Microsoft Access: Up to Speed

Welcome to Microsoft Access - Up To Speed:

This course helps you to get up and running quickly with the latest version of Microsoft’s powerful database application, Access 2019. This handy step-by-step class starts from scratch, starting with basic topics and moving on to more advanced features of the application, designed to help you to become more productive more quickly.

In no time at all you’ll be navigating Microsoft Access’s interface, create databases, entering data, creating data entry forms for users, and reports. You’ll also learn how to filter your data using queries, create relationships between your tables, and how to create macros to automate your tasks. Additionally, you’ll learn how to import data from other applications into Access and how to export your Access data to other applications. You’ll end by managing your databases using Access’s various database tools.

Who is this course for?

This course was created for people new to databases as well as database designers looking to learn a new and powerful database management application. This course will also be helpful for those coming from a previous version of Microsoft Access or those looking to delve more deeply into the Access application.

What does this course include?

· Step-by-step instructional videos that are easy to follow

· Downloadable lesson files allowing you to follow along with the instructor

· Support for any questions you may have

What You’ll Learn:

· The Basics. We’ll begin by creating a new Microsoft Access database file and then take a look at the Access environment. You’ll set Access options, learn about database templates, how to open an existing Access database and how to create a new database. We’ll also take a brief look at the various objects in Access: Tables, Forms, Queries and Reports. Then, you’ll learn how to obtain help when necessary.

· Working with Tables. You’ll start by creating a table using Application Part and we’ll move on to entering data into a table. You’ll discover how to create a table from scratch, add new fields to a table, change column width and height, delete fields from a table, change field properties and design while in Datasheet View. You’ll also learn all about setting Primary Keys.

· Working with Data. In this section, we’ll begin working with data. You’ll learn how to enter, edit, and format data. You’ll sort records, filter data by selection and form, select records and delete records. You’ll learn how to hide, unhide, freeze and rearrange columns. You’ll also import Excel data and data from a text file into an Access table. Lastly, you’ll learn how to display column totals in a datasheet.

· Advanced Tables. Next, we dive more deeply into working with Tables. Here, you’ll learn how to limit data entry be creating validation rules. You work with formatting and indexing fields, as well as how to require data entry in a field. Here, you’ll learn how to facilitate the data entry process by creating an Input Mask, a Lookup Field and a Value List. You’ll look at Primary Keys more in depth and learn how to create calculated fields in your tables.

· Working with Queries. Now we begin working with Queries. We’ll create queries both from scratch and using the Query Wizard. You’ll learn how to add fields to and remove fields from a query, rearrange query columns, how to add single or criteria to a query, and sort query data. You’ll also work with saving and running queries.

· Database Relationships. At this stage, you’ll learn all about database relationships. You’ll start by creating one-to-one relationships and then move on to one-to-many relationships and finally to many-to-many relationships. In order to maintain data integrity and to ensure that you never end up with orphaned records, you’ll learn how to cascade delete related records, enforce referential integrity and casted update related fields. You end up by creating and then printing a relationship report.

· Advanced Queries. Next, we’ll delve more deeply into the query object. We’ll learn how to create multi-table queries, using calculations in queries and change query properties. We’ll create expressions both manually and using the expression builder. You learn how to prompt a user for criteria by creating a Parameter Query as well as summarize data using a Totals Query. Using queries, you’ll find duplicate records in your table as well as find unmatched records between tables. You’ll also learn how to modify query joins in this section.

· Action Queries. In this section, we begin working with Action Queries; that is to say, queries that change the data in your tables. We’ll add data to a table using a Make-Table Query, adding data to an existing table using an Append Query, change data in your tables using an Update Query and delete data using a Delete Query. We’ll even take a brief look at creating an SQL query.

· Working with Forms. We now begin working with Forms. Here, we’ll create a form using the Form Wizard and then learn how to enter data into a form. We’ll change the layout of a form using Design view, add fields to forms, finding records in a form and modify the form from Layout view. You’ll also work with changing the properties of controls on your form.

· Advanced Forms. In this section, we’ll delve into some of the more advanced features of Forms. We’ll add headers and footers to a form, learn how to add various controls to a form as well as move and size controls. We’ll also perform calculations using calculated controls and modify individual control properties. Additionally, you’ll learn how to change form properties, modify the tab order in a form, insert graphics and lookup data in a table or query using a Lookup control. We’ll also learn how to add a subform and why you may need to.

· Working with Reports. Next, we’ll begin working with Access reports. We’ll begin by creating a basic report, applying a theme to an existing report and move to creating a more advanced report using the Report Wizard. We’ll look at the different report views and learn how to modify reports from design view. We’ll also learn how to print reports and create a label merge using the Label Wizard.

· Advanced Reports. In this stage, we’ll begin working with some more advanced report features. We’ll work with the various report sections, add controls to reports and modifying control properties. You’ll learn how to create a calculated control and how to change a control’s data source. We’ll take a look at how to sort and group report data, change report section properties and even change a report’s data source. You learn how to insert graphics and apply conditional formatting to a report.

· Advanced Features of Forms and Reports. Here, you’ll learn how to add a subform or subreport using the Subform/Subreport tool. You’ll learn how to modify a subform, align controls relative to one another and creating options groups. We’ll also look at how to insert total fields in reports, edit sorting and grouping levels in a report and add some pizazz to our reports using lines, rectangles and borders.

· Importing and Exporting Data. Now we delve deeply into exporting and importing data to and from Access. You’ll learn how to import data from a text file, Excel or from another Access database. You’ll also learn how to link data between databases. We’ll then work with exporting data to a variety of formats: a PDF file, to another Access database, to Excel, to Microsoft Word as an RTF file and even performing a Microsoft Word mail merge directly from within Access.

· Working with Macros. In this section, we begin working with Microsoft Access macros. Here, you’ll learn how to create a macro, add macro actions and executing a macro step-by-step. We assign a macro to a command button, use macro groups and use macro conditions. You’ll learn how to create an AutoExec macro that executes when a database is first opened, an AutoKeys Macro which executes after certain keystroke combinations are pressed and even a Data Macro which is a macro that is added to events in your tables. We’ll end by learning how to add a macro to the Quick Access Toolbar.

· Creating a System Menu. In order to make your database as user-friendly as possible, you’ll learn how to create a Switchboard. You’ll learn how to add items to a switchboard, edit a switchboard, setting startup options and create a navigation form.

· Database Tools and Maintenance. We’ll finish off the course by learning how to maintain your databases. You’ll learn how to compact and repair databases, change database properties, document and analyze your databases and view database dependencies. We’ll also learn how to back up a database and split a database into a front end and back end. Lastly, we’ll learn how to password-protect a database.

By the end of this course, you’ll learn how to create, organize and manage your Access databases, allowing you to effectively remain in control of your data.

My Promise to You!

I'll be here for you every step of the way so if you have any questions at all that come up as you’re working through the course, please let me know. Feel free to post your question in the course or send me an email.

I want to ensure that this is the best course on how to use Microsoft Access so if you have any suggestions on how I can improve the course, please let me know.

Are you ready to begin your Microsoft Access journey? Then, click the enroll icon and let’s get started!

- Roger