Microsoft Access is a graphical database program used for organizing and creating reports from lists, both large and small.  With Access, you can create forms tomake entering information easier, perform all different types of searches on information you have entered, or even write programs to automate your work.  This course is designed to show you the basics of what a database program is, and where to start with Access.

 Lesson #1  Exploring an Existing Database
Contact your system administrator to find out the location of the Northwind Traders Sample Database screen (This is a sample file that comes with Access).  Identify the Main Database screen.  Click through the tabs on the left.  You will see lists of tables, queries, forms etc.  Open a few of them and see what is inside.  Open another existing database (If you have one), and compare.

Lesson #2  Relational vs. Non Relational
Relational:
Open the Northwind Traders Database and go to the Query tab.  Select the query named Customers and Suppliers by City .  This is a relational database because it pulls in data from two sources - the Customers table and the Suppliers table.

Non-Relational:
Open an Excel or Lotus Spreadsheet that contains a list of data.  This is an example of a Non -Relational database.  Any search you perform can only be done on the information in that one list.

Lesson #3  Designing a Database
With pen in hand, think of the fields needed to track employees in a database.  Decide what type of data you want inserted in the fields (phone numbers, text, dates, numbers).  Is there any particular formatting you require?   This will be the beginning of a plan for the first table.  Lets say the employees work in Sales and take orders over the phone all day.  What types of information will they take down?  This will be the plan for the rest of the tables.

Lesson #4  Creating a Database
1.Create a table (in design view) using the plan you created or the examples from lesson #3.
2.Open up the table in design view.
3.Open the table you created.
4.Create an autoform, and type in a few records.
5.Find a list in Excel, Lotus, or another database program and try to import it to your database.
6.Highlight your table in the Main database screen and export it to Excel format.
7.Go into the program Excel and see if you can open the document.

Lesson #5 Advanced Field Properties
1.Open up a table of choice, in design mode.
2.Click through each field on the top of the screen, and note the changes in the property section below.
3.Find a field with the data type called text, change the format property.
4.Click on Data Sheet view, and see how the format has changed.
5.Go back to design mode.

Lesson #6 Setting a Primary Key
1.Open up a Table in design view.
2.Look for a notation of a key in the far left column.  If there is one, a primary key has been set.
3.Evaluate the fields, and choose a field(s) that would make the record unique, and allow you to avoid duplicates.
4.Click on the field, and click .

Lesson #7 Linking Tables/Establishing Relationships
1.Evaluate two tables with a common identifier.
2.Click  or use Tools-Relationships in your menus.
3.Add your tables/queries that you wish to link by clicking
4.Drag a line to connect the tables/queries by the common factor.

Lesson #8 Defining Queries
1.Open up a database of choice.
2.Create a query, Looking for an item in particular. An example would be all records from one state.
3.Make sure all fields but the one you queried for are showing.
4.Change the Criteria to ask what records you wish queried.

Lesson #9 Printing Labels
1.Open a database, and go to the reports Tab.
2.Create a new Report, using the Label Wizard, to create Mailing labels for a customer list.

Lesson #10 Printing Reports
1.Find a Table or Query you wish to create a report on.
2.Using the Reports Tab, create a new report, using the Report Wizard.
3.Create the report Layout to be Columnar, Landscape, and with a Bold Style.