This document discusses how to create and design an Access database and tables. It explains how to create a database using a template, create a table in Datasheet View, set the primary key, and save a table. It also describes how to work in Design View to modify field properties, data types, and field sizes.
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Objectives
? Create a database.
? Design, create, and save a table in Datasheet
view.
? Set a field¡¯s data type in Datasheet view.
Access ¨C Lesson 2
? Add, delete, rename, and move fields in Design
view.
? Set field properties in Design view.
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Vocabulary
? Alphanumeric data
? AutoNumber
? Blank Database template
Access ¨C Lesson 2
? Data type
? Default Value property
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Vocabulary (continued)
? Description ? Field Size property
property ? Format property
? Design grid ? Primary key
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? Design view ? Required property
? Field Properties ? Template
pane
? Field property
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Creating a Database
? The first step in creating
a database is to create
the file that will hold the
database objects.
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? You can use a template
that already has objects
in it.
? You can also use a
Blank Database
template with no
objects in it.
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Creating a Database (continued)
? To create a database, start
Access.
? On the Getting Started with
Microsoft Access page, double-
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click the template you want to
use.
? Specify a file name and storage
location.
? Click Create to create the new
database and open it in Access.
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Creating and Saving a Table
In Datasheet View
? When you create a blank database, Access creates the
first table and names it Table1.
? You can change the name when you save it.
? To save, click the Save button on the Quick Access
Access ¨C Lesson 2
Toolbar. Fill in the name in the Save As dialog box.
? The new table name appears on the tab for the table and
as an object in the Navigation Pane.
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Designing a Table in Datasheet
? After creating a table, you need to tell Access what fields
to include.
? Access creates one field named ID and sets it as the
primary key.
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? A primary key is the field that contains a unique field
value for each record.
? In some tables, this field is called AutoNumber because
it automatically adds a unique number.
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Designing a Table (continued)
? You can tell that Access created an AutoNumber for the
ID field because of the word New in the first record¡¯s
field.
? Good candidates for being a primary key are
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? Employee numbers
? Social security numbers
? Student ID numbers
? The advantage of setting a primary key is that Access will
not let you enter duplicate values for this field in
different records.
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Designing a Table (continued)
? To enter a field name in Datasheet view, double-click the
¡°Add New Field¡± field selector.
? After you have created all the fields, you can enter the
first record.
Access ¨C Lesson 2
? Access assigns a data type as you enter data (Text,
Memo, Number, etc.).
? You can change the data type for a field by clicking the
Data Type arrow in the Data Type & Formatting group
on the Table Tools Datasheet tab.
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Working in Design View
? In Design view you can add, delete, and
make changes to how fields store data.
? The field names and data types appear
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in the upper half in a design grid.
? The Field Properties pane appears
below.
? A selected field turns orange. The
primary key has a key symbol in it.
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Table in Design View ( Behind the Scene)
Unique ID
Like SS#
Access ¨C Lesson 2
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Working in Design View (continued)
? You can use the options in the Tool group on the
Table Tools Design tab to:
? Add and delete fields, insert a field
? Drag fields in the design grid to a new location
? Rename a field, and change a field¡¯s data type
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? The Description property in the design grid is
optional, and you can use it to describe what to enter
in the field.
? Any changes made in Design view are automatically
updated in Datasheet view when you save the table.
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Changing Field Properties in Design View
? A field property describes the field¡¯s contents beyond
the field¡¯s basic data type, such as:
? Indicating number of characters allowed
? Indicating allowable values
? Field properties will vary depending on the field¡¯s
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data type.
? The Field Size property sets the number of
characters you can store in a Text, Number or
AutoNumber field.
? There is an array of Field Size property options
including the ability to store decimals, positive
numbers, negative numbers, or whole numbers.
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Changing Field Properties in Design View
(continued)
? Use the Format property to specify how you want
Access to display numbers, dates, times and text.
? For example, if you enter the date 10-28-10, Access
will display it as October 28, 2010, if the Format
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property is set that way.
? The Default Value property enters the same field
value in a field every time a new record is added to a
table.
? The Required property specifies whether you must
enter a field value in a record.
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Summary
? Creating a database creates a file that will store
database objects. You can create a database using a
template or a Blank Database template.
? You can create a table in Datasheet view by entering
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the field names, and then entering the first record.
? Access assigns the data type as you enter data.
Access also creates an ID field to serve as the table¡¯s
primary key. The primary key is the field that
contains unique field values for every record in a
table.
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Summary (continued)
? To save a table, click the Save button on the
Quick Access Toolbar.
? A field¡¯s data type determines the type of data
that can be entered, including text, numbers, or
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a combination of both.
? The data types for Access are Text, Memo,
Number, Date/Time, Currency, AutoNumber,
Yes/No, OLE Object, Hyperlink, Attachment and
Lookup Wizard.
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Summary (continued)
? In Design view you can add, delete and rename fields.
? A field property describes a field beyond the data type.
The properties you can set depend on the data type.
Additional properties include:
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? Description property describes the field
? Field Size property sets # of characters/numbers
? Format property sets formatting (i.e. date format)
? Required property is used when a field must contain data