If you use Microsoft Access, this course will help you manage databases more efficiently by advancing your skill set through hands-on lessons.
Microsoft Access is one of the most widely used information management systems. This course will teach you advanced techniques in this powerful database program, including importing Excel spreadsheets as tables, creating query calculations to crunch numbers, and using Visual Basic to automate common tasks. From building reports to using conditional formatting, this course will teach you how to best present your data. This course is appropriate for Access versions 2019, 2021 and 365.
Requirements:
Hardware Requirements:
- This course must be taken on a PC. Macs are not compatible.
Software Requirements:
- PC: Windows 10 or later.
- Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge is also compatible.
- Microsoft Access 2019, 2021 and Office 365 desktop (not included in enrollment). Available to download with a subscription to Microsoft 365, or with Microsoft Office Professional. Microsoft Access 2016 is also acceptable. Please note: There may be some differences between your version of Access and what you see in the course.
- Adobe Acrobat Reader.
- Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.
Other:
- Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.
Instructional Material Requirements:
The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.
Develop a fully functional database in this hands-on Microsoft Access course appropriate for Access versions 2019, 2021 and 365. Master advanced techniques for presenting data, automating common tasks, and building navigation as you work to create a database project from scratch.
Reviewing Terms and Importing Data
In this lesson, you'll review Access key concepts and terminology. You'll also learn how to share data between Access and other applications. The objects you import in this lesson will be the basis of a project that you'll work on for the rest of the course.
Key Fields and Action Queries
You'll learn how to set up key fields in tables, plus you'll use action queries to quickly and easily manipulate multiple-table records with one command.
Relationships of the Database Kind
What are table relationships, and what does referential integrity mean? It's time to find out how and why to use these features.
Creating and Modifying Forms
Forms are the user-friendly gateway to Access table data. In this lesson, you'll learn how to create and modify forms and make them easy to use.
Subforms and the Tab Control
In this lesson, you'll learn how to add a subform to a main form without the wizard, and you'll use the Tab control to arrange form data.
Queries
You've already learned to put data into your database in an efficient way. In this lesson, you'll learn about query joins and data functions. These tools will help you get timely, high-quality data out of your database, so you see all the data you want and none of the data you don't want.
Query Calculations
Suppose your boss tells you, "I want a list of the customers who placed the most orders and a separate list of the customers who spent the most overall." How can you find these answers quickly and accurately? Access comes to your rescue again! In this lesson, you'll explore Access functions, crunch numbers with the best of them, and even design a mathematical formula of your own.
Summary Queries
In this lesson, you'll build powerful, fast summary queries that total, count, or average the values in a set of records. You'll also discover the power of the crosstab query, which can not only summarize data but also rearrange it so that it becomes easier to understand. Finally, you'll add query parameters that allow you to change a query's criteria without altering its design.
Building Reports That Pinpoint Key Information
In this lesson, you'll use the Report Wizard to build a basic report. You'll then fine-tune what you've built and learn some tips and tricks about building Access reports. Finally, you'll learn about a fantastic tool—conditional formatting, which allows you to visually identify key report data. With a few clicks, your report will change from a mass of numbers to a map of trends and changes that affect your business.
Run Reports from a Custom Dialog Box
Just about every time you run a report, you'll want to limit the data it displays. You might want to see only a certain customer or a particular month and year. In this lesson, you'll build a dialog box that allows the user to run reports based on custom-built criteria.
Using Visual Basic to Automate the Reports Dialog Box
Visual Basic is a powerful programming language that allows database developers to automate simple and complex tasks. In this lesson, you'll learn a little bit about Visual Basic, using it to make the reports dialog box you built earlier fully functional.
Putting It All Together
If you're creating a database for others, you must make it easy to use—and as you may remember, Access can look intimidating to a newbie! In this lesson, you'll build a navigation form that directs users to the forms and reports they need. You'll also set up a database for shared use and modify the startup options.
What you will learn
- Import table data from external sources
- Use action queries to update table data quickly and efficiently
- Set table relationships to maintain data integrity
- Make forms easier to use
- Understand query joins, and common functions
- Build a report dialog box to dynamically run database reports based on user selected criteria
- Use Visual Basic to run reports from the report dialog box
- Prepare a database for use by others
How you will benefit
- Build your own database from scratch
- Improve the efficiency of your existing databases
- Build a fully functional database that tracks customer and order information
- Create an automated dialog box that runs reports with the click of a button and filters those reports to specific user selected criteria
Ken Cook
Ken Cook has managed his own successful computer consulting business since 1990. He began as a trainer, instructing numerous users on a variety of software packages, specializing in Microsoft Office. Currently, his main focus is creating expert Microsoft Office solutions, Microsoft Access database solutions, and Microsoft SQL Server solutions for Fortune 500 and small business clients. He is also co-author of four "Access for Dummies" books.
