Microsoft Access Training – Introduction / Intermediate

Course detailsGetting to know Access

• Understanding Microsoft Access
• Starting Access From the Windows Start Screen
• Starting Access From the Desktop
• Understanding the Start Screen
• Creating a New Blank Database
• Understanding the Backstage View
• Opening an Existing Database File
• Understanding the Access 2013 Screen
• Using the Ribbon
• Working With the Navigation Pane
• Adding Commands to the QAT
• Working With Touch Mode
• Working With a Table
• Working With Other Database Objects
• Closing a Database File
• Exiting From Access

Designing A Lookup DatabaseThis session is focused on database design. Before creating a database it is critical to design it correctly for it to function efficiently. This session explained the different datatypes that Access can store before leading delegates though the process of designing and refining a database design.The key topics trained include:

• Understanding How Access Stores Data
• Understanding Access Data Types
• Scoping Your New Database
• Identifying Table Problems
• Refining Table Structures
• Finalising the Design

Creating A Lookup DatabaseHaving designed a database the next step is to actually create it. This session leads delegates through that process. So how to create a new file and then the table (or tables) within it. It then looks at creating and defining primary keys for the table created. The next part focuses on working with a multiple table database. It explains how relationships are defined, managed and created. Finally it shows you how to review the relationships within a database.The key topics trained in this session are:

• Creating A New Database File
• Creating the Lookup Table
• Defining the Primary Key
• Saving and Closing A Table
• Creating the Transaction Table
• Understanding Lookup Table Relationships
• Connecting To A Lookup Table
• Viewing Table Relationships

Modifying Table StructuresOnce you have created your database the next step is to define the datafield that are held within each of your tables. This session gives delegates a thorough overview of defining and working with table field properties.The key topics trained include:

• Opening an Existing Table
• Adding Fields to an Existing Table
• Understanding Field Properties
• Changing Field Size
• Changing Field Names
• Changing Decimal Places
• Changing Date Formats
• Indexing Fields
• Deleting Fields From a Table
• Copying a Table Within a Database
• Deleting a Table From a Database File

Setting Table Relationships The relationships between tables are critical in an Access database. This session focuses on all aspects of those relationships. It explained how they work, how to view them and then how to create and edit table joins which are defined by table relationships. It finishes by showing you how to create a report that shows the relationships within a database.The key topics trained include:

• Understanding Table Relationships
• Understanding Lookup Relationships
• Looking Up the Employees Table
• Looking Up the Expense Types Table
• Viewing Table Relationships
• Understanding Table Joins
• Editing the Employee Table Join
• Editing the Expense Type Table Join
• Creating a New Join
• Creating a Relationship Report

Adding Records To A TableHaving established a database which contains a number of linked tables and in which the fields have been established it is time to start using your database to store data. This session focuses on entering data into a database. It shows you how to manually enter records, how to create and use a form to make data entry and how to save that form for future use. It finishes by showing you how to import data into Microsoft Access from Excel.The key topics trained include:

• Typing Records In A Table
• Adding Records Using A Form
• Saving A Form Layout For Reuse
• Adding Records Using An Existing Form
• Assignment – Adding Records
• Importing From Microsoft Excel

Adding Transactional Records

• Typing Transactional Records
• Transactional Records Using A Form
• Assignment – Adding Transactional Records
• Adding Records Using A Subdatasheet
• Removing A Subdatasheet
• Inserting A Subdatasheet

Data ValidationThe next step in creating a database is to ensure that only the correct types of data are entered into the various tables.In addition to helping to ensure that the correct data is entered into the right fields it also avoids a large number of potential problems later when incorrect data could cause problems with queries and other database functions. Access makes data validation straight forward luckily.The key topics trained include:

• Assigning Default Values
• Validation Rules and Text
• Validating Numbers
• Setting Required Fields
• Working With Validations

Working With RecordsOnce you have a populated database the next skill to master is how you work with and manipulate those records. This session shows you all of the basic skills. It shows you how to navigate around your table and how to edit the records that are held in your tables. It then moves to show you how to delete the records held in your table.The next part of the session shows you how to search through the records held in your database, either the whole table or an individual field, and how to use ‘find and replace’. Finally it shows you how to print from your database.The key topics trained include:

• Table Navigation
• Navigating to a Specific Record
• Editing a Record
• Deleting Record Data
• Undoing a Change
• Deleting a Record
• Deleting Several Records
• Searching in a Table
• Searching in a Field
• Finding and Replacing
• Printing Records From a Table
• Compacting a Database

Formatting TablesFormatting your tables will make working with your Access database far simpler and easier. This session covers the basics. It shows you how to change column widths, change fonts and formats with in a cell. It also covers moving, hiding and freezing columns. All of this makes navigating a database far simpler.The key topics trained are:

• Changing Column Widths
• Formatting Cells In The Table
• Changing Fonts
• Moving Columns In A Table
• Freezing Columns In A Table
• Hiding Columns In A Table
• Unhiding Columns

Sorting And FilteringAnother very useful skill when working with a populated database is sorting and filtering the data in the database so that you can see only the records that you are interested in.This session shows you the various ways that you can filter databases to isolate just the data that you want to seek. The key topics trained are:

• Simple Sorting
• Sorting On Several Fields
• Simple Filtering
• Working With Filters

Importing & Exporting Records

• Exporting Records to Microsoft Excel
• Exporting Records to a Text File
• Importing From Microsoft Excel
• Importing From a Text File
• Linking to an External Source

Creating QueriesOften a simple filter will not allow you to isolate the data that you require. This session introduces the query functions in MS Access. It beings by explaining how they work before leading you though using the query designer. It shows you how to create a query, setup the various criteria to be applied to the data and how to run a query. It then covers saving a query so that it can be used agin in future.The key topics trained in this session are:

• Understanding Queries
• Creating A Query Design
• Working With A Query
• Changing A Query Design
• Applying Record Criteria
• Clearing Selection Criteria
• Saving A Query
• Running Queries Via The Navigation Pane
• Deleting A Query
• Assignment – Creating Queries

Querying TechniquesHaving introduced queries in the previous session this session builds on that to explain the more advanced functionality that Access offers.It begins by showing delegates how to modify the query they saved at the end of the previous session. It then moves to looking at compound queries involving AND or OR logic before looking at querying for ranges and then sorting data in a query as well. It then moves to cover using wildcard characters in queries and looking at the characters that can cause problems in queries.The key topics covered in this session are:

• Modifying A Saved Query
• Creating AND Queries
• Creating OR Queries
• Querying Numeric Data
• Querying Dates
• Using A Range Expression
• Querying Opposite Values
• Moving Fields In A Query
• Sorting Query Data
• Removing Fields From A Query
• Querying Using Wildcards
• Problem Characters
• Querying With A Lookup Table
• Sorting Query Data Numerically
• Displaying NULL Values
• Querying for Uniqueness

Multi Table Queries

• Understanding Relational Queries
• Creating a Relational Query Design
• Filtering a Relational Query
• Filtering Related Fields
• Adding More Tables and Fields
• Utilising Hidden Fields
• Understanding Query Joins
• Creating an Inner Join
• Creating a Left Outer Join
• Creating a Right Outer Join

Parameter Queries

• Creating a Parameter Query
• Displaying All Using Parameters to Display a Range
• Using Parameters in Expressions
• Using Parameters With Wildcards

Calculations in Queries

• Creating a Calculated Field
• Formatting Calculated Fields
• Summarising Data Using a Query
• Changing the Grouping
• Calculating With Dates
• Using Criteria in Calculations
• Concatenating String Fields

Creating And Using ReportsThe final session of the introduction to MS Access course covers reporting. Having shown delegates how to create, populate and query their database the final topic is reporting.Access contains some very powerful reporting tools. These allow reports on data to be created very quickly and simply. We cover creating, saving, editing, printing and deleting reports. After that we look at more advanced topics like creating statistical and grouped reports.The key topics trained include:

• Understanding Reporting In Access
• Creating A Basic Report
• Working With Existing Reports
• Previewing and Printing A Report
• Changing The Report Layout
• Using The Report Wizard
• Creating A Grouped Report
• Creating A Statistical Report
• Working With Grouped Reports

Creating And Using FormsForms are a very useful way to interact with your data in Access. This session gives covers forms and the actions that forms can be used for in detail. It covers creating forms, using forms with queries, editing data using forms and finally saving and deleting forms themselves.The key topics trained include:

• Understanding Forms
• Creating A Basic Form
• Creating A Split Form
• Binding A Form To A Query
• Using The Form Wizard
• Working With Existing Forms
• Editing Records In A Form
• Deleting Records Through A Form
• Deleting An Unwanted Form