1st Module of Accelerated Introduction to Microsoft Access. covers tables, import/export and relationships

1. Factory Access Accel. Introduction v1.021
Accelerated Introduction to Access
ModuleModule
Introduction to Access, Tables, and
External Data
P.O. Box 6142
Laguna Niguel, CA 92607
949-489-1472
http://www.d2associates.com
slides.1@dhdursoassociates.com

2. FactoryAccess Accel. Introduction v1.022
Module Outline
 Part 1: Introduction & Tables
 Part 2: External Data
 Part 3: Relating Tables
Three parts:Three parts:

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Module Hands On
– Create working folder with supplied files
– Create a database
– Create 3 tables (w/validation rules and masks)
– Populate tables
– Import and Export Tables
– Create permanent links
– Create a simple query
– Compute calculated field(s)
– Create a multi-table query with summary aggregates
Students “hands-on”:

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Accelerated Introduction to Access
Part 1:Part 1:
Introduction to Access and Tables

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But first - Create Folder
 Create a folder yourname (or similar) in
My Documents – this is where your
database and other files will go.
 Optionally, copy in the labor.txt and
employees.xls files from the instructor
supplied location or CD.

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Access Modes
 Menu-driven interface - Interact with a database
and its objects using menu commands
 Program mode - Lets you store instructions in a VBA
program file
 This course concentrates on the menu interface but
does cover macros which can be used to “program” a
series of actions

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Database Terminology
 Database – in Access a repository in which tables,
reports, queries, and other objects are stored
 Table – stores facts about one subject (entity)
 Record - contains related information about an
entity “instance”
 Field - contains a fact about an entity
 Relational Database - allows you to link records from
two or more tables based on the contents of a
common field. Access is a relational database.

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Database Terminology (cont.)
 Key - used to order, identify, and retrieve records
in the database
 Primary key - unique identifier for a particular
record. Only one per table.
 Index – like a book index. Speeds searches and
joins. Can have many per table.
 Table structure - the arrangement of information
within a record, the type of characters, field
length, limitations, etc.

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Database Terminology (cont.)
 Object – used in database world as generic term for
queries, reports, indexes, tables, etc. Not the same
as programming object.
 Form - paper-like method of accessing and entering
data in a table
 Query – retrieves information from Access tables
 Report - provides the ability to arrange table data
as well as to perform calculations and then print a
paper-based report

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Sample Application – Factory2000
 Simple cost accounting
application
 Employees work on work
orders
 Clock labor hours for each
work order

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Recording Factory2000 Labor Hours
EmpNo fName lName Rate Wono Descr Hours
12 Bob Smith 15 A1 Casting 12
13 Mary Chavez 20 A1 Casting 22
14 Alicia Parks 25 B3 Ass’ly 15
14 Alicia Parks 25 C2 Screws 18
What problems do you see with this approach?

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Factory2000 Relational Database Structure
EmpNo fName lName Rate MgrNo
12 Bob Smith 15 13
13 Mary Chavez 20
14 Alicia Parks 25 12
EmpNo Wono Start End Hours
12 A1 1/1/01 1/31/01 20
14 C2 2/1/01 2/28/01 42
14 B3 1/1/01 2/28/01 40
employeesemployees
LaborLabor
Wono Descr Std
A1 Casting 30
B3 Fitting 50
C2 Screws 70
Work_ordersWork_orders

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Creating a Database
 Ways to create a database
– Create a database using an Access
template or Wizard – (not always
recommended)
– Create a blank database and then insert
your own objects – we will use this
method in this course

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Creating an Access 2000 Database
Create the
database in
your desktop
folder with a
meaningful
name

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Creating a Table
 Click new from tables tab
 Naming a Table
– Up to 64 “standard” characters can be used
– Do not use an extension
– No leading spaces or control characters, in fact
try to avoid spaces altogether
 Add fields one by one
 Set Field Properties in Field Properties
box

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Designing Fields
 Field Type – text, datetime, number, etc.
 Field Width – 10 characters, etc.
 Caption – “Column title” for display
 Format – Determines how the field is displayed
(long date, short date, etc.)
 Click toolbar key symbol to make primary key
 Set indexed for secondary keys, required, etc.

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Setting Properties in the Table Designer

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Hands On - Create Tables
 Employees
 Work_Orders
 Labor

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Employees Table Definition
 EmpNo text(2), primary key
 Fname text(10)
 Lname text (15), required
 Rate currency, required
 MgrNo text(2)
(Instructor led)
All with captionsSave as tblEmployees

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Work_Orders Table Definition
 WoNo text(2), primary key
 Descr text(15)
 StdHrs number(single,2), required
 Accum number(single,2), required
(On your own)
Add captions, tooSave as tblWork_orders

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Labor Table Definition
 EmpNo text(2), primary key
 WoNo text(2), primary key
 Start datetime, required
 End datetime
 Hours number(single,2)
(On your own)
Add captions, tooSave as tblLabor

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Field Validation & Masks
 Add some validations
– Test a numeric field for > 0
– Try checking one field against another
– Etc.
 Add captions if not added already
 Add an input mask
 Change a display format
 Etc.

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Datasheets
 Datasheet window - displays the contents of a table
in a spreadsheet-like format
– Each row contains a record
– Each column contains a field
 Speedbar - appears at the bottom of the window
and is used to navigate through the records in a
table

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Datasheet View

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Entering & Editing Records
 Enter table data from the
handouts or use your own
data

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Employees Table Data

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Work_Orders Table Data

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Labor Table Data
[To be imported later]

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Printing a Table
 Access allows you to create “quick and dirty”
reports by clicking the toolbar Print button
– A row/column presentation is used
– Field names appear along the top
– Records are rows
– Fields are columns
– A grid is printed around each field

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Quick Reports
 Report Wizard
– Module 2 covers reports
– For now, be aware a quick report can be
produced using the report wizard

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Microsoft Access
Part 2Part 2
External Data

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Office Links
 Publish it with MS Word
 Analyze in MS Excel
 Use Tools | Office Links or the
Toolbar

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Exporting a table
 Very simple
 Click File|Export (or save as)
 Specify type: Access can
export to many types: Excel,
Text, etc.

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Exporting tables
 Export Work_Orders to CSV
text file.
 Note you can also export to
another Access table. Even
one elsewhere on a LAN!

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Using External Data
 Two methods:
– Import the data into a new (or existing table) in your
database
– Link to the data. A table link appears in your
database but the data stays in the original file.

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Importing Files
 Another very important feature
 Start from new table dialog, pick
Import Table
 It will start a wizard
 Use advanced to select fields, etc.
 Specifications can be saved for later
use

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Importing a table from a Text File
Importing a Text File

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Importing from a text file
 Import the instructor-supplied
labor text file into the previously
created labor table
 Save the specification

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Linking a table
 Use new table dialog
 Select Link Table
 This will set up a connection to an
external table. It does not become
part of the Access database
 Access can link to many types: Excel,
ODBC connection, etc.

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Linking a table
Linking a Table

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Link a table
 Link the instructor-
supplied Employees
Excel
 Give it a name like
Employees_xls

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Microsoft Access
Part 3Part 3
Relating Tables

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Relating Tables
 Command sequence – Tools | Relationships
 Parent table - table used as the main table
for a relationship
 Child table - the related table, often has
several records for each record in the
parent table

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Referential Integrity
 Orphan record - a child record without a
corresponding parent record
 Referential integrity - makes certain that
related records are present

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Table Links
 In this context means relate two or more
tables on columns of data
 Permanent link –
– established using the Relationships command
– is always in effect once defined
 Transient link - defined using the query-by-
example feature of Access

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Creating a Permanent LinkCreating a Permanent Link
Drag from
PK to FK

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Create Permanent Links
Link all Factory2000 tables
Enforce referential integrity
Normal, default joins for now

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Permanent Links

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Import Labor Table
 Now import the instructor
supplied labor.txt file into
your labor table
 Try changing an EmpNo or
WoNO to an invalid value
and see what happens

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Accelerated Introduction to Access
End of Module
P.O. Box 6142
Laguna Niguel, CA 92607
949-489-1472
http://www.d2associates.com
slides.1@dhdursoassociates.com