, I’ll set the primary key”

– Click “Next”


Table WizardSetting Your Own Primary Key

• If you choose to set your own primary key, you will go to this screen.

• Here you can designate the field you want as the primary key and how that primary key is to be incremented.

• Once you have chosen the field and the type of data for the primary key, click on “Next.”


Table Wizard Screen 3

• Select option “Modify”

• Click “Finish”


Modifying the Database

• The Table Design Screen will appear• You can transit between the upper and lower panels

by pressing “F6” or by mouse navigation• In the upper panels you can

– change data type when necessary • Click in the “data type” box

• Click on the down arrow that appears and browse

– enter a short description of the field



• In the lower panel for each field– change the field size when appropriate– select whether or not the field is mandatory on

update– don’t worry about other fields (e.g., edits) for a

Type 1 prototype

• Save and Close the modified table



• You will find your newly created table will be listed under the “Tables” section.

• To edit the table select the table and click on the “Design” option in the dialogue box menu. This will take you back to the table design screen.


Entering Data Into the Database

• Select your table in the Table view

• Select “Open” or double-click on the table name



• The data table for your database appears• Enter initial data using the Tab button and/or

mouse navigation to move between fields• When done, Save and Close your table

• Note: If you chose to allow ACCESS to automatically input the primary key for you (you will see “(AutoNumber)” in the field used for the primary key. There is no need for you to enter data in this field. ACCESS will increment it for you.


Designing a Database Update Form

• In the Database Screen– Select “Form”

– Double-click on “Create form by using wizard”


Form Wizard Screen 1• If you have only one table, the

Form Wizard will choose to use that one.– Otherwise, choose the table you

want to use by clicking on the down arrow under Table/Queries

• Select the Fields you want in the form (just as you did when you were creating the database)

• Click “Next”


Form Wizard Screen 2

• Select “Columnar” or any other format• Click “Next”


Form Wizard Screen 3

• Browse through and select your form style– Clicking on a style will display that style in the window



Form Wizard Step 4• Form Wizard Screen #4

– Give your form a name

– Select “Modify

Form Design”

– Click “Finish”

• Form Wizard will construct and save your form

• The Form Design Window and toolbar will appear with your new form


Enhancing the Form• You can move the Design Toolbar to the

right or top of the screen by clicking and dragging it.

• Maximizing borders– Drag the right side and bottom borders to the

full extent of the form by moving the mouse to an edge (a “+” appears), holding down the mouse button, drag a border, then release the mouse button


Enhancing the Form


Enhancing the Form• Form headings

– Drag the Heading border down to give yourself more room to type a large heading

• move the mouse cursor to Design Toolbar (right side or top of screen)• Click “Control Wizard” button

• Click the label “A” button• Move the cursor to where you want to begin typing your heading (you don’t need to hold the mouse

button down)• Type your heading• Insert the cursor within the heading box and double click or right click• A Label Properties list will appear (make note of the possible changes)• Scroll or Tab down to “Font” and change to “12”• Close the Label Properties list• Double-click on the right of the heading box to expand it to include your larger print.


Enhancing the Form


Enhancing the Form

• Field alignment– You want to move half the listed fields to the right half of the

screen and then space them on the screen to reduce screen clutter (local screen density)

– Click within the label box of the bottom field you wish to move

– Drag your cursor up and to the left until you include all the fields you want to move

– Drag the entire group of fields to the upper right of the screen and release the mouse button.

– Space the fields throughout the screen so the layout is symmetrical


Combo Boxes

• Combo boxes– At least one of your fields must be a Combo Box,

which allows the user to select from a menu of predetermined options.

– Select the field you want to contain this Combo Box (ie, categoryid)

– Place the cursor in the label box and click– Press “Delete”. The field will disappear.

• “Undo” will bring it back


Combo Boxes• Combo boxes (continued)

– Move the cursor to the Design Toolbar• Select “Control Wizard”

• Select “Combo Box”• Move the Combo symbol to where you want the box

to appear• Click the left mouse button.• A series of four “Combo Box” screens will appear

• Note: If you do not select the “Control Wizard” the Combo Box screens will not appear.


Combo Box Screen 1

• Click “ I will type in the values I want”



Combo Box Screen 2

• Leave the number of columns at “1”

• Enter the field choices you want available to the user– tab to the next choice

– make sure your entry is within the number of characters you allowed for this field

– make sure your entries and data types are consistent (e.g., numeric)



Combo Box Screen 3

• Select the database field in which you wish to store the Combo Box entry selected

• Click “Next”• If necessary, drag your

newly displayed Combo Box to a more symmetrical position on your form

• Save and Close your modified form.


Developing a Report

• Open your database in the Database Window– Click “Report”– Double-click “Create report using wizard”

• A series of Report Wizard screens will appear


Report Wizard Screen 1

• Move the fields from the file to your report design (just as you did when your created the database)



Report Wizard Screen 2• There will be no grouping levels for our

report




• There will be no sort categories




• Select the type of layout you would like for the report.– Clicking on different

layouts in this screen will display them.




• Select the style you want for the report.– As with the layout

screen clicking on a style will display it in the window.




• Type the name of your report– Select “Preview Report”– Click “Finish”

• A preview of your report appears

• Save and Close your report


Developing the Main Menu Shell

• Navigate to the Table View for your file

• Select “Forms”

• Double-click on “Create Form in Design View”

• The New Form Screen will appear in Design View

– Note: This time we select “Design View” since the Main Menu will not contain record fields that you can select.


Developing the Main Menu Shell• The Design Screen appears

– Move the screen borders to the far right and far bottom– Type in your headings

• select “Control Wizard” from the toolbox

• select “Text (A)” from the toolbar• move the cursor to where you want to begin typing your heading• Type your heading • Place your cursor on outer edge of the “Heading” box and double-click the

left mouse button• The “Properties” box will appear • Tab down to the “Font” and change it to a larger size (e.g., 14)• Close the “Properties” box• Resize the “Heading” box to include the larger print



– Type in any user instructions you want to include on the Main Menu using the same technique

– Save and Close your Main Menu shell


Entering Macros

• Navigate to your Database screen• Click “Macros”, • Select “New” from the menu on the dialogue box• A Macro Screen will appear

– The screen has an upper and lower panel. The lower panel will appear when arguments are required for the action you selected.

– All actions and arguments can be selected by browsing the list button to the right of the field

– Enter the actions for the Open Main Menu macro as shown on the following slides.


Entering Macros


Entering Macros

When entering the OpenForm Action, you will need to enter the form name in the lower panel. Some of the actions you select may not require that you input anything into the lower panel.


Entering Macros


Entering Macros• Saving the Macro

– Click on the “Save” icon or select the “Save” option from the “File” prompt

– A Save screen will appear. Type in the name for the macro (e.g., Open Menu) and click “OK”

– Close the macro.

– The Database Screen reappears with your macro listed

• Follow the same procedures to enter the other four macros from the preceding table


Placing Command Buttons• Navigate to your Database screen• Click “Forms”• Select from the Forms list, your Main Menu form and

click “Design”• The Design View screen will display the Main Menu

shell you previously designed.• You will be placing, in the low half of this menu, three

Command buttons which will allow the user to either:– Proceed to the Update menu– View a preview of your report– Exit the application


Update Command Button

• Move the cursor to the Design toolbox• Make sure that the “Control” button is not

active• Click on the “Command” button.• Move the cursor to where you wish to place

the Command button on your screen (e.g., lower left)

• Click the left mouse button


Update Command Button

• Place the cursor inside the Command button on your screen and double-click with the left mouse button

• This will highlight the text and allow you to change the name

• Type in the name and press enter• Double-click on the Command Button again ( or

click on the Command Button with your right mouse button)

• A Command Button Properties list will appear


Update Command Button•Tab down to the “On Click” entry and click on it. Scan the possible options and select the macro you have established to open your update form. Click on this option

•Close the Command Button Properties window

•Follow the same procedures for the other Command buttons you will need to create.

•Save and Close your Main Menu form.


Running the Application System

• Navigate to your Database screen

• Click on “Macros”

• From your list of macros, select the one that opens your Main Menu

• Click on “Run”

• If your macros are correct, your application should start running

fall 2003sylnovie merchant, ph.d. access tutorial note: the purpose of this tutorial is to provide...

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