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 fields data type in Datasheet view.
Access 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 Lesson 2
Data type
Default Value property
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Vocabulary (continued)
Description Field Size property
property Format property
Design grid Primary key
Access Lesson 2
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.
Access Lesson 2
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-
Access Lesson 2
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 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.
Access Lesson 2
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 records
field.
Good candidates for being a primary key are
Access Lesson 2
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 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
Access Lesson 2
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 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 fields data type
Access Lesson 2
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 fields contents beyond
the fields basic data type, such as:
Indicating number of characters allowed
Indicating allowable values
Field properties will vary depending on the fields
Access Lesson 2
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
Access Lesson 2
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
Access Lesson 2
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 tables
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 fields data type determines the type of data
that can be entered, including text, numbers, or
Access Lesson 2
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:
Access Lesson 2
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