MS Access Tutorial

MGMT 683

J. Rees

Introduction

• MS Access is a relational database management system (RDBMS)

• Other PC-based RDMBS include:– MS FoxPro– Borland dBase

• “Industrial-strength” RDBMS include– Oracle– MS SQL Server– IBM DB2– Informix

Getting Started

• Open MS Access (Under Microsoft Office 2003 heading)

• Open a New Database

Select “Blank Database”

Name your database MyShop.mdb

Now click “Create.” Everything you create for this database will be saved as an *.mdb file.

MS Access Functionality

• Tables– Store Data

• Queries– Manipulate Data

• Forms– Make data entry and display easier

• Reports– Provides information from database to users

in easy-to-understand format

Business Example

Your sister has started her own home-décor shop. She sells items such as candles, pictures and knick-knacks. She wishes to track the items in her inventory, sales and customer information. You agree to assist her in setting up a simple MS Access database that will track the appropriate information.

Business Example, Continued

You identify that three tables should be created:Product Table containing the product number, product name, product description, product price, and product on hand.Sale Table containing the sale number, sale date, the product sold and the customer.Customer Table containing the customer number, customer last name, customer first name, phone number, address and notes about customer preferences (notify if a Yankee Candle Company candle comes in, etc.)

Creating Tables

Double click ‘Create table in Design view’

Creating the Product Table

Enter the table information

Next: Create the primary key and save your table

Creating Tables

• Create the Sales and Customer Tables

• Use AutoNumber for the Sales Number and Customer Number

• Remember to set the primary key and save your tables

Entering Data

Enter the following data into each of your tables:

Entering Data, Continued

Relationships

Select Tables to be Linked

Link the three tables together

Queries

• Queries allow data to be manipulated– What were the total

sales today?– How many of my

customers come from out of town?

• Run this query• Create query to determine customers who do not live in Lafayette

Forms

• Provide a user-friendly interface to the data.

• Control over user’s additions and modifications to the data.

• Forms (like queries & reports) do not contain data. Data is always saved in tables.

Create a new form using wizard

Create the Product Form

Select fields to appear on your form

Reports

• Reports display the output of tables, forms, and/or queries in a formatted manner.

• Create reports for each query using the Report Wizard