1. F IELD P ROPERTIES 1 Characteristics that apply to each field in a table. Help ensure database accuracy and clarity Restrict the way data is entered, stored, and displayed. Vary with data type Setting field properties Set in design view Select the field Set field property

2. 2 FIELD PROPERTIES

3. 3 Text data types (Short Text and Long Text) Field size property – set to determine maximum number of characters Format – used for custom formats Date data type Field size property – not applicable Format – set for preferred date format F IELD P ROPERTY – F IELD SIZE & F ORMAT

4. F IELD P ROPERTY – F IELD SIZE, F ORMAT, & D ECIMAL 4 Number data type Field size property – set to determine the numbers to be stored Format property – predefined number formats or set a custom format Decimal Places – set to determine the digits displayed to the right of the decimal Currency data type Field size property – not applicable Format property – predefined number formats or set a custom format Decimal Places – set to determine the digits displayed to the right of the decimal.

5. F IELD P ROPERTY - I NPUT M ASK 5 Creates a pattern for data entry Use the build button to follow the Input Mask Wizard Select the mask to provide the desired pattern Input Mask Build Button

6. 6 A value that will be automatically entered in this field for each new record F IELD P ROPERTY – D EFAULT V ALUE Example: State Default Value = CA

7. 7 F IELD P ROPERTY – V ALIDATION R ULE Validation Rule Determines what entries a field can accept. Example: Validation Rule for a Date/Time field might require date entries on or after 1/1/2010 Enter rule: >=1/1/2010 Access will display the rule >=#1/1/2010#

8. 8 F IELD P ROPERTY – V ALIDATION T EXT Validation Text Explanatory message displayed when data is entered in datasheet view that doesn’t meet Validation Rule. Example: Data entered as 1/30/2009 Message displayed: Date must be on or after 1/1/2010

9. 9 F IELD P ROPERTY – R EQUIRED Yes = Data must be entered in this field for each record No = Date is not required; field can be left empty Choices: Yes or No

10. 10 Used to create a drop-down field that allows you to choose a value from another table or from a list of values entered Created from Short Text or Long Text data types Change data type to lookup wizard Lookup wizard is activated L OOKUP W IZARD

11. C REATING A TTACHMENT F IELDS Allows for an external file to be attached to a record You can attach a Word document, PowerPoint Presentation, Excel workbook, or image file The attachment data type stores data efficiently stores many file formats, including JPEG images 11

12. W HY E STABLISH R ELATIONSHIPS ? 12 Groups data into similar collections - tables Connects the data from the different tables One to many relationship One (1) customer has many ( ∞ ) orders One (1) product is included in many ( ∞ ) orders One (1) employee sells many ( ∞ ) orders

13. V IEWING R ELATED R ECORDS 13 Expand Button (+) will display all related records from other table Once the related records are displayed, the expand button becomes a minus sign (-) Click (-) to close related records