1. Database design Using Access 2007
Picture taken from

2. Access 2007 DMS Database Database management system
Collection of data organized in a manner that allows access, retrieval, and use of that data.
--- OR ---
A place to store data and retrieve information

3. Database design Using Access 2007
Picture taken from

4. Access Objects… Tables Queries Reports Forms Like Excel
Enter, edit, and delete data
Display, sort and filter
Queries
Ask questions and get answers from data
Reports
Print customized displays of data
Forms
Visual
Can limit data by user

5. Tables Each row is a separate record, or an entry in the database
One customer
One order
Each record has a unique identifier, called a primary key, such as:
Customer ID
Student ID
SSN
Each column is a field
Name, address, phone number
Item number, quantity ordered
Primary key field

6. The key
To designing a good database ….
A good plan

7. Normalizing data
Table designs should eliminate redundant (repeating) data. This is called normalizing a database.
Customer names and addresses would be listed in a separate table, and not included with every order the customer makes
Students’ names and address are in a separate table, and not included with their schedule and grade information
More info on database design for Access 2007 is available here.

8. Steps for designing tables
Decide what tables to including in your database. An online clothing store might include:
Product inventory
Item number, Item name, purchase price, number in stock
Vendors (the people you buy from)
Vendor number, vendor name, address, city, state, zip, terms
Customers (the people you sell to)
Customer number, customer, name, address, city, state, zip, phone number
Orders
Customer number, item number, quantity

9. Steps for designing tables
Choose a primary key for each table
Format the data for each field
Text or numbers
Maximum number of characters
Required or not?
Security – who will have access
Set relationships between tables

10. Common Access Data types
Text fields (default)
May contain letters, numbers, and symbols
Maximum 255 characters
Number fields
May contains ONLY numbers
Can be positive or negative
Can be used for arithmetic operations
Currency fields
May contain ONLY monetary data
Will display like currency formatting in Excel
Can be used in arithmetic operations

11. Choose the smallest size you can for your data
Number fields
Byte: Integer from 0 to 255
Integer: Integers from -32,768 to 32,767
Long Integer: Integers from -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647.
Single: Numbers with up to 7 decimal places
Double: More decimal places; 2x the storage
Decimal: More decimal places; 3x the storage
Replication ID: Special identifier required for replication
Choose the smallest size you can for your data

12. Other Access Data types
Memo
Up to 63,999 characters
Date/Time
AutoNumber
Stores a unique sequential number for each record
Values CANNOT be re-used
Yes/No
Values can be Yes/No, True/False, or On/Off
OLE Object
Hyperlink
Attachment
Images, spreadsheets, etc.

13. Relationships Relationships exists between tables
One-to-many (most common)
Each customer has many orders
Each student has many classes
Each employee has many paychecks
One-to-one
Each customer has one address
Each student has one locker
Each employee works for one department
Many-to-many (least common)

14. Facts about Access 2007 Field names Can have up to 64 characters
Can contain letters, numbers, characters and spaces EXCEPT
Periods (.)
Exclamation points (!)
Accent graves (`)
Square brackets ([ and ])

15. Using Access
Some things about Access are different from other Office applications
All tables, queries, forms and reports are stored in the same file
When you start a new database, you have to name it before you can create any tables
Access saves database files with an .accdb extension
When you enter data, each record is automatically saved when you move to the next
If you delete a record or a table field, it gone for good.

16. The Access Window
Images taken from