MICROSOFT ACCESS DATABASE

A database is a software that handles the storage, retrieval, and updating of data in a computer system that is
related to a particular topic or purpose. Databases allow their users to enter, access, and analyze their data
quickly and easily.
STRUCTURE OF AN ACCESS DATABASE
An Access database is comprised of a group of related structures, namely Tables, Forms, Queries and Reports.
This database may consist of a single table (or several) and will have forms, reports and queries.
Microsoft Access helps you to manage your database by providing an efficient structure to store and retrieve
information. The place you assemble information about each subject you decide to track is called a field.
Access can produce a form for you to fill in your data and you may request to display a selected part of
information by using features such as FIND, SORT, and QUERY. Access can then help you print just any part of
the information you wish to see in a REPORT.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Entity – anything you want to store information about. An item, a place, a person or even an event can be an
‘entity’.
Field /Attribute – a single column in a table that stores a single piece of information/data.
Record/ Tuple – the details about a particular entity. E.G It contains a single row

Table – A table is a collection of data about a specific topic, such as students. It is made up of a set rows and
columns.

 Create Table in Design view will allow you to create the fields of the table. It allows you to define
the fields in the table before adding any data to the datasheet. This is the most common way of
creating a table and is explained in detail below.
 Create table by using wizard will step you through the creation of a table.
 Create table by entering data will give you a blank datasheet with unlabelled columns that looks
much like an Excel worksheet.
Datasheet View Design View

Displays the view, which allows you to enter fields,

Displays the view, which allows you to enter raw data-types, and descriptions into your database
data into your database table. table.
DATA TYPE
Determines the type of data that a field can store.
Data type Use
Text Text or combination of text and numbers, such as names and addresses also numbers that do
not require mathematical operations to be performed on them, for example, a person’s phone
number. Limit of 255 characters per entry.
Memo Text and/or numbers requiring more than 255 characters per entry (e.g., notes, a paragraph,
recipes and instructions.)
Number Numeric data being used in calculations, excluding currency AND excluding numbers that
should not be rounded off during calculations.
Date/Time Date or time

MS. JOHN
1 IT
 Currency Currency values and numeric data used in mathematical calculations involving data with one to
four decimal places.
AutoNumber Usually sequential, auto-generated numbers, each which uniquely identifies a record.
Incremented by 1 whenever a new record is added to a table.
Yes/No Use in fields where the entry can only be one of two values, such as Yes/No or True/False.
OLE Object Formatted text, long documents, images, or other objects created in other applications that
are being inserted into or linked to from Access.
Hyperlink A link usually to a website.
Lookup Wizard… A field that allows you to choose an entry from another table or from a list of values that you
determine.
Field Description - this is optional and is used to describe the field. Whatever is typed here is displayed on the status
bar when entries are being made in a Form.
Field name - A descriptive name given to a field. The field name is one continuous word of not more than 10
characters.
For e.g. A field name for a person’s identification number could be “ID_NUMB”.
Field Type - the field type describes what kind of data to use for a field based on the kind of value to allow in field.
Field size - the maximum number of characters or value that can be entered for a field given its type.
• Primary Key – a primary key is a field whose values are unique so that they can be used to identify a particular
record in a table. It does not allow Null values and must always have a unique value.
• Secondary key - is a field whose values are not unique so a particular value may identify several records.
• Composite key – is a combination of fields used to create a primary key. E.g. the ‘FirstName’ and ‘LastName’
combine to create a composite key.
• Candidate key – A field that is considered a possibility for a primary field. E.g. the ‘Employee ID’ field and the
composite ‘FirstName’ plus ‘LastName’ key are both candidates for the primary key in the Employees table.
• Foreign key – appears in a table where it doesn’t really belong but allows two tables to be linked

LINKING TABLES

Relationship – The linking of tables and files to share records.

A QUERY is a database feature that allows you to display records that meet a particular criterion, or to display
the specific records from tables.

TYPES OF QUERIES you should know are:

1. Select
2. Update
3. Append
4. Delete

Signs Used:
< Greater Than Less Than
<= Less Than or Equal To
>= Greater Than or Equal To
<> Not Equal To

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= Equal To
And, Or, Not, Nor, Between

Wildcard - Symbols used to represent any value when selecting

specific files. E.g. a*.gif beginning with "a" or "A"

Calculated field – A numeric or date field that derives its data from the calculation of other fields. The
data are not entered into a calculated field by the user.

Form a graphical user interface designed specifically for entering, displaying, and searching data.
A subform is a form within a form. It is generally used whenever you want to display data from multiple tables
where there is a one-to-many relationship. For example, you would use a subform if you wanted to display an
order with the order details. In this case, the order information would display on the "main" form and the
order details would display on the subform.

REPORTS are provided for a user to completely manipulate data entered in these databases and get a hard
copy/printed output of selected portions of information. Some of this rom tables may be specialized requests
such as customers’ addresses, which may be printed as specialized reports known as MAILING LABELS.

MS. JOHN
3 IT