Work with Tables and

Database Records 3
LESSON SKILL MATRIX
Skill Exam Objective Objective Number

Navigating among Records

Entering, Inserting, Editing, and Deleting Records
Working with Primary Keys Define Primary Keys. 2.4.1
Finding and Replacing Data Use Find. 2.3.1
Attaching and Detaching Documents
Sorting and Filtering Data and Setting Use Sort. 2.3.2
Field Viewing Options within a Table Use Filter commands. 2.3.3
Freeze or Unfreeze fields. 2.2.5
Hide or Unhide fields. 2.2.4
Understanding Table Relationships Use Primary Keys to create Relationships. 2.4.2
Edit Relationships. 2.4.3

KEY TERMS
• ascending
• composite key
• descending
• filter
• foreign key
• innermost field
• outermost field
• referential integrity
• sort
• wildcard

49
50 Lesson 3

Fourth Coffee is a national chain of coffee shops. A new store recently opened in
your neighborhood. You were able to get a part-time job working in the office,
helping the office manager organize data on the computer. In addition to being
a traditional neighborhood coffee shop, the store has also started selling cof-
fees to companies for use at their business sites. It is your job to manage the
inventory, customers, and order tables in Access. In this lesson, you learn to
navigate among records; enter, edit, and delete records; find and replace data;
sort and filter data; attach and detach documents; and define, modify, and print
table relationships.

NAVIGATING AMONG RECORDS

Database tables are usually large, but contain useful information that can be manipulated in
The Bottom Line different ways. When a table contains many records and fields, it is important to be able to
navigate among them.

Navigating Using the Keyboard

Access users who prefer using the keyboard to navigate records can press keys and key combina-
tions to move among records in Datasheet View. In Datasheet View, you can navigate among
records using the up, down, left, and right arrow keys to move to the field you want. You can
also use the Tab key to move from field to field in a record and from the last field in a record to
the first field of the next record. If you prefer to use the mouse, you can move among records by
clicking the navigation buttons, which you’ll do in a later exercise. However, in this exercise, you
use the keyboard to navigate among records.

STEP BY STEP Use the Keyboard to Navigate among Records

GET READY. Before you begin these steps, be sure to turn on and/or log on to your
computer and start Access.
1. OPEN Fourth Coffee from the data files for this lesson.
The Fourth Coffee 2. Click the File tab, then click the Save Database As command. The Save As dialog box
file for this lesson is appears. Key Fourth Coffee XXX (where XXX is your initials) in the File name box.
available on the book Find the location where you will save the solution files for this lesson and click Save.
companion website or in 3. In the Navigation Pane, double-click Coffee Inventory: Table to open the table.
WileyPLUS.
4. Notice that the first cell of the first record is selected.
5. Press the Down Arrow key to move down to the next row. Notice that the cell
is selected.
6. Press the Right Arrow key to move to the Product Name field.
WileyPLUS Extra! features an
online tutorial of this task. 7. Press the Tab key to move to the next cell.
8. Press the Tab key to move to the next cell.
9. Press the Tab key to move to the next row.
10. Press Ctrl+Down Arrow to move to the first field of the last record.
PAUSE. LEAVE the database open to use in the next exercise.

Table 3-1 lists keys and key combinations for moving among records.
 Work with Tables and Database Records 51

Table 3-1
Commands Results
Keyboard Commands for
Navigating Records Tab or Right Arrow Moves cursor to the next field
End Moves cursor to the last field in the current record
ShiftTab or Left Arrow Moves cursor to the previous field
Home Moves cursor to the first field in the current record
Down Arrow Moves cursor to the current field in the next record
CtrlDown Arrow Moves cursor to the current field in the last record
CtrlEnd Moves cursor to the last field in the last record
Up Arrow Moves cursor to the current field in the previous record
CtrlUp Arrow Moves cursor to the current field in the first record
CtrlHome Moves cursor to the first field in the first record

Using Navigation Buttons

Access users who prefer to use the mouse can move among records by clicking the navigation
buttons. In this exercise, you use the mouse to navigate among records.
The record navigation buttons are displayed at the bottom of the screen in Datasheet View.
Click the First, Previous, Next, Last, and New (blank) Record buttons to go to those records.
Key a record number into the Current Record box and press Enter to go to that record. Key data
into the Search box to find a match in the table. The Filter Indicator shows whether a filter has
been applied to the table, which will be covered later in this lesson.

STEP BY STEP Use Navigation Buttons

USE the database open from the previous exercise.

1. Click the First record button, shown in Figure 3-1. The selection moves to the first record.

Figure 3-1
Record navigation buttons

Last record
Previous
record Filter indicator

Search box
First record Add new (blank) record
Current record Next record
52 Lesson 3

2. Click the Next record button. The selection moves to the next record.
3. Select and then delete the number 2 in the Current Record box. Key 5 and press Enter.
The selection moves to the fifth record.
4. Click the Search box to position the insertion point. Key sunrise into the Search box.
Notice that the selection moves to the first occurrence of the word Sunrise.
5. Press Enter. The selection moves to the next occurrence of the word Sunrise.
6. Click the New (blank) record button. The insertion point moves to the first column and
last row of the table.
PAUSE. LEAVE the database open to use in the next exercise.

SOFTWARE ORIENTATION

Records Group, Record Selector Box, and Record Shortcut Menu

There are a few ways you can enter record data, delete data from individual fields of records,
and insert and delete entire records, using the Records group, Record Selector box, and
commands in the Record Shortcut menu, as shown in Figure 3-2. Refer to this figure as a
reference throughout this lesson as well as the rest of this book.

Record Records
Shortcut menu group

Record
Selector
box

Figure 3-2
Records group, Record Selector
box, and Record Shortcut menu
Use the commands in the Records group and the Record Shortcut menu, as well as the
Record Selector box (a blank square to the left of a record), to assist you in entering record
data and inserting and deleting records.
 Work with Tables and Database Records 53

ENTERING, INSERTING, EDITING, AND DELETING RECORDS

Keeping a database up-to-date and useful is an ongoing process. You can easily enter data by
positioning the insertion point in the table cell where you want to add data and begin keying.
To insert a new record, select any record in the table and click the New button on the Home tab
The Bottom Line
in the Records group. You can also click the Record Selector box then right-click the selected
record and select New Record from the shortcut menu. A new record is added to the end of the
table. Select existing data to edit or delete it.

Entering, Editing, and Deleting Records

To enter new data, in Datasheet View, position the insertion point in the first empty cell of a
record and begin keying the data. After you enter data and move to a new field, Access automati-
cally saves the data in the table. Each field in a table is formatted with a specific data type, so you
must enter that kind of data in the field. If you do not, you will get an error message. To delete
information from an individual field of a record, highlight the field data and press the Delete
key or click the Delete button on the Home tab in the Records group. If you change your mind
after you delete information from a field, you can undo the action by clicking the Undo button
on the Quick Access Toolbar. In this exercise, you enter a new record as well as edit and delete
existing records.
You can delete an entire record or several records at once from a database. Just select the row
or rows using the Record Selector box and press the Delete key or click the Delete button on
the Home tab in the Records group. You can also right-click and select Delete Record from the
shortcut menu. After you delete a record, you cannot undo it.

STEP BY STEP Enter, Edit, and Delete Records

USE the database you used in the previous exercise.

1. The insertion point should be positioned in the first field of the new, blank row at the
bottom of the datasheet, as shown in Figure 3-3. Notice the asterisk in the Record
Selector box, which indicates that this is a new record, ready for data.

Figure 3-3
Blank record in
Datasheet View

Record Selector New record

box
54 Lesson 3

2. Key 21905 and press Tab. Notice that the asterisk has changed to a pencil icon, as
shown in Figure 3-4, indicating that the record is being edited.

Figure 3-4
Entering data into a record Indicates that
the record is
being edited

3. Key Hazelnut and press Tab.

4. Key 30 and press Tab.
5. Key 02112012 and press Enter.
6. Highlight sunrise in the Search box and key Kona to locate the Kona record.
7. Select Kona in the record to position the blinking insertion point there. Key Hawaiian
and press Tab.
8. Click the Undo button on the Quick Access Toolbar.
9. Press Tab. Key 12292010 and press Tab.
10. Click the Record Selector box to the left of the Product ID field of the first record,
20051.
11. On the Home tab, in the Records group, click the Delete button drop-down arrow.
Select Delete Record from the menu, as shown in Figure 3-5.

Figure 3-5 Delete button and menu

Delete menu

Another Way
An easy way to
select an entire record is to
click the Record Selector box.
If you need to select other
records above or below it,
you can drag the mouse up
or down to include those in 12. A dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 3-6, asking if you are sure you want to
the selection. To delete one or delete the record. Click Yes.
more selected records, right-
click the Select All button and
choose Delete Record from the
shortcut menu.

Figure 3-6
Confirm deletion dialog box

Another Way
To delete a record
without selecting it, place the
cursor in one of the fields of
a record and click the Delete 13. Notice that the Undo button on the Quick Access Toolbar is not available because you
menu on the Home tab in the cannot undo a deletion. Close the table.
Records group. Select Delete
Record from the menu. PAUSE. LEAVE the database open to use in the next exercise.

As you become more advanced in your knowledge of Access, you may want to create a delete
Ref query that can delete multiple records at once. You learn more about queries in Lesson 8.
 Work with Tables and Database Records 55

WORKING WITH PRIMARY KEYS

As you learned in Lesson 1, a primary key is a column that uniquely identifies a record or row
in a table. Customer IDs, serial numbers, or product IDs usually make good primary keys. Each
The Bottom Line table should have a primary key, and some tables might have two or more. When you divide
information into separate tables, the primary keys help Access bring the information back
together again.

Defining a Primary Key

You can define a primary key for a field in Design View by selecting the row that contains the field
for which you want to assign a primary key and clicking the Primary Key button on the Design
tab in the Tools group on the Ribbon. When you create a new database, Access creates a primary
key field named “ID” by default and sets the data type for the field to AutoNumber. If you don’t
have a field in an existing database that you think will make a good primary key, you can use a
field with the AutoNumber data type. It doesn’t contain factual information (such as a telephone
number) about a record and it is not likely to change. In this exercise, you define a primary key.
Once a primary key is defined, you can use it in other tables to refer back to the table with
the primary key. When a primary key from one table is used in another table, it is called the
foreign key. The foreign key is used to reference the data from the primary key to help avoid
redundancy.
You can modify a primary key by deleting it from one field and adding it to another field. To
remove a primary key in Design View, select the row and click the Primary Key button on the
Design tab in the Tools group on the Ribbon to remove it.

STEP BY STEP Define a Primary Key

USE the database you used in the previous exercise.

1. In the Navigation Pane, double-click Order Summary: Table to open the table.
2. On the Home tab, in the Views group, click the View button drop-down arrow, and
Another Way
from the menu that appears, select Design View.
To add or remove
the primary key from a field, 3. Click the Row Selector box beside the Order ID row to select the row.
you can also select the row, 4. On the Design tab, in the Tools group, click the Primary Key button. The Primary Key
right-click, and select Primary button is highlighted in orange and appears to be pushed in. A key icon appears on
Key from the shortcut menu. the Order ID row to designate the field as a primary key, as shown in Figure 3-7.

Figure 3-7
Primary Key
Primary Key
button

Indicates the field

is the primary key

2.4.1
How do you designate a
primary key in an Access table? PAUSE. LEAVE the table open to use in the next exercise.
56 Lesson 3

Defining and Modifying a Multifield Primary Key

In some cases, you may want to use two or more fields that, together, provide the primary key
of a table. In Design View, select the rows you want to designate as primary keys and click the
Primary Key button. To remove multiple primary keys, select the rows and click the Primary
Key button. In this exercise, you practice defining and modifying a multifield primary key.
Two or more primary keys in a table are called the composite key. Composite keys are use-
ful in unique situations when a combination of data from two fields needs to provide a unique
identifier in a table.

STEP BY STEP Define and Modify a Multifield Primary Key

USE the database open from the previous exercise.

1. Press and hold the Ctrl key.
2. Click the Row Selector box beside the Paid row. Continue to hold down the Ctrl key
and click the Order ID Row Selector box. Both fields should be selected, as shown in
Figure 3-8. If not, continue to hold the Ctrl key and click the Paid Row Selector
box again.

Figure 3-8
Primary Key row and another
row selected

Both fields are selected

3. On the Design tab, in the Tools group, click the Primary Key button. A key icon should
be displayed beside both of the two selected fields.
4. With the rows still selected, click the Primary Key button again to remove the primary
key designation from both fields.
5. Click on any field name to remove the selection.
6. Click the Row Selector box beside the Order ID row. Press and hold the Ctrl key and
click the Row Selector box beside the Customer ID row. Both fields should be selected.
7. On the Design tab, in the Tools group, click the Primary Key button. Both rows should
have a key displayed beside them.
8. Click the Save button on the Quick Access Toolbar.
9. Close the Design View.
PAUSE. LEAVE the database open to use in the next exercise.

FINDING AND REPLACING DATA

A big advantage of using a computer database rather than paper and pencil for recordkeeping is
the ability to quickly search for and/or replace data. These features may be accessed from the Find
and Replace dialog box. The Find and Replace commands in Access work very much like those
The Bottom Line
in Word or other Office applications you might have used. You can use the Find command to
search for specific text in a table or to move quickly to a particular word or number in the table.
The Replace command can be used to automatically replace a word or number with another.
 Work with Tables and Database Records 57

In the Find and Replace dialog box, key the text or numbers that you want to search for into
the Find What box and click Find Next to locate the record containing the data. If you want to
replace the data, key the new data into the Replace With box and click Replace or Replace All.

Take Note When replacing data, it is usually a good practice to click Replace instead of Replace All so that
you can confirm each replacement to make sure that it is correct.

Finding and Replacing Data

The Find and Replace dialog box searches only one table at a time; it does not search the entire
database. The Look In menu allows you to choose to search by field or to search the entire
table. By default, Access searches the field that was selected when you opened the Find and
Replace dialog box. If you want to search a different field, select the field while the dialog box is
open; you don’t have to close it first. In the next exercise, you find and replace table data.
Remember these points when finding and replacing data in Access 2010:
• In the Match menu, you can specify where you want Access to look in a field. Select Any
Part of Field for the broadest search.
• Sometimes Access selects the Search Fields As Formatted check box. When it does, do not
clear the check box, or your search probably will not return any results.
• Click the Match Case box to search for text with the same uppercase and/or lowercase
capitalization of text.
• You can use wildcard characters such as a question mark or asterisk to find words or
phrases that contain specific letters or combinations of letters. Key a question mark (?) to
represent a single character—for example, keying b?t will find bat, bet, bit, and but. Key an
asterisk (*) to represent a string of characters—for example, m*t will find mat, moment, or
even medium format.
• If you key a wildcard character in the Replace With box, Access will insert that character
just as you keyed it.

STEP BY STEP Find and Replace Data

USE the database open from the previous exercise.

1. Open the Customers table.
2. On the Home tab, in the Find group, click the Find button. The Find and Replace dialog
box appears with the Find tab displayed.
3. Click the Replace tab in the Find and Replace dialog box.
4. Key Elm into the Find What box.
5. Key Little Elm into the Replace With box.
6. Click the down arrow beside the Look In menu and select Current document, so that
the entire table will be searched instead of just the Customer ID field.
7. Click the down arrow beside the Match menu and select Any Part of Field if it isn’t
already selected to broaden the search. See Figure 3-9.

Figure 3-9
Find and Replace dialog box
58 Lesson 3

8. Click the Find Next button. Access searches the table and finds and selects the
word Elm.
2.3.1
9. Click the Replace button. Access replaces Elm with Little Elm.
How do you find data 10. Click the Find Next button. Access finds Elm in the new text that was just inserted.
within a table? 11. Click Find Next again. Access displays a message saying that no more occurrences of
the word have been found. Click OK.
12. Click Cancel to close the Find and Replace dialog box.
Another Way
To open the Find 13. Press the down arrow to remove the selection and allow Access to save the change.
tab in the Find and Replace 14. Close the table.
dialog box using the keyboard, PAUSE. LEAVE the database open to use in the next exercise.
press Ctrl+F. To open the
Replace tab, press Ctrl+H.

Take Note If you want to use the Find and Replace dialog box to search for characters that are used as
wildcards, such as a question mark, you must enclose that character in brackets, for example [?].
Follow this rule when searching for all wildcard characters except exclamation points (!) and
closing brackets (]).

ATTACHING AND DETACHING DOCUMENTS

Access 2010 allows you to attach documents, such as Word documents or photo files, to records
in a database. For example, the human resources department of a large company could keep a
The Bottom Line photo, a resume, and employee evaluation documents with each employee record. These
attached files can also be easily detached, if necessary. The Attachments dialog box allows you to
manage the documents attached to records.

Take Note You cannot attach files to databases created in versions of Access prior to Access 2007. You
cannot share attachments with a database created in these prior versions of Access.

Attaching and Detaching Documents

Before you can start attaching documents, you must create a field in a table and format it with
the Attachment data type. You can add the field in Datasheet View or in Design View. Access
displays a paper clip icon in the header row and in every record in the field along with a number
in parentheses indicating the number of attached files in the field. In this exercise, you create a
new field and format it with the Attachment data type, then remove the attachment from your
database records.
Double-click the record in the Attachments field to display the Attachments dialog box where
you can add, remove, open, or save multiple attachments, such as images, documents, and
spreadsheets, for a single record. You can save attached files to your hard disk or network drive
so that you can save changes to documents there before saving them to the database.

Take Note You can attach a maximum total of 2 gigabytes of data, but each individual file cannot exceed
256 megabytes in size.

Another Way If the program that was used to create the attached file is installed on your computer, you can
You can also right- open and edit the file using that program. For example, if you open a Word resume that is
click in the Attachments field to attached to a record, the Word program starts and you view the document in Word. If you do
display a shortcut menu. Select not have the program that was used to create a file, Access prompts you to choose a program you
Manage Attachments from do have to view the file.
the menu to display the
Attachments dialog box.
 Work with Tables and Database Records 59

STEP BY STEP Attach and Detach Documents

USE the database open from the previous exercise.

1. Open the Order Summary table.
2. Click the header row of the Due Date field to select it.
3. In the Add & Delete group on the Table Tools Fields contextual tab, click the
More Fields button. The More Fields menu appears.
4. Click Attachment under Basic Types, as shown in Figure 3-10. The Attachment field is
inserted in the table.

Figure 3-10
More Fields menu

5. Double-click the first row of the Attachments field. The Attachments dialog
The invoice 100 file box appears.
for this lesson is available 6. Click the Add button. Navigate to the data files for this lesson and select Invoice100.docx.
on the book companion Click Open. The document appears in the Attachments dialog box, as shown in
website or in WileyPLUS. Figure 3-11.

Figure 3-11
Attachments dialog box

7. Click OK. The number of attachments in the first record changes to 1, as shown in
Figure 3-12.

Figure 3-12 Attachments field

Attachments field displaying
the number of attachments

Number of
attachments
60 Lesson 3

8. Double-click the attachment number in the Attachment field. The Attachments dialog
box appears.
9. Click the Open button. The attachment, an invoice document, opens in Microsoft Word.
10. Click the Close button to close the invoice document.
11. Click the Access button on the taskbar, if necessary, to return to Access.
12. In the Attachments dialog box, click the Remove button, and click OK. The attachment
is removed from the record.
13. Close the Order Summary table.
PAUSE. LEAVE the database open to use in the next exercise.

Take Note Once a field has been set to the Attachment data type, it cannot be converted to another
data type.

SORTING AND FILTERING DATA AND SETTING FIELD VIEWING

OPTIONS WITHIN A TABLE
It is often helpful to display data in order, display similar records, or hide and freeze certain
fields without affecting the preexisting data. Sorting allows you to order records. For example,
an office contact list that displays employees in alphabetical order by last name would help the
The Bottom Line user find information for a particular employee quickly. If you wanted to view only the records
of employees in a particular department, you could create a filter to display only those records.
You could also hide or freeze certain fields. For example, in a table that has several fields, you can
hide or freeze fields to help you concentrate on certain data.

SOFTWARE ORIENTATION

Sort & Filter Group

The Sort & Filter group is located on the Home tab in the Ribbon (Figure 3-13). Use the
Sort & Filter group of commands to sort and filter records in tables.

Figure 3-13 Filter button Ascending button

Sort & Filter group
Selection menu

Advanced menu

Toggle Filter button

Remove Sort button Descending button

Sorting Data within a Table

To sort data means to arrange it alphabetically, numerically, or chronologically. Sorting within
a table displays all the records in the table in the order that you select. You can easily sort by
one or more fields to achieve the order that you want. Access can sort text, numbers, or dates
in ascending or descending order. Ascending order sorts data from beginning to end, such as
from A to Z, 1 to 10, and January to December. Descending order sorts data from the end to
the beginning, such as from Z to A, 10 to 1, and December to January. In this exercise, you sort
data using multiple fields and then remove the sort.
 Work with Tables and Database Records 61

To sort text, numbers, dates, or other data types in a column, you first need to select the column.
Then click the Ascending or Descending button in the Sort & Filter group of the Home tab.
You can also right-click a selected column and choose a Sort command from the shortcut menu.
The available sort commands in the shortcut menu vary depending on the type of data in the
column, as shown in Table 3-2.

Table 3-2
Type of Data Sort Command on the Shortcut Menu
Sort Commands on the
Shortcut Menu
Number, Currency, or AutoNumber

Text, Memo, or Hyperlink

Yes/No

Date/Time

You can also sort records on multiple fields. When you are using multiple fields, determine which
order you want them to be sorted in. The primary sort field is called the outermost field. A
secondary sort field is called an innermost field. For example, if you want to sort a contact
list so that each employee’s last name is sorted primarily and first name is sorted secondarily, Last
Name would be the outermost field and First Name would be the innermost field. In your com-
pleted sort, Wright, David, would be listed before Wright, Steven, in an A to Z (ascending) sort.
When designating the sort order, however, you select the innermost field first and choose the type
of sort you want from the shortcut menu. Then select the outermost field and select the type of
sort that you want.
After you sort one or more columns, Access inserts sort arrows in the header row to show that
the field is sorted. These sort commands remain with the table until you remove them. When
you want to remove a sort order, click the Remove Sort button from the Sort & Filter group on
the Home tab. This removes the sorting commands from all the fields in the table. In a table
with more than one sorted field, you cannot remove just one sort.

STEP BY STEP Sort Data within a Table

USE the database you used in the previous exercise.

1. Open the Customers table.
2. Click the header row of the Customer ID field to select it.
3. Right-click in the field to display the shortcut menu, shown in Figure 3-14. Select
Sort Largest to Smallest.

Figure 3-14
Shortcut menu
62 Lesson 3

4. The data is sorted and an arrow is inserted in the header row, as shown in Figure 3-15,
indicating that the data is displayed in sort order.

Figure 3-15 Sort arrow

Sorted column

5. On the Home tab, in the Sort & Filter group, click the Remove Sort button. The sort is
removed from the Customer ID field.
6. Select the First Name field. On the Home tab, in the Sort & Filter group, click the
Ascending button. The data in the First Name field is sorted in ascending order.
7. Select the Last Name field. On the Home tab, in the Sort & Filter group, click the
Ascending button. The data in the Last Name field is sorted in ascending order.
8. On the Home tab, in the Sort & Filter group, click the Remove Sort button. The sort is
removed from both the First Name and Last Name fields.
2.3.2
9. Close the table. If a dialog box appears asking if you want to save changes to the
How do you sort data table, click No.
within a table? PAUSE. LEAVE the database open to use in the next exercise.

Filtering Data within a Table

A filter is a set of rules for determining which records will be displayed. When you apply a filter,
Access displays only the records that meet your filter criteria; the other records are hidden from
view. Once the filtered records are displayed, you can edit and navigate the records just as you
would without a filter applied. Filters remain in effect until you close the object. You can switch
between views, and the filter settings will stay in effect. To make the filter available the next time
you open the object, save the object before closing it. In this exercise, you practice creating filters
in several different ways.

STEP BY STEP Apply a Filter

USE the database you used in the previous exercise.

1. Open the Coffee Inventory table.
2. Select the Product Name field. On the Home tab, in the Sort & Filter group, click the
Filter button. A menu appears.
 Work with Tables and Database Records 63

3. Point to Text Filters. A second menu appears. Select Contains, as shown in Figure 3-16.

Figure 3-16
Filter menu with
Contains selected

4. The Custom Filter box appears. Key Decaf, as shown in Figure 3-17, and click OK.
Access filters the database to display only the records containing the word Decaf. A
filter icon is displayed in the header row of the field, as shown in Figure 3-18.

Figure 3-17
Custom filter box

Figure 3-18
Filtered records

Filter
icon

5. Click the Toggle Filter button in the Sort & Filter group to display the records without
the filter.
6. In the second record in the Product Name field, double-click the word Decaf to
select it.
7. Right-click the word Decaf to display the shortcut menu. Select Does Not Contain
“Decaf,” as shown in Figure 3-19. Notice that the records are filtered to show only
those that do not contain the word Decaf.
64 Lesson 3

Figure 3-19
Shortcut menu with Does
Not Contain “Decaf”
option selected

8. Click in the Pounds field of the first record.

9. On the Home tab, in the Sort & Filter group, click the Filter button.
10. Click the check boxes to remove the check marks beside 30, 35, 40, and 50, as shown in
Figure 3-20. Only the check mark beside 25 should remain.

Figure 3-20
Filter menu selected
to show only 25 in the
pounds column

11. Click OK. Access filters the records to show only those containing the number 25 in
the pounds field.
12. Click the Toggle Filter button.
13. In the second row of the Scheduled Order Date field, highlight 1/14/2012 by clicking
and dragging the mouse.
14. On the Home tab, in the Sort & Filter group, click the Selection button. A menu
appears, as shown in Figure 3-21.

Figure 3-21 Selection button and menu

Selection button and menu

15. Select On or After 1/14/2012. The data is filtered to show only those records with
content in the Scheduled Order Date field that matches the filter selection.
2.3.3
16. In the seventh row of the Pounds field, select 30.
How do you filter 17. On the Home tab, in the Sort & Filter group, click the Selection button. Select
table records? Less Than or Equal to 30. The records are filtered.
PAUSE. LEAVE the database open to use in the next exercise.
 Work with Tables and Database Records 65

Take Note Only one filter can be applied per column. When you apply a filter to a column that is already
filtered, the previous filter is removed and the new filter is applied.

Removing a Filter
After applying a filter, you may need to return to records not displayed by the filter. The Toggle
Filter button lets you switch between viewing the filtered records and viewing the table without
the filter. Note that the purpose of this button changes accordingly—when the records are filtered
the button is used to remove the filter, and when the filter is removed the button is used to apply
the filter. When you are finished using the filter, you can permanently remove it. In this exercise,
you permanently remove the filter you previously applied.

STEP BY STEP Remove a Filter

USE the table you used in the previous exercise.

1. Select the Pounds field. On the Home tab, in the Sort & Filter group, click the
Filter button. A menu appears.
2. Select Clear Filter from Pounds, as shown in Figure 3-22.

Figure 3-22
Removing filter from the
pounds column

3. On the Home tab, in the Sort & Filter group, click the Advanced Filter Options button.
A menu appears.
4. Select Clear All Filters from the menu, as shown in Figure 3-23.

Figure 3-23 Advanced filter Options button

Advanced filter Options
button and menu

5. Save and close the table.

PAUSE. LEAVE the database open to use in the next exercise.
66 Lesson 3

Freezing/Unfreezing and Hiding/Unhiding Fields

Sometimes you may need to change the view of a table’s data to more efficiently find the infor-
mation you’re looking for. For example, it may be helpful to freeze First Name and Last Name
fields so you can keep them fixed on the screen and then horizontally scroll and view other
pertinent fields, like E-mail or Telephone Number to get a better view of your data. You can
also hide those fields that may distract you from getting a better view of the data. For example,
if you’re interested in viewing just a person’s name and telephone number, you may decide to
hide all fields except First Name, Last Name, and Phone Number. In this exercise, you practice
freezing and unfreezing fields, as well as hiding and unhiding them.

STEP BY STEP Freeze/Unfreeze and Hide/Unhide Fields

USE the database you used in the previous exercise.

1. Open the Customers table.
2. Select the Last Name field. On the Home tab, in the Records group, click the
More button. A menu appears, as shown in Figure 3-24.

Figure 3-24 More button menu

More button menu

3. Select Freeze Fields. Notice that the Last Name field moves to the first field position in
the table.
4. Click the Restore Down button in the top, right corner of the application window, as
shown in Figure 3-25. The Restore Down button now becomes the Maximize button.
Press the Right Arrow key to scroll the table’s fields to the left, and stop when you
reach the ZIP/Postal Code field. Notice that the Last Name field stays fixed as the other
fields scroll.

Restore down button

Figure 3-25
Restore down button
5. Click the More button again and select Unfreeze All Fields. Notice how the Last Name
field remains in the table’s first field position. Press the Right Arrow key several times
until the Last Name field scrolls off from view. Notice how the Last Name field moved
with the other fields when the Right Arrow key was pressed several times.

Take Note Fields can be rearranged in Datasheet View by clicking on the field name headers and dragging
them to where you want to move them.

6. Click the Maximize button on the application window.

7. Select the Customer ID field. Click the More button and select Hide Fields. Notice the
Customer ID field is now hidden from view, as shown in Figure 3-26.
 Work with Tables and Database Records 67

Figure 3-26
Hidden Customer ID field
8. Click the More button and select Unhide Fields. The Unhide Columns dialog box
should appear as shown in Figure 3-27. Notice the check mark is missing from the
Customer ID check box, signifying that it’s hidden.

Figure 3-27
Unhide Columns dialog box

Customer ID field
representation
is unselected

2.2.5
How do you freeze or
unfreeze fields?

9. Deselect the check boxes next to all the other field representations except Last Name
and Business Phone, and then click the Close button in the Unhide Columns dialog
2.2.4 box. Notice the only fields now displayed in Datasheet View are the Last Name and
Business Phone fields.
How do you hide or 10. Close the Customers table without saving the changes to the layout.
unhide fields? PAUSE. LEAVE the database open to use in the next exercise.

Take Note You can save your table so it retains your formatting the next time you open it.

Take Note To select more than one field to freeze or hide, hold down the shift key while selecting
adjacent fields.

Another Way
You can also access
the Hide/Unhide and Freeze/
Unfreeze options from the
shortcut menu that appears
after you right-click a field name.
68 Lesson 3

SOFTWARE ORIENTATION

Relationship Tools on the Ribbon

When you click the Relationships button on the Database Tools tab, the Relationship
window appears and the Relationship Tools are displayed in the Ribbon (Figure 3-28).

Figure 3-28 Removes tables and relationships Close

Use the Relationship Tools from the display but does not Master View
to define and modify delete them button
table relationships

Displays all the

Creates a relationships and
relationship related tables for
you can print the selected table

Displays all
database
relationships
and tables

UNDERSTANDING TABLE RELATIONSHIPS

As you have already learned, most databases have more than one table. Creating relationships
among these tables allows Access to bring that information back together again through objects
The Bottom Line
such as reports and queries so that you can display information from several tables at once. This
is why it is a good idea to define table relationships before you start creating reports and queries.

Defining Table Relationships

In relational database applications like Access, you can store information in separate tables that
are connected by a defined relationship that ties the data together. You define a table relation-
ship in the Relationships window. To create that relationship, you place common fields in tables
and define the relationships between the tables. Common fields used in different tables do not
have to have the same names, but they usually do. They must have the same data type, though.
In this exercise, you use a table that already has a primary key field to create a relationship with
another table.
You can create three types of relationships in Access tables: one-to-one, one-to-many, and
many-to-many.
In a one-to-one relationship, both tables have a common field with the same data. Each record
in the first table can only have one matching record in the second table, and each record in the
second table can have only one matching record in the first table. This type of relationship is not
common because information related in this way is usually stored in the same table.
A one-to-many relationship is more common because each record in the first table can have
many records in the second table. For example, in a Customers table and an Orders table, one
customer could have many orders. The Customer ID would be the primary key in the Customers
table (the one) and the foreign key in the Orders table (the many).
In a third type of relationship, called a many-to-many relationship, many records in the first
table can have many records in the second table.
 Work with Tables and Database Records 69

STEP BY STEP Define Table Relationships

USE the database you used in the previous exercise.

1. On the Database Tools tab in the Relationships group, click the Relationships button.
The Relationships View appears with the Customers table represented.
2. Click the Show Table button. The Show Table dialog box appears, as shown in
Figure 3-29.

Figure 3-29 Show Table button

Show Table button and
dialog box

3. Select Order Summary and click Add.

4. Click Close. The Customer table and Order Summary table are represented in
Relationships View.
5. Click the Customer ID field in the Customers table and drag it to the Customer ID field
of the Order Summary table and release the mouse button. The Customer ID field
represents the common field between the two tables. The Edit Relationships dialog
box appears, as shown in Figure 3-30.

Figure 3-30 Primary table Related table

Edit Relationships dialog box

Click to create
relationship

Common field
for each table
70 Lesson 3

6. Select the Enforce Referential Integrity check box. Then select the Cascade Update
Related Fields and Cascade Delete Related Records check boxes.
7. Click Create. A relationship line representing the one-to-many table relationship of the
Customers and the Order Summary tables is displayed, as shown in Figure 3-31. You
just created a one-to-many relationship between these tables using Customer ID, the
common field. The one-to-many relationship type signifies that each customer record
in the Customers table can have many order records in the Order Summary table.

Figure 3-31 Relationship line

One-to-many relationship

2.4.2
How do you use primary keys
to create relationships? PAUSE. LEAVE the database open to use in the next exercise.

Modifying Table Relationships

A table relationship is represented by the line that connects the tables in the Relationship window.
To modify the relationship, you can double-click the line to display the Edit Relationships
dialog box or delete the line to delete the relationship. The Edit Relationships dialog box allows
you to change a table relationship. You can change the tables on either side of the relationship
or the fields on either side. You can also perform actions like enforcing referential integrity and
choosing cascade options. In the next exercise, you delete the relationship you previously cre-
ated, and then recreate and edit the relationship to enforce referential integrity.
Referential integrity is an option that you can select in the Edit Relationships dialog box
to prevent orphan records. An orphan record is a record in one table that references records in
another table that no longer exist. For example, when referential integrity is enforced, Access
will not permit a Customer ID value as the foreign key in the Order Summary table that doesn’t
have a matching Customer ID value as the primary key in the Customers table. In this way, ref-
erential integrity ensures your tables contain logically related data. If an operation that violates
referential integrity is performed once this option is selected, Access will display a dialog box
with a message stating that referential integrity is being violated and therefore will not permit
the operation. You can also choose one or both types of cascade options—cascade update
related fields or cascade delete related fields—in the Edit Relationships dialog box once referential
integrity has been selected. For example, if the cascade update related fields option is selected,
Access will update the Customer ID value in the Order Summary table if the Customer ID
value in the Customers table is updated. This ensures consistent Customer ID values in the re-
lated tables. Similarly, if the cascade delete related fields option is selected, Access will delete all
Customer ID records from the Order Summary table if the related Customer ID record is deleted
from the Customers table, therefore preventing orphaned records. When you enforce referential
integrity between tables, the line connecting the tables becomes thicker. The number 1 is also
displayed on the line on the one side of the relationship and an infinity symbol () appears on
the other side, to represent the “many” fields that can be included in this side of the relationship.
 Work with Tables and Database Records 71

To remove a table relationship, you must delete the relationship line. You can select the line by
pointing to it and clicking it. When the relationship line is selected, it appears thicker. Press the
Delete key to delete the line and remove the relationship or right-click the line to display the
delete menu.

STEP BY STEP Modify Table Relationships

USE the database you used in the previous exercise.

1. Right-click the center section of the relationship line connecting the two tables.
A menu appears, as shown in Figure 3-32.

Figure 3-32
Edit/Delete menu

2. Select Delete. A message appears asking if you are sure you want to delete the
relationship. Click Yes. The line disappears.
3. Select the Customer ID field in the first table. Drag the mouse to the Customer ID field
in the second table and release the mouse button. The Edit Relationships dialog box
appears.
4. Click the Create button. A line appears, creating the relationship.
5. Double-click the center section of the relationship line. The Edit Relationships dialog
box appears again, listing the tables and the Customer ID fields on each side.
6. Click the Enforce Referential Integrity box and click OK. The line appears thicker, with
the number 1 beside the first table and the infinity symbol () beside the second, as
shown in Figure 3-33.

Figure 3-33 Relationship line with the

Relationship displaying number 1 on the “one” side
enforced referential integrity

Infinity symbol displayed

2.4.3
on the “many” side
How do you edit
relationships? PAUSE. LEAVE the database open to use in the next exercise.
72 Lesson 3

Printing Table Relationships

You may want to print a table relationship to save for your records or to discuss with a colleague.
The Relationship Report command makes this easy. When you choose to print the relationship
report, the Print Preview tab will appear with options for viewing and printing the report. After
you make any changes to the layout of the report, click the Print button to start printing. After
printing the report, you can choose to save it. In this exercise, you view and print table relation-
ships without saving the relationship report.

STEP BY STEP Print Table Relationships

USE the database you used in the previous exercise.

1. In the Tools group of the Relationship Tools Design tab, click the Relationship
Report button. The report is created and the Print Preview tab appears, as shown
in Figure 3-34.

Page Layout group: Data group: Controls

Controls page orientation all aspects of
and printing options data exporting

Page Size group: Zoom group:

Controls margins and Controls viewing
page size options
Figure 3-34
Print preview of
Relationship Report
2. Click the Print button. The Print dialog box appears, allowing you to select the printer
you want to use.
3. Click OK to keep the default settings and print the report.
4. Click the Close button to close the Relationships for FourthCoffee tab. A message
appears asking if you want to save changes to the report. Click No.
5. Close the Relationships tab.
STOP. CLOSE the database.
 Work with Tables and Database Records 73

SKILL SUMMARY
In This Lesson Objective
You Learned How To: Exam Objective Number
Navigate among Records
Enter, Insert, Edit, and
Delete Records
Work with Primary Keys Define Primary Keys. 2.4.1
Find and Replace Data Use Find. 2.3.1
Attach and Detach Documents
Sort and Filter Data and Set Field Use Sort. 2.3.2
View Options within a Table Use Filter commands. 2.3.3
Freeze or Unfreeze fields. 2.2.5
Hide or Unhide fields. 2.2.4
Understand Table Relationships Use Primary Keys to create 2.4.2
Relationships.
Edit Relationships. 2.4.3

Knowledge Assessment

Matching
Match the term in Column 1 to its description in Column 2.

Column 1 Column 2
1. foreign key a. prevents orphan records, to ensure that records do not
reference other records that no longer exist
2. composite key b. sorts data from beginning to end
3. outermost field c. sorts data from end to beginning
4. referential integrity d. to arrange data alphabetically, numerically, or
chronologically
5. wildcards e. a primary key from one table that is used in another table
6. ascending order f. a set of rules for determining which records will be
displayed
7. descending order g. the secondary sort field in a multifield sort
8. filter h. two or more primary keys in a table
9. sort i. characters used to find words or phrases that contain
specific letters or combinations of letters
10. innermost field j. the primary sort field in a multifield sort
74 Lesson 3

True/False
Circle T if the statement is true or F if the statement is false.

T F 1. You can use the Navigation buttons to search for data in a table.
T F 2. You can enter any kind of data into any field.
T F 3. After you enter data and move to a new field, Access automatically saves the
data for you in the table.
T F 4. After you delete a record, you can click the Undo button to bring it back.
T F 5. The Find and Replace dialog box searches all the tables in a database at
one time.
T F 6. An AutoNumber field will usually make a good primary key.
T F 7. Before you can attach a document, there must be a field in a table formatted
with the Attachment data type.
T F 8. The outermost field is the primary sort field in a multifield sort.
T F 9. The Toggle Filter button lets you permanently remove a filter and switches you
back to the original view.
T F 10. In a one-to-many relationship, each record in the first table can have many
records in the second table.

Competency Assessment

Project 3-1: Charity Event Contacts List

You are working as an intern for Woodgrove Bank. Part of your job is helping your supervisor organize
a charity event. Use an Access table to create a contacts list that your supervisor will use to make
calls to local businesses requesting sponsorships and donations for the event.

GET READY. LAUNCH Access if it is not already running.

1. OPEN the Charity Event database.
The Charity Event 2. SAVE the database as Charity EventXXX (where XXX is your initials).
file for this lesson is 3. Open the Contacts table.
available on the book
4. Enter the records shown in the following table:
companion website or in
WileyPLUS. ID Company Last Name First Name Business Phone
17 Trey Research Tiano Mike 469-555-0182
18 Fourth Coffee Culp Scott 469-555-0141
19 Wingtip Toys Baker Mary 972-555-0167
20 Margie’s Travel Nash Mike 972-555-0189
5. Click the View menu and choose Design View.
6. Select the ID row. On the Design tab, on the Tools menu, click the Primary Key button.
7. Save the design of the table and return to Datasheet View.
8. On the Home tab, in the Find group, click the Find button. The Find and Replace dialog
box appears. Key 0177 into the Find What box.
9. Select Contents from the Look In menu and select Any Part of Field in the
Match menu.
10. Click the Replace tab. Key 0175 into the Replace With box.
11. Click Find Next and then click Replace.
12. Click Cancel to close the dialog box.
13. Select the Lucern Publishing record.
14. On the Home tab, in the Records group, click the Delete button. Click Yes to delete
the record.
15. CLOSE the database.
LEAVE Access open for the next project.