Make the most of Access 2013—without becoming a technical expert! This book is the fastest way to master Access and use it to build powerful, useful databases of all kinds—even web application databases! Even if you’ve never used Access before, you’ll learn how to do what you want, one incredibly clear and easy step at a time. Access has never, ever been this simple!   Who knew how simple Access® 2013 could be? This is the easiest, most practical beginner’s guide to using Microsoft’s incredibly powerful new Access 2013 database program… simple, reliable instructions for doing everything you really want to do! Here’s a small sample of what you’ll learn:   •   Create tables to efficiently store and navigate your data •   Build queries that retrieve exactly the information you want •   Design intuitive forms that help your users work more efficiently •   Build reports that answer key questions intuitively and visually •   Learn easy techniques for designing more reliable databases •   Work faster with AutoForms, AutoReports, and other shortcuts •   Automate repetitive tasks and build more polished databases with macros •   Share Access data with Excel, SQL Server, and other applications •   Solve complex problems with advanced query, form, and reporting techniques •   Build modern web databases that serve users through browsers •   Run your database on the cloud through Microsoft Office 365 •   Construct a complete database application from start to finish •   And much more…   Alison Balter, President of InfoTech Services Group, Inc., has spent 25 years training and consulting on Microsoft Access and related applications with top organizations such as Cisco, Shell, Accenture, Northrop, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Prudential, Transamerica, Fox Broadcasting, and the U.S. Navy. She travels throughout North America delivering seminars on Access and has authored 14 books and videos for Pearson, including Microsoft Access 2010 LiveLessons and Alison Balter’s Mastering Access 2007 Development. She is past president of the Independent Computer Consultants Association of Los Angeles.     Category:    Databases Covers:    Microsoft® Access® 2013 User Level:    Beginning    

Table of Contents:
Introduction.....................................................1 Who Should Read This Book.................................................................................... 1 How This Book Is Organized..................................................................................... 1  Requirements, Editions, and Features................................................................ 2 Using This Book.......................................................................................................... 5   1 Why Use Microsoft Access?...................7 What Is a Relational Database?................................................................................ 8 What Types of Things Can I Do with Microsoft Access?....................................... 8  Access as a Development Platform for Small-Business Applications.............. 9  Access as a Development Platform for Departmental Applications................ 9  Access as a Development Platform for Corporation-Wide Applications................10  Access as a Front End for Enterprisewide Client/Server Applications..................11  Access as a Tool to Develop Web Applications..............................................11 A Preview of the Database Components..............................................................11  Tables: A Repository for Data............................................................................11  Relationships: Tying the Tables Together........................................................14  Queries: Stored Questions or Actions You Apply to Data.............................16  Forms: A Means to Display, Modify, and Add Data.......................................17  Reports: Turning Data into Information............................................................18  Macros: A Means of Automating a System......................................................20  Modules: The Foundation of the Application Development Process...........21   2 Getting Started with Microsoft Access........................25 Creating a Database from a Template..................................................................26 Viewing Database Objects......................................................................................27  Viewing Database Tables...................................................................................27  Viewing Queries..................................................................................................30  Viewing Forms.....................................................................................................30  Viewing Reports...................................................................................................31 Creating a Database from Scratch.........................................................................31 Opening an Existing Database...............................................................................32 Closing a Database..................................................................................................33 Exiting Access...........................................................................................................33   3 Tables: The Repository for Your Data............................35 Working with Table Data.........................................................................................36  Opening an Access Table..................................................................................36  Navigating Around a Table................................................................................36  Closing a Table....................................................................................................38 Editing Table Data...................................................................................................39  Edit Existing Records..........................................................................................39  Undoing Changes...............................................................................................39 Adding Records to a Table.....................................................................................40 Add Records to a Table...........................................................................................40 Deleting Records......................................................................................................41  Selecting One or More Records........................................................................41  Deleting Records.................................................................................................42  Finding and Replacing Records.........................................................................44 Filtering Table Data..................................................................................................47  Filtering by Selection..........................................................................................47  Removing Filters..................................................................................................48   4 Using Queries to Retrieve the Data You Need......................51 What Is a Query and When Should You Use One?..............................................51 Creating a Simple Query.........................................................................................52  Designing the Query...........................................................................................52  Adding Tables to Queries..................................................................................53  Adding Fields to Queries...................................................................................53 Ordering the Query Result......................................................................................56  Sorting on a Single Field....................................................................................56  Sorting on More Than One Field......................................................................57 Working with Simple Criteria..................................................................................57  Using an Exact Match Query.............................................................................57  Creating Criteria Based on Multiple Conditions..............................................58 Saving a Query.........................................................................................................66 Closing a Query........................................................................................................66   5 Using Forms to Display and Modify Information................69  Moving from Record to Record in a Form.......................................................70  Undoing Changes Made Within a Form...........................................................71  Using a Form to Delete Records from a Table................................................73  Copying Records Within a Form.......................................................................76  Finding a Record That Meets Specific Criteria................................................77 Sorting Records........................................................................................................79  Sort Records on a Single Field..........................................................................80 Filtering the Data Underlying a Form....................................................................80  Use the Filter by Form Feature..........................................................................80  Removing a Filter................................................................................................81  Use Multiple Filter Criteria.................................................................................81 Closing a Form.........................................................................................................83   6 Creating Your Own Forms.....................................85 The AutoForm Feature............................................................................................86  Create a Form by Using the AutoForm Feature..............................................86  Saving a Form......................................................................................................87 Using the Form Wizard to Build a Form................................................................87 Creating Split Forms................................................................................................88 Creating Multiple Item Forms.................................................................................90 Creating Navigation Forms.....................................................................................91  Customizing a Navigation Form........................................................................93  Creating a Navigation Form with Horizontal and Vertical Tabs.....................95   7 Using Reports to Print Information.........................99 Opening and Viewing a Report............................................................................100  Preview a Report...............................................................................................100  Moving from Page to Page..............................................................................100  Zooming In and Out ........................................................................................101  Viewing Multiple Pages....................................................................................102 Working in Layout View.........................................................................................103 Working in Report View.........................................................................................103 Printing a Report....................................................................................................104  Use Page Setup.................................................................................................104  Sending Reports to the Printer........................................................................105 Closing a Report.....................................................................................................105   8 Building Your Own Reports............................... 109  Using the AutoReport Feature.........................................................................110 Viewing the Design of a Report............................................................................113 Types of Reports Available....................................................................................114  Detail Reports....................................................................................................114  Summary Reports..............................................................................................115  Reports with Graphics.......................................................................................116  Reports with Forms...........................................................................................116  Reports with Labels...........................................................................................117  Creating Mailing Labels....................................................................................117   9 Creating Your Own Tables............................ 125 Building a New Table............................................................................................126  Building a Table from a Datasheet.................................................................126  Designing a Table from Scratch......................................................................128 Selecting the Appropriate Field Type for Data..................................................129  Short Text Fields: The Most Common Field Type........................................132  Long Text Fields: For Long Notes and Comments.......................................132  Number Fields: For When You Need to Calculate.......................................132  Date/Time Fields: For Tracking When Things Happened............................133  Currency Fields: For Storing Money...............................................................133  AutoNumber Fields: For Unique Record Identifiers......................................133  Yes/No Fields: For When One of Two Answers Is Correct..........................134  OLE Object Fields: For Storing Just About Anything...................................134  Hyperlink Fields: For Linking to the Internet..................................................134  Attachment Fields: For Storing File Attachments Associated with a Record............134  Calculated Fields: For Storing Your Database Calculations.........................135 Using Indexes to Improve Performance...............................................................135  Create an Index Based on a Single Field.......................................................136  Create an Index Based on Multiple Fields.....................................................137 The All-Important Primary Key..............................................................................137 Working with Field Properties...............................................................................138  The Field Size Property: Limiting What the User Enters into a Field..........139  The Format Property: Determining How Access Displays Data...................139  The Caption Property: Providing Alternatives to the Field Name...............141  The Default Value Property: Saving Data-Entry Time...................................142  The Validation Rule and Validation Text Properties: Controlling What the User Enters in a Field......142  The Required Property: Making the User Enter a Value...............................144  The Allow Zero Length Property: Accommodating for Situations with Nonexistent Data..........144  The Input Mask Property: Determining What Data Goes into a Field.........................145  The Lookup Wizard...........................................................................................147   10 Relating the Information in Your Database........................ 151 Introduction to Relational Database Design.......................................................152 The History of Relational Database Design.........................................................152  Goals of Relational Database Design.............................................................152  Rules of Relational Database Design..............................................................152  Normalization and Normal Forms...................................................................154  Denormalization: Purposely Violating the Rules............................................158  Integrity Rules....................................................................................................158 The Types of Relationships...................................................................................159  One-to-Many Relationships..............................................................................159  One-to-One Relationships................................................................................160  Many-to-Many Relationships............................................................................161 Establishing Relationships in Access....................................................................161  Following Guidelines for Establishing Relationships.....................................162  Modifying an Existing Relationship.................................................................164 Establishing Referential Integrity..........................................................................164  The Cascade Update Related Fields Option.................................................166  The Cascade Delete Related Records Option...............................................167   11 Enhancing the Queries That You Build................................. 171 Everything You Ever Needed to Know About Query Basics.............................172  Removing a Field from the Query Design Grid.............................................172  Inserting a Field After a Query Is Built............................................................172  Moving a Field to a Different Location on the Query Grid..........................173  Move More Than One Column........................................................................173 Updating Query Results.........................................................................................173  Update Results of a Query...............................................................................174 Building Queries Based on Multiple Tables........................................................174  Pitfalls of Multitable Queries............................................................................176  AutoLookup in Multitable Queries..................................................................177  Modifying the Datasheet View of a Query.....................................................178  Printing Query Results......................................................................................181 Refining a Query by Using Criteria.......................................................................184  Working with Dates in Criteria.........................................................................185   12 Advanced Query Techniques........................................ 189 Creating Calculated Fields....................................................................................190 Getting Help from the Expression Builder..........................................................191 Creating and Running Parameter Queries...........................................................192 Creating and Running Action Queries.................................................................194  Creating and Running Update Queries..........................................................195  Creating and Running Delete Queries............................................................197  Creating and Running Append Queries.........................................................198  Creating and Running Make Table Queries...................................................201 Using Aggregate Functions to Summarize Numeric Data.................................202 Creating Totals Queries.........................................................................................203 Working with Outer Joins......................................................................................206  Establish an Outer Join....................................................................................206   13 Building Powerful Forms................................................ 209 Power Control Techniques....................................................................................210  Add Fields to a Form........................................................................................210  Selecting, Moving, Aligning, and Sizing Form Objects................................211  Modifying Object Tab Order...........................................................................219 Conditional Formatting..........................................................................................219  Conditionally Format Data...............................................................................220 Form Properties and Why Should You Use Them..............................................221  Working with the Properties Window.............................................................221  Working with the Important Form Properties................................................222 Control Properties and Why to Use Them..........................................................227  The Format Properties of a Control................................................................227  The Data Properties of a Control....................................................................230  The Other Properties of a Control..................................................................233   14 Advanced Form Techniques................................... 237 Working with Combo Boxes.................................................................................238  List Boxes...........................................................................................................241 The Command Button Wizard: Programming Without Typing.........................241 Building Forms Based on More Than One Table...............................................244  Creating One-to-Many Forms..........................................................................244  Working with Subforms....................................................................................247   15 Building Powerful Reports..................................... 251 The Anatomy of a Report......................................................................................252 Control Properties and Why to Use Them..........................................................253  The Format Properties of a Control................................................................253  The Data Properties of a Control....................................................................258  The Other Properties of a Control..................................................................258 Building Reports Based on More Than One Table............................................260  Creating One-to-Many Reports.......................................................................260  Working with Subreports..................................................................................266   16 Advanced Report Techniques...................................... 269 Working with Sorting and Grouping....................................................................270  Add Sorting and Grouping to a Report..........................................................270  Sorting and Grouping Settings........................................................................271  Group Header and Footer Properties and Why to Use Them.....................273 Report Properties and Why to Use Them............................................................274  Working with the Properties Window.............................................................275  The Format Properties of a Report.................................................................275  The Report’s Data Properties...........................................................................276  Other Properties of a Report...........................................................................277 Basing Reports on Stored Queries or Embedded SQL Statements...................278   17 Automating Your Database with Macros............................. 281 Learning the Basics of Creating and Running a Macro......................................282  Working with Macro Actions............................................................................282  Working with Action Arguments.....................................................................284  Submacros..........................................................................................................286  Program Flow.....................................................................................................287 Running an Access Macro.....................................................................................289  Running a Macro from the Macro Design Window.......................................290  Running a Macro from the Macros Group of the Navigation Pane.............290  Triggering a Macro from a Form or Report Event.........................................291 Modifying an Existing Macro................................................................................292  Inserting New Macro Actions...........................................................................292  Deleting Macro Actions....................................................................................292  Moving Macro Actions......................................................................................293  Copying Macro Actions....................................................................................293 Creating an Embedded Macro.............................................................................294   18 Advanced Macro Techniques...................................... 299 Creating Data Macros............................................................................................300  Respond to Events............................................................................................300 Creating a Drillthrough Macro..............................................................................301 Other New Features Available in Macros............................................................304 Testing a Macro......................................................................................................305 Determining When You Should Use Macros and When You Shouldn’t...........306 Converting a Macro to VBA Code.......................................................................307 Creating an AutoExec Macro................................................................................308   19 Sharing Data with Other Applications........................ 311 What Is External Data?...........................................................................................312 Importing, Linking, and Opening Files: When and Why...................................312  Determining Whether to Import or Link.........................................................313  Looking at Supported File Formats.................................................................314 Exporting to Another Access Database...............................................................314 Exporting to an Excel Spreadsheet......................................................................316  Exporting to an Excel Spreadsheet Using the Context-Sensitive Menu.................316  Exporting to an Excel Spreadsheet Using Drag and Drop...........................317  Exporting to an Excel Spreadsheet by Using the External Data Tab on the Ribbon......318 Exporting to ASCII..................................................................................................318  Export Tables and Queries to the ASCII File Format....................................318 Importing from Another Access Database..........................................................321  Import an Access Table....................................................................................322 Importing Spreadsheet Data.................................................................................323 Importing ASCII Data.............................................................................................326  Import ASCII Data into Access........................................................................326 Linking to Tables in Another Access Database...................................................329 Linking to Another Type of Database..................................................................331  Link to Excel Spreadsheets..............................................................................331  Linking to SQL Server Databases....................................................................333 The Linked Table Manager...................................................................................338  Move and Update Table Links.........................................................................338   20 Working with Web Databases............................. 343 Working with Web Databases...............................................................................344 Creating a Blank Web Database..........................................................................344 Creating a Query....................................................................................................346 Creating and Working with Forms........................................................................349  Creating a New Form.......................................................................................350  Customizing an Existing Form.........................................................................354 Using a Template to Create a Website...............................................................357 Viewing Your Website in a Browser.....................................................................358   21 Putting It All Together............................................ 363 Designing the Tables to Store Your Data............................................................364 Building the Forms to Edit Your Data..................................................................369  Designing the Clients Form.............................................................................369  Designing the Projects Form...........................................................................372  Adding a Command Button That Links the Clients and Projects Forms.........374 Building the Queries to Extract the Data You Need..........................................375 Designing the Reports to Display Your Data......................................................377  Designing the rptClientListing Report............................................................377  Building the Macros Necessary to Automate Your Application..................380   Index ........................................... 383