How to Automatically Create Database Documentation
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A database contains information, specific designed queries and tables, customized reports, and even user menus, and if you ever need to capture the details of how a specific database was built you can ask the system to provide you these details. This is called database documentation and Access can provide this automatically. And you can print this to keep as a back up or save it for future reference and use. In this short tutorial, I will show you the steps to run this function.
- Make sure the desired database is open and go to Database Tools>Database Documenter and the “Documenter” pop up window box will appear.
- Next, click the “All Object Type” tab and click the “Seelct All” button to highlight all the records and their appropriate design and customization. Next hit the OK button.
- Now, you can view the documentation on your screen. It’s probably going to be a large file so you may not want to print such a massive file. You can export it and save it as a pdf file to peruse online or save it normally and access it later.
Well done! You can look really smart showing all this documentation to anyone who wants to learn the specifics of your Access database.
How to Export Access Data to Another File Format
How to Create a Switchboard also Known as a Menu
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If you are used to using database software like Microsoft Access, then you know how to navigate it and get things done using it. But what about when you need to share the information with other people who don’t know access at all? Well, you can create a “user menu” to help other people who don’t use Access on a daily basis navigate it without headaches. In this short tutorial, I will show you how to create a “user menu” or as Microsoft calls it a “Switchboard.”
- First, make sure you have open the database for which you want to create a user menu or “swithchboard” as it’s called by Microsoft. Next, go to Database Tools>Switchboard Manager, and you will see a pop up window box asking you if you want to create a swtichboard, so click the Yes button.
- Next, the “Switchboard Manager” pop up window box appears and click New to create a brand new user menu for this particular database. Following that, the “Create New” pop up window box appears and asks you for a name, so type in a name you will remember and click OK. The new name will appear right below “Main Switchboard” (Defaut) under “Switchboard Pages” back in the “Switchboard Manager” pop up window box.
- Next you need to add “menu items” to your switchboard, so select the newly created switchboard listed right under “Main Switchboard” (Default) and click Edit. Next, the “Edit Switchboard Item” pop up window box appears. Enter the name of the menu item in the “Text” box, and then select the command along with the form. And click OK. This new command will appear under “Items on this Switchboard” within the “Edit Swicthboard Page” pop up window box.
- You will have to repeat step 3 for each command (“menu item”) that you want to include in the switchboard (“user menu”).
Great! You created a switchboard that your users will appreciate.
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How to Create Mailing Labels Using Access
When you use a database program like Microsoft Access 2007 you deal with large amounts of data daily, so one of the things that you also do often is mass mailings. Lucky for you, Access has a great function that lets you create mailing labels in just a couple of clicks. In this short tutorial, I will show you how to create mailing labels for massive mailings.
- First, make sure you have open the database that has the information you want to include in your mass mailing. Next, go to Create>Reports>Labels, and the Lable Wizard will open up.
- The “Label Wizard” pop up window box will appear. Next, from the group of label options, select the labels that you will be using for the printing of the labels, and also search the correct label manufacturer, and click Next.
- Next, you can select the font type, size, and color for your labels, and click Next.
- In this following section, you need to pick the fields that you want to appear on the labels. So, under available fields, click on the ones that you want to transfer to the “Prototype label” section, and click Next.
- In this step, you need to tell Access how to sort the data to organize it for the labels. Review the options under “Available Fields” and click the field or fields that best organizes the information and these selections will appear under “Sort by.” And click Next.
- Now, give your file a name and click “See the labels as they will look printed” option to see a preview and click Finish.
- Finally, you will see a preview of the mailing labels and you will be ready to print them or save the file for future use.
Fantastic! Your labels were created in minutes and this will save you time and effort.
How to Export Access Data to Another File Format
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Databases make our lives easier by keeping insane amounts of data readily accessible and in one central repository of information. But, another thing that you can do for example if you’re using Microsoft Access is export data to other applications, like Excel, automatically so that you can do other tasks. The chance to be able to transfer data with a couple of clicks saves time and effort. Could you imagine having to reenter all that information in another program manually -The thought is scary enough. In this tutorial, I will show you how easy and fast you can export data from Access to Excel.
- First, make sure the Access database with the table containing the specific data that you want to export is open. Next, go to External Data>Export>Excel to select Excel as the file format where you want to export the data to.
- Next, the “Export – Excel Spreadsheet” pop up window box will appear. In here, enter the destination file and its format. Also click on both “Export data with formatting and layout” and “Open the destination file after the export operation is complete,” and click OK.
- Finally, you will see the newly exported data opened in an Excel spreadsheet.
That’s it! Now that was as easy as they come.
How to Post Your Access Database Table to an Internet WebpageHow to Automatically Create Database DocumentationHow to Format and Sort Data in AccessHow to Post Your Access Database Table to an Internet Webpage
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One of the great features of today’s software programs is that they can publish information online even database information. With Microsoft Acces 2007, you can take tables and publish them online to share information without having to retype the information in an HTML format. This function is convenient and easy to use in today’s high tech world. In this short tutorial, I will you the steps to publish an Access database table online.
- Go to Office>Open and from the “All Tables” list, click the table that has the data you want to publish in the web. Then on the right hand side of the screen, click the specific data that you want show in the web page.
- Go to External Data>Export>More and go down and click the “HTML” option. Next, the “Export – HTML Document” pop up window box will appear, and in here, first ensure you enter the “destination file and format” so that the web page is saved in the right place. Then, click on “Export Data with Formatting and Layout.” Then, click “Open the Destination File after the export operation is complete” if you’re exporting all the records from the table or select “Export only the selected records” if you’re posting specific records, and click OK.
- Next, the “HTML Output Options” pop up window box appears and here you can click OK if you don’t have an HTML template or search for an HTML template and then click OK to move to the next step. If you don’t pick an HTML template, the table will show in the web page as it regularly looks in Access but within a browser.
- Finally, the “Export HTML Document” pop up window box appears asking you if you want to save the settings that you have just created. In this case, don’t click on the box and click Close. You don’t really need to save the settings as the steps are easy and understanble and perhaps you have different criteria the next time you want to publish an Access table online.
- Now, you can click your internet launcher to see your new access table web page, and then you can have a talk with your IT buddies to upload the new internet web page to the server so that it can go live online as soon as possible.
Great Job! You just learned how to publish an Access database online.
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One of the great features of Access is dealing efficiently with large amounts of data. Access has functions that lets you analyze and sort specific chunks of data without having to deal with all the raw data sometimes when a query isn’t enough. The same holds true for reports, you can design reports that fit your needs. You can specify what subset of data to print and which data to ignore. In this tutorial, I will show you how easy it is to create your own custom design reports that actually print what you need.
Go to Start>Programs>Microsoft Access to open the program. Go to File>Open and find the database named “Customer Listing.” The database will open in the table view, which looks like an Excel spreadsheet. From the “Objects” menu on the left hand side of your screen, click on “Reports,” and the select the option “Create report by using wizard.”
Next, select the “Tables/Queries List” arrow, click on “Query: Selection Quantities,” then click Category within the “Available Fields” and hit the “Select Single Field” button. Next, select the following field titles, “FirstName, LastName and OrganizationName” - you want to custom design a report that only prints these pieces of data, and click Next.
Now, select “first sort order list” arrow and click “Category.” Then click Next.
In this step, ensure that the “Tabular” layout and “Portrait” orientation options are selected. Next, select “Corporate” style and hit Next. Finally, we’ll name the report, “Customer Key Information” and click on the “Preview the report” button, and hit Finish. Next, you’ll see the preview of the report.
Great Job! You created a report that fits your business needs in less than five minutes.
How to Create a Form in Access
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You know that Access is great for storing large amounts of data. It also lets you format, sort, filter and print this data in multiple ways to help meet your business needs. But, you can also enter and edit new data, and the best way to do this is by entering one new record at a time in a form. A form is just a pop up window box that you design that asks for the necessary information that each new record requires. In this short tutorial, I will show you how to create a simple form to enter new records into your database.
Go to Start>Programs>Microsoft Access to open the program. Go to File>Open and find the database named “Customer Listing.” The database will open in the table view, which looks like an Excel spreadsheet. From the “Objects” menu on the left hand side of your screen, click on “Forms,” and the select the option “Create form by using wizard.”
Since a form is a pop up window that asks for information needed to create a new record, you will probably need all the fields’ information that you specified when you created the “Customer Roaster” database. In this step, click on the “Select all fields” button and hit Next. Now, click on the “Columnar layout” button and click Next. Following that, select “Standard” style and hit Next. Finally, click Finish and agree to the name given to the new form.
Now you will see your newly created Customer Roaster Form where you will be able to continue entering new records in a fast and accurate way.
Good Job! In three easy steps, you created a neat looking shortcut for entering new records into an Access database.
How to Create a Query in Access
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Access stores a lot of information in tables, but sometimes we may need to sort and analyze specific pieces of information. So, Access allows you to create a subset of a table called a query. A query is taking some specific data from the general data table and using it for your own needs. In this brief tutorial, I will show you how to create a query from a table.
Go to Start>Programs>Microsoft Access to open the program. Go to File>Open and find the database named “Customer Listing.” The database will open in the table view, which looks like an Excel spreadsheet. We’re going to use the Wizard feature as this is the fastest and easiest way to create a query in Access. From the “Objects” menu on the left hand side of your screen, click on “Queries,” and the select the option “Create query by using wizard.”
Next, the “Sample Query Wizard” pop up window box appears – in here you will specify the fields that you want to isolate in the query table. First under “Tables/Queries” select the general table “Customer Listing,” then under “Available Fields” select the fields you include in this query. In this example, we want to analyze just the data in “FirstName,” “LastName” and “OrganizationName” fields. Finally, click on the > button to move these fields to the “Selected Fields” box to create the specific query. Click Next.
Now click Next again, but double check that the “Open the query to view information” option is clicked so that you can view the query after you hit Finish. Finally, click Finish.
Now you’ll be working in the newly created Customer Roaster Query datasheet – it looks like a regular Excel spreadsheet. This new table will only show the data from the fields you selected. Now you can sort, filter and print the information per your needs.
Fantastic! You just created your very first query in Access.
How to Format and Sort Data in Access
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After creating our database Access acts as a central repository of data, you have a lot of power in how the data can be organized, formatted and even sorted. In this short tutorial, I will show you easy ways to format data from the table view and also how to use the find and sort functions.
Go to Start>Programs>Microsoft Access to open the program. Go to File>Open and find the database named “Customer Listing.” The database will open in the table view, which looks like an Excel spreadsheet.
In the first row, you will see all the field names, and going down each field column you will notice all the records specific to that column that you had entered previously when you created the database. You can go to Format>Font, and format the color, type and look of the table fonts. Now go to Format>Datasheet, and here you can customize the table’s border and line style. You can next go to File>Page Setup and format the look of the printed page.
Now that you have played with the formatting functions, we’ll see how the find and sort options can make your life even easier. First, make sure the table is still open and click on the “FirstName” field, then click on the “Sort Ascending” button located in the formatting menu, the button has an A on top and Z right below the A, and an arrow pointing downward. Once you select this button, the records under the field will be sorted in alphabetical order going from A through Z, and if you want the records in the opposite order, you can select the button for “Sort Descending.” These two function buttons sort text data in alphabetical order and number data in increasing or decreasing order.
Now you can point your cursor to another cell, and click the “Find” button (it looks like a pair of binoculars) and enter the name that you are trying to find.
Well done! Now you know how easy it is to format and sort data in Access.
How to Create a Simple Access Database
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If you’re still running your business from your shuffle of papers maybe is time to automate everything and shred the papers. With Microsoft Access, you can create a central place where you can place all your paper information. For example, you probably have clients or customers in your business, so why not create an electronic database that will allow you to save all of their information, create reports, add records, and print mailing labels. All of this is really easy with Microsoft Access. Here are a few easy steps to help create a simple database to get you started.
Before starting, make sure you have all the paper files organized and ready to be entered so that you don’t waste any time shuffling through papers, and also on a piece of paper write out the information that you want to enter for the customers – for example, you can specify name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, regular order#, etc because in Access you design the specific areas that you want to cover. The information categories can be as broad or specific as you need them to be. When you’re ready, go to Start>Programs>Microsoft Access to open the program.
Next, a pop up window box named “Microsoft Access” will appear. Select the first option “Blank Access database” and click OK. In the next step, you need to give your database a name in this example we’ll call it, “Customer Listing,” and then you need to specify a location where you will save it, and select “Create.” From the “Objects” menu on the left hand side of your screen, click on “Table,” and the select the option “Create table by using wizard.” – with Table Wizard the program will walk you through the most important steps in creating an Access database.
Now you’re in the Table Wizard pop up window, so in here you will specify if you database will be for personal or business purposes, then you will select the function of the database and finally its sections or “fields.” For this example, first click on “Business,” then select “Customers” under “Sample Tables,” then select the “Sample Fields” (remember these are the actual sections that you want to enter for each customer. Under “Sample Fields,” please select MailingListID (an automatic number that is attached to the specific record), “Prefix, First Name, MiddleName, LastName, Title, OrganizationName, Address.” And then select the button with the >sign to move these sample fields to the new database table that you’re creating. And click Next.
In this pop up window box, give your table a name, for exmple, you can call it “Customer Listing” and then click “Yes, set a primary key for me option button” (selecting this option will allow Access to pick one section or field, usually the first field you selected, in this example, it would be “MailingListID” and making it a primary key field). A primary key field is just a record that is unique. Click Next.
In the next window, you could select “Modify the table design option button” to view the table sections and modify the view of your table. But for the purposes of this tutorial, we’re not going to select this, so go ahead and hit Finish.
Now, exit out and open the newly created database called “Customer Roaster.” Go to File>Open, and find the file name “Customer Listing.” It will open in table format, which looks like a regular Excel spreadsheet. Now you can enter all the paper information that you have ready. Once you’re down just make sure you save the file. To enter new records in this mode, simply click on “New Record Button” (the button has a little triangle pointing to a start symbol) and use the tab key to move across fields.
Congratulations! You have just created a simple database in Microsoft Access.
