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

2. Unit 1: Database Concepts

3. 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

4. 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

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

6. 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?

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. Unit 2: Access Basics

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. Unit 3: Creating Databases

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. Independent Practice Activity

23. Unit 4: Working with Fields & Records

24. 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

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

26. 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

27. 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

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

29. 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

30. Independent Practice Activity

31. Unit 5: Querying Tables

32. 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

33. 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

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

35. 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

36. 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”

37. 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

38. 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

39. 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

40. Independent Practice Activity

41. Unit 6: Creating & Using Forms

42. 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

43. 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

44. Independent Practice Activity

45. Unit 7: Creating & Using Reports

46. 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

47. 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

48. Independent Practice Activity

49. Unit 8: Importing, Exporting, & Linking Objects

50. 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

51. 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

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

53. 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.

54. 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

55. 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.

56. 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

57. Independent Practice Activity

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