Introduction to MS Access Instructor: Vicki Weidler Assistant: Joaquin Obieta

Unit 1: Database Concepts

Overview Become familiar with MS Access database terminology Learn how to start MS Access, open a database & navigate the software interface Understand database objects & their corresponding functions Use standard design principles to plan a database Explore relationships between tables Use Help options to find information on MS Access topics Learn how to close a database & MS Access

Databases What is a database? When do you use a database? 3 main types of databases Flat file Relational Object-oriented What is a database? A collection of data organized in some way to make it more useful Examples: Phone book, library card catalog system, LIAS CAT, Training registration system When do you use a database? Large collection of data To be organized in different ways based on multiple criteria Make it more useful by breaking it into smaller subsets of information Example: Admissions Office may want to view all University Park Penn State juniors from Pittsburgh 3 Types 1) Flat File – spreadsheet (show example) Relational Stores info in tables Tables can be joined many different ways using a primary key Benefits over flat files: Increases efficiency Reduces redundancy/duplications Improved performance 3) Object-Oriented Uses Java, C++, etc. Create different components in the system Once created, re-use, extend and modify the components

Microsoft Access A relational database management program that allows you to store, organize, and retrieve information in an effective manner.

Planning a Database What is the purpose of the database? What do you need it to do? Who will use it? How many will use it? When will they use it? (i.e. one at a time, simultaneously) How will they use it? (i.e. desktop, server, web-interface) Who will create it? Who will maintain & modify it? Who will do data entry? Do you need to build in security measures? Who will provide technical support for it? What types of information need to go in it? How will this be organized into tables? How will these tables relate to one another? What types of queries will you need to create? Will you need to create any forms? How many? What kind? Will you need to create any reports? How many? What kind? Will you need to create any pages? How many? What kind?

Common Mistakes to Avoid Don’t assume every problem can be solved with a database Don’t leave too long between reviews Don’t spend too much time on the prototype Don’t develop the database until you fully understand what you need it to do Don’t develop the database until it is clear where all responsibilities lie Don’t aid for 100% functionality first time around; use 80-20% rule Involve all users in the database planning, design & testing Has anyone else solved the problem? Don’t reinvent the wheel Plan on an iterative development process Use consistent database standards and naming conventions Use consistent, universal coding Use consistent viewing standards Keep sufficient documentation; build into the database when possible Tech support, tech support, tech support……….. 80-20 Rule 80% functionality in 20% of the time

Database Development Life-Cycle No testing; asking for problems First Phase: Database Design Take time to answer all ? Be as thorough as possible Outline standards for the project Second Phase: Database Prototype Develop quick & dirty prototype; use only to determine functionality of database Prototype should be carefully evaluated and functionality approved May learn that another software pkg or approach to design is better Third Phase: Database Development Set final specs and create final database application Check to insure meets design standards Functions correctly? Test internally first Performs on all required platforms/clients Are Help documents consistent & clear Fourth Phase: Database Testing Pilot in real production environment (test server preferred when possble); monitor closely for performance problems Limited audience of people/testers-get feedback Once tested successfully, move to production server All documentation written Final Phase: Production Reviewed, evaluated, tested Meets all standards and current needs of user(s) Iterative process-refine and enhance later Directions and Help documents readily available to user(s) Database Design Get feedback Try to set up separate server for testing purposes Monitor server closely for performance problems Once tested successfully, move to production server All documentation should be written/edited Final Phase: Production Reviewed, evaluated, tested Meets all standards & needs of user Further refinement always possible Add’l features added in future Directions readily available to users Database Production Database Prototype Database Testing Database Development

Summary Become familiar with MS Access database terminology Learn how to start MS Access, open a database & navigate the software interface Understand database objects & their corresponding functions Use standard design principles to plan a database Explore relationships between tables Use Help options to find information on MS Access topics Learn how to close a database & MS Access

Independent Practice Activity Question #2: 3 types (tables, queries, reports) Question #3: 5 fields and 10 records Question #5: Database, Table, Data Value Question #6: Table, Query, Report

Unit 2: Access Basics

Overview Explore the viewing options for MS Access tables, forms, queries & reports Learn how to navigate in a table and a form Learn how to run a query

Views in MS Access Design View - displays the structure of a table, query, form or report Datasheet View – displays data in a tabular format containing rows & columns in tables, queries & forms; view & edit PivotTable View – spreadsheet-like table used to analyze data dynamically in different ways in tables, queries & forms PivotChart View – presents data in a chart form in tables, queries & forms SQL View – allows you to create queries using SQL statements Form View – allows you to view and edit data in a form Layout Preview – allows you to check a report’s design; shows design elements & just enough records to verify the design is correct Print Preview – allows you to view a report including moving around a single page, multiple pages, look at several pages at once & change magnification to view details

Using Queries to Retrieve Data Define the following: The conditions that you want the data to meet The fields that you want to see in the query result The tables from which you’ll extract the fields The means of extracting data

Summary Explore the viewing options for MS Access tables, forms, queries & reports Learn how to navigate in a table and a form Learn how to run a query

Independent Practice Activity Datasheet View-shows data is a tabular format Design View-gives control over table structure Navigation Button-buttons at bottom of datasheet view used to move through records Record Selector-small box to left of each record in a table that you can click to select a record

Unit 3: Creating Databases

Overview Learn how to create & save a database Use the Table Wizard to create a table & set a primary key Use Design view to create tables & enter records

Naming Rules A database, object or field name: Can have any combination of letters, numbers, special characters, & embedded spaces Cannot contain more than 64 characters & cannot start with a space Cannot incluce a period (.), exclamation mark (!), an accent grace (‘), or brackets ([ ]) CAUTION: Good practice to use underscores (_) instead of embedded spaces because it is easier to refer to an object name & avoid potential issues

Practice Inventory_ _ Control Yes, although one underscore is the accepted standard .Access.Database 1 No, because the name contains periods & spaces should be avoided finanCIAL$Transaction Yes, although try to use names that are as simple & descriptive as possible Contact [Client] Address No, because the name contains brackets & spaces should be avoided SalesPerson3 Yes, it is fine to run words together & use different cases

Summary Learn how to create & save a database Use the Table Wizard to create a table & set a primary key Use Design view to create tables & enter records

Independent Practice Activity

Unit 4: Working with Fields & Records

Overview Learn how to modify a table’s design by editing fields & setting field properties Learn how to add & delete records Use the Find feature to find & replace records Use the Spell Checker to correct mistakes in a table Learn how to sort & filter records

Effective Field Names Meaningful Descriptive Self-Explanatory Purposeful Understandable Readable Consistent

Text Formatting Characters @ at least one letter or space must be entered in the field < the letters entered in the field will be converted to lowercase letters > the letters entered in the field will be converted to uppercase letters & letters cannot be entered in the field

Sorting & Filtering Sorting Filtering Organize field data values in a particular sequence (i.e. ascending, descending) Filtering Temporarily isolate a subset of records to analyze

Sorting Multiple Fields Fields must be adjacent to each other in Datasheet view Sorts from left to right

Summary Learn how to modify a table’s design by editing fields & setting field properties Learn how to add & delete records Use the Find feature to find & replace records Use the Spell Checker to correct mistakes in a table Learn how to sort & filter records

Independent Practice Activity

Unit 5: Querying Tables

Overview Learn how to create, run, print, and save queries Use queries to sort data and filter query results Learn how to modify query results Understand how to modify queries by adding/ removing fields and by using comparison operators Learn how to use AND and OR conditions Learn how to find records with empty fields Perform calculations in queries by using expressions and aggregate functions

Comparison Operators > Greater than < Less than = Equal to <= Less than or equal to >= Greater than or equal to <> Not equal to Use to specify criteria to find records with matching values in 1> fields Use to specify a condition for a query

OR Conditions Used to specify two conditions in the criteria Example: Unit_price is greater than 2 OR Qty_Available is equal to 700

AND Conditions Used to show only the records that satisfy all the specified conditions Example: Unit_price is greater than 1.4 AND less than 1.9

Wildcard Operators Used to locate text values when you can’t remember the exact text or word; placeholder ? Used to substitute for a single character * Used to substitute for any number of characters Other Wildcard Operators [] Any character within the brackets b[aeo]ll finds “ball,” “bell,” and “boll” but not “bill” or “bull” ! Any character not in the brackets b[!ae]ll finds “bill,” “boll,” and “bull” but not “ball” or “bell” - (hyphen) Any character in the specified range B[a-d]t finds “bat,” “bbt,” “bct,” and “bdt” of characters. The range must be in ascending order # Any single numeric character 10# finds “100,” “101,” “102,” and so on but not “10A”

Empty Fields Unknown (empty) values in fields are referred to as null values Null values cannot be used in primary key fields or in calculations Can display or remove null values to avoid/prevent problems

Calculations in Queries When calculations are built into queries (and not stored in the source tables) it ensures the most up-to-date information Calculations are performed each time the query is run Perform calculations on single records or on a group of records Examples: Totals, Averages, Counts

Summary Learn how to create, run, print, and save queries Use queries to sort data and filter query results Learn how to modify query results Understand how to modify queries by adding/ removing fields and by using comparison operators Learn how to use AND and OR conditions Learn how to find records with empty fields Perform calculations in queries by using expressions and aggregate functions

Independent Practice Activity

Unit 6: Creating & Using Forms

Overview Use the AutoForm feature to create forms Use the Form Wizard to create forms Understand how to modify forms in Design view Use forms to find, sort, and filter records

Summary Use the AutoForm feature to create forms Use the Form Wizard to create forms Understand how to modify forms in Design view Use forms to find, sort, and filter records

Independent Practice Activity

Unit 7: Creating & Using Reports

Overview Use the Report Wizard to create reports Learn how to group records in a report Learn how to summarize information in a report Understand how to change the report layout Learn how to print a report

Summary Use the Report Wizard to create reports Learn how to group records in a report Learn how to summarize information in a report Understand how to change the report layout Learn how to print a report

Independent Practice Activity

Unit 8: Importing, Exporting, & Linking Objects

Overview Learn how to import MS Access objects from a different database Learn how to export objects to a different database Understand how to export and import XML documents Understand how to link objects from one database to another & update those links

Definitions Importing - data is copied from an external source & pasted into the currently active Access database Exporting - data is copied from the currently active Access database & pasted into an external source Linking - a table that’s not stored in the currently active Access database, but which you can manipulate as though it were a native table

Exporting Access Objects Definition - design or structure of the object Data - information stored within the object

Exporting & Importing XML Documents XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a format that enables you to deliver structured data between different applications that run on different operating systems in a standardized & consistent manner. Most commonly used on the WWW to describe data, but also used to transfer data between applications more easily.

Exporting & Importing XML Documents Schema – exports only the structure of the object; creates a document with .xsd extension Data – exports both structure and data; creates a document with .xml extension Presentation – defines the presentation of an XML document; creates a document with .xsl extension .xsd – XML software description .xml – Extensible Markup Language .xsl – Extensible Stylesheet Language

Linked Table Manager The Linked Table Manager tests for the existence of linked .mdb or other types of files and, if the links aren’t valid, lets you change the path to the linked files. The database must be open to use this utility.

Summary Learn how to import MS Access objects from a different database Learn how to export objects to a different database Understand how to export and import XML documents Understand how to link objects from one database to another and update those links

Independent Practice Activity

Conclusion Resources Questions & Answers Evaluations Thank You!!! Unfortunately no consultants on campus to come to your office and help you design your database