Microsoft Access 2019

Level 1
Student Reference Guide

Please note:
The images in this reference guide are based on running Microsoft Access 2019 Professional
Plus edition on a Windows 10 platform. If your computer is running a different version of
Access or a different version of Windows, the location of some commands and features may
differ from what is shown.

Copyright ©2022 LaunchLife International Inc.

 Microsoft Access 2019
Level 1
Course Code: ACS19E1
March 2022

DISCLAIMER

While Academy of Learning Career College takes great care to ensure the accuracy and quality of
these materials, all material is provided without any warranties or representations of any kind or
with respect to use or performance thereof, whether expressed or implied, statutory or arising from
otherwise in law or from a source of dealing or usage in trade, including but not limited to implied
warranties or conditions of merchantable quality or fitness for the particular purpose of the User.

Trademark Notices: Academy of Learning Career College and the Academy of Learning Career College logo are
registered trademarks of LaunchLife International Inc. Microsoft is a registered trademark, and Windows, Word,
Excel, and Access are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other product names and services identified
throughout this book are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. They are used throughout
this book in editorial fashion only and for the benefit of such companies. No such use, or the use of any trade name,
is intended to convey endorsement or other affiliation with the book.

Copyright ©2022 LaunchLife International Inc. This publication, or any part thereof, may not be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an
information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Academy of Learning Career
College.
Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Table of Contents
Course Overview .......................................................................................................................................... 1
Course Objectives ........................................................................................................................................ 4
Module 1 - Introduction to Microsoft Access 2019 ..................................................................................... 2
Learning Objectives.................................................................................................................................. 2
Submodule A – Starting Access ................................................................................................................ 3
What is Access 2019?........................................................................................................................... 3
Just the Facts ....................................................................................................................................... 3
Starting Access ..................................................................................................................................... 3
Components of the Access 2019 Window ........................................................................................... 6
Types of Databases .............................................................................................................................. 7
Submodule B – Using Database Templates ............................................................................................. 8
Using Database Templates................................................................................................................... 8
The Welcome Screen ......................................................................................................................... 10
Submodule C – Creating, Saving, and Renaming Databases .................................................................. 11
Opening, Saving, and Renaming Databases ....................................................................................... 11
Submodule D – The Access Workspace and Backstage ......................................................................... 17
Recent and Pinned Databases ........................................................................................................... 17
The Access Workspace ....................................................................................................................... 18
The Access 2019 Navigation Pane...................................................................................................... 20
Navigation Pane Forms ...................................................................................................................... 22
The Access 2019 Backstage................................................................................................................ 24
Submodule E – Online Help and Tell Me What You Want To Do ........................................................... 28
Accessing Online Help ........................................................................................................................ 28
Accessing Contextual Help ................................................................................................................. 29
Tell Me What You Want To Do .......................................................................................................... 30
Module 2 - The Ribbon and Toolbars......................................................................................................... 31
Learning Objectives................................................................................................................................ 31
Submodule A – Working with the Ribbon.............................................................................................. 32
Ribbon Components .......................................................................................................................... 32
Contextual Ribbons and Other Functionalities .................................................................................. 34
Submodule B – The Quick Access Toolbar ............................................................................................. 36

Academy of Learning Career College i

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Customizing the Quick Access Toolbar .............................................................................................. 36

Submodule C – Contextual Menus......................................................................................................... 38
Contextual Menus .............................................................................................................................. 38
Submodule D – The Status Bar............................................................................................................... 39
Exploring the Status Bar ..................................................................................................................... 39
Module 3 - Keyboard Shortcuts and Key Tips ............................................................................................ 40
Learning Objectives................................................................................................................................ 40
Submodule A – Keyboard Shortcuts ...................................................................................................... 41
Accessing Keyboard Shortcuts ........................................................................................................... 41
Frequently Used Keyboard Shortcuts ................................................................................................ 43
Submodule B – Key Tips ......................................................................................................................... 44
Using Key Tips .................................................................................................................................... 44
Module 4 - Access Options ........................................................................................................................ 45
Learning Objectives................................................................................................................................ 45
Submodule A – General Access Options ................................................................................................ 46
Access Options ................................................................................................................................... 46
General Access Options ..................................................................................................................... 47
Submodule B – Current Database and Language Options ..................................................................... 49
Current Database ............................................................................................................................... 49
Language Options .............................................................................................................................. 50
Module 5 - Tables ...................................................................................................................................... 51
Learning Objectives................................................................................................................................ 51
Submodule A – Creating a Table ............................................................................................................ 52
Introduction to Tables ....................................................................................................................... 52
Creating a Table ................................................................................................................................. 55
Submodule B – Adding a Field ............................................................................................................... 56
Adding a Field .................................................................................................................................... 56
Field Components .............................................................................................................................. 57
Field Properties .................................................................................................................................. 58
Submodule C – Indexed Field................................................................................................................. 62
Indexing ............................................................................................................................................. 62
Indexing a Field .................................................................................................................................. 63
Adding a Field in Datasheet View ...................................................................................................... 64

Academy of Learning Career College ii

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule D – Lookup Wizard .............................................................................................................. 65

Lookup Wizard ................................................................................................................................... 65
Submodule E – Numeric Fields .............................................................................................................. 68
Numeric Fields ................................................................................................................................... 68
Field Properties .................................................................................................................................. 69
Module 6 - Importing Data ........................................................................................................................ 71
Learning Objectives................................................................................................................................ 71
Submodule A – Importing Data.............................................................................................................. 72
Importing Data ................................................................................................................................... 72
Importing Data from Excel ................................................................................................................. 75
Importing Data from Text Files .......................................................................................................... 77
Module 7 - Backup, Compact, and Repair ................................................................................................. 80
Learning Objectives................................................................................................................................ 80
Submodule A – Backing Up Databases .................................................................................................. 81
Backing Up Databases ........................................................................................................................ 81
Submodule B – Compact and Repair ..................................................................................................... 83
Compact and Repair a Database ........................................................................................................ 83
Module 8 - Datasheet View ....................................................................................................................... 85
Learning Objectives................................................................................................................................ 85
Submodule A – Design in Datasheet View ............................................................................................. 86
The Fields Tab .................................................................................................................................... 86
Additional Fields Groups .................................................................................................................... 88
Submodule B – Sorting and Filtering in Datasheet View ....................................................................... 89
Filtering in Datasheet View ................................................................................................................ 89
Additional Filtering Options ............................................................................................................... 91
Sorting ................................................................................................................................................ 92
Submodule C – Entering and Modifying Data in Datasheet View .......................................................... 93
Modifying Table View ........................................................................................................................ 93
Additional Data Modifications ........................................................................................................... 96
Module 9 - Relationships Between Tables ................................................................................................. 99
Learning Objectives................................................................................................................................ 99
Submodule A – Creating a Link Table .................................................................................................. 100
Relationships Between Tables ......................................................................................................... 100

Academy of Learning Career College iii

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Creating a Link (Junction) Table ....................................................................................................... 103

Submodule B – Setting Up Relationships ............................................................................................. 106
Creating a Table Relationship .......................................................................................................... 106
Referential Integrity and Types of Relationships ............................................................................. 108
Submodule C – Relationships Using Lookup Wizard ............................................................................ 112
Linking Multiple Fields ..................................................................................................................... 112
Module 10 - Forms................................................................................................................................... 114
Learning Objectives.............................................................................................................................. 114
Submodule A – Creating a Form .......................................................................................................... 115
Creating a Form ............................................................................................................................... 115
Form Properties ............................................................................................................................... 121
Submodule B – Modifying a Form........................................................................................................ 123
Modifying a Form ............................................................................................................................. 123
Filtering Records and Datasheet View ............................................................................................. 126
Submodule C – Forms in Layout View.................................................................................................. 128
Formatting Forms in Layout View .................................................................................................... 128
Submodule D – Forms in Design View ................................................................................................. 133
Forms in Design View ....................................................................................................................... 133
Form Properties in Design View....................................................................................................... 135
Submodule E – Form Design ................................................................................................................ 138
Modifying Field Size ......................................................................................................................... 138
Using Tab Order, Header, and Footer .............................................................................................. 140
Module 11 - Subforms ............................................................................................................................. 142
Learning Objectives.............................................................................................................................. 142
Submodule A – Setting Up Subforms - Part 1 ...................................................................................... 143
Subforms .......................................................................................................................................... 143
Creating a Simple Subform .............................................................................................................. 144
Submodule B – Setting Up Subforms - Part 2 ...................................................................................... 148
Protecting Data in the Subform ....................................................................................................... 148
Submodule C – Setting Up Subforms - Part 3 ...................................................................................... 151
Using a Composite Key .................................................................................................................... 151
Linking Subforms to a Table ............................................................................................................. 153
Module 12 - Queries ................................................................................................................................ 154

Academy of Learning Career College iv

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Learning Objectives.............................................................................................................................. 154

Submodule A – Creating a Query ......................................................................................................... 155
What is a Query?.............................................................................................................................. 155
Creating a Simple Select Query ........................................................................................................ 158
The Grid and SQL Statement............................................................................................................ 160
Submodule B – Joins ............................................................................................................................ 162
Joins ................................................................................................................................................. 162
Creating Joins ................................................................................................................................... 165
Submodule C – Query Wizard .............................................................................................................. 166
Using the Query Wizard ................................................................................................................... 166
Query Types and Actions ................................................................................................................. 168
Submodule D – Query Builder ............................................................................................................. 169
Using the Query Builder ................................................................................................................... 169
Module 13 - Expressions .......................................................................................................................... 171
Learning Objectives.............................................................................................................................. 171
Submodule A – Setting Up Validations ................................................................................................ 172
Setting up Validations ...................................................................................................................... 172
Submodule B – Calculation Using Expressions..................................................................................... 175
Calculation Using Expressions .......................................................................................................... 175
Module 14 - Reports ................................................................................................................................ 178
Learning Objectives.............................................................................................................................. 178
Submodule A – Creating a Basic Report............................................................................................... 179
Creating a Basic Report .................................................................................................................... 179
Print Preview.................................................................................................................................... 184
Submodule B – Reports in Layout View ............................................................................................... 189
Reports in Layout View .................................................................................................................... 189
Formatting Options .......................................................................................................................... 193
Submodule C – Report Design ............................................................................................................. 196
Reports in Design View .................................................................................................................... 196
Using Expressions in Report Design ................................................................................................. 198
Submodule D – Complex Reports ........................................................................................................ 200
Creating Complex Reports ............................................................................................................... 200
Complex Reports in Design View ..................................................................................................... 205

Academy of Learning Career College v

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

The Can Grow/Can Shrink Properties .............................................................................................. 208

Module 15 - Printing and Print Properties ............................................................................................... 209
Learning Objectives.............................................................................................................................. 209
Submodule A – Printing and Print Properties ...................................................................................... 210
The Database Documenter and Print Properties ............................................................................. 210
Printing............................................................................................................................................. 215
Module 16 - More Data Types ................................................................................................................. 217
Learning Objectives.............................................................................................................................. 217
Submodule A – More Data Types ........................................................................................................ 218
Yes/No Data Type ............................................................................................................................ 218
Attachment Data Type ..................................................................................................................... 221
OLE Object and Hyperlink ................................................................................................................ 225
Module 17 - More About Forms .............................................................................................................. 226
Learning Objectives.............................................................................................................................. 226
Submodule A – Form Controls ............................................................................................................. 227
Form Controls .................................................................................................................................. 227
Additional Form Controls ................................................................................................................. 228
Submodule B – Form Themes .............................................................................................................. 231
Form Themes ................................................................................................................................... 231
Formatting Properties ...................................................................................................................... 235
Submodule C – Navigation Forms ........................................................................................................ 238
Creating a Navigation Form ............................................................................................................. 238
Formatting Navigation Forms .......................................................................................................... 240
Module 18 - Exporting Databases ............................................................................................................ 242
Learning Objectives.............................................................................................................................. 242
Submodule A – Exporting Databases ................................................................................................... 243
Exporting Databases ........................................................................................................................ 243
Module 19 - Additional Backstage Features ............................................................................................ 246
Learning Objectives.............................................................................................................................. 246
Submodule A – Additional Access Options .......................................................................................... 247
Additional Access Options ............................................................................................................... 247
Submodule B – The Info Tab ................................................................................................................ 253
The Info Tab ..................................................................................................................................... 253

Academy of Learning Career College vi

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

View and Edit Database Properties.................................................................................................. 254

Password Encryption ....................................................................................................................... 259

Academy of Learning Career College vii

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Course Overview
This course provides an overview and introduction to the different features available in the
Access 2019 database management application.
Microsoft Access is a popular database management application that helps you store and
manage large amounts of information for referencing, reporting, and analysis.
In this course, you’ll learn the core features
of Access, and you'll get to try out the
concepts you learn by practicing the
processes directly with the software, just as
you would in a work environment. You’ll be
given opportunities to explore and practice
the techniques covered in the course so
that you’ll feel ready and capable of using
the software in any setting.
We hope you enjoy the course!
This course consists of nineteen modules of
content. Below is a summary of the course
content in each module.

Module 1
Module 1, Introduction to Microsoft Access 2019, explores the fundamentals of using Access, including
starting Access, the elements of the Access 2019 workspace, the functions of the commands in
Backstage area, and the various ways to get help. You’ll also learn how to create a database using an
existing template, and how to open, save, and rename a database file.
Module 2
Module 2, The Ribbon and Toolbars, looks at how to use the ribbons, the Quick Access Toolbar, and the
Status bar. You'll learn how to identify ribbon components, customize ribbons, add commands to the
Quick Access Toolbar, and explore contextual menus.
Module 3
Module 3, Keyboard Shortcuts and Key Tips, looks at how to use the keyboard to work with Access
2019. You’ll learn how to access keyboard shortcuts and use Key Tips.
Module 4
Module 4, Access Options, explores how to use Access Options to modify the Access environment to
your preference.
Module 5
Module 5, Tables, explores the use of tables. You’ll learn how to create a table, add fields and set field
properties, index a field and add data, create lookup fields using the Lookup wizard, and add number
into tables.

Academy of Learning Career College 1

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Module 6
Module 6, Importing Data, examines different ways of importing data into the Access 2019 database.
You’ll learn how to import data from Excel and from a text file.
Module 7
In Module 7, Backup, Compact, and Repair, you’ll learn how to back up a copy of a database and
explore the Compact and Repair command.
Module 8
Module 8, Datasheet View, you’ll look at using Datasheet View to modify fields, create filters and sort
records, and modify data.
Module 9
Module 9, Relationships Between Tables, explores how to create a Link Table and set up relationships
between tables.
Module 10
Module 10, Forms, examines how to create and design forms. You’ll create a form, modify forms in
Layout View, work with forms in Design View, and customize form design.
Module 11
Module 11, Subforms, looks at how to work with subforms. You’ll learn to create a simple subform,
prevent editing of a subform, and link subforms with other database objects.
Module 12
Module 12, Queries, looks at creating queries, creating joins in a query, using the Query Wizard and the
Query Builder.
Module 13
Module 13, Expressions, looks at expressions used in an Access database. You’ll learn how to set up
validations using the Expression Builder and how to calculate using expressions.
Module 14
Module 14, Reports, explores creating and designing reports. You’ll learn to create basic and complex
reports and format reports in Design View.
Module 15
Module 15, Printing and Print Properties, explores different aspects of printing in Access. You’ll learn
how to create an object definition, explore print properties, and how to access print and print options.
Module 16
Module 16, More Data Types, looks at creating fields with Yes/No and Attachment data types and using
Check Box and Attachment controls is forms.
Module 17
Module 17, More About Forms, explores forms in greater detail. You’ll learn how to use specific form
controls, customize forms using themes, and how to create and format Navigation forms.
Module 18
Module 18, Exporting Databases, examines the different export options in Access. You’ll learn how to
export an Access object to Excel and to a PDF.

Academy of Learning Career College 2

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Module 19
In Module 19, Additional Backstage Features, you’ll explore additional ways to customize Access using
Access Options and the Info tab in the Backstage area.

Academy of Learning Career College 3

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Course Objectives

Upon completion of the Microsoft Access 2019 course, you will be able to:
ü Describe the components of the Access ü Sort and filter records
2019 window
ü Change the order in which records appear
ü Explain the functions of the commands in
Backstage area ü Create relationships between tables

ü Create, save and open databases ü Create forms and modify their design and
layout
ü Identify various database objects, including
tables, queries, forms, and reports ü Create subforms

ü Create tables ü Use queries to retrieve and manipulate

information within a database
ü Add, edit, and delete records in a table
ü Set up validations and calculations using
ü Use field properties to validate data expressions
entered into a table
ü Create reports and modify their design and
ü Import data into an Access database layout

ü Create a backup copy of a database ü Print from Access

ü Repair and fix errors in a database ü Export Access objects to Excel or to a PDF

ü Enter and modify data in Datasheet view ü Safeguard a database by encrypting it with
a password

Academy of Learning Career College 4

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Module 1 - Introduction to Microsoft Access 2019

Learning Objectives
In this module, we will explore the fundamentals of using Microsoft Access 2019.
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Start Access 2019
2. Explore the templates available in Access
3. Create a database using an existing template
4. Save a database
5. Open existing databases
6. Explore Ribbons and the Backstage area
7. Use Help in Access

Academy of Learning Career College 2

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule A – Starting Access

What is Access 2019?
Just the Facts
Microsoft Access is a database management application that
helps you store and manage large amounts of information for
referencing, reporting, and analysis.

Microsoft Access can help you work with large databases of

information more efficiently than spreadsheet applications,
such as Microsoft Excel.

Starting Access
Let us look at how to start the Access 2019 application.
1. To open Access, type “access” in the Search box at the bottom of the screen.

2. The Access application appears at the top of the list.

3. You can directly open the application from here or you could add it to your taskbar.

Academy of Learning Career College 3

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

4. To add the application to your taskbar, right-click Access and select Pin to taskbar from the drop-
down menu.

5. The Access icon appears on the taskbar. Having the application in the taskbar makes accessing it
easier. This feature is available in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.

6. Now, click the Access icon on the taskbar.

7. The Start screen appears.

Academy of Learning Career College 4

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Note: The layout of the Start screen may differ slightly for the various versions of Access 2019. The Start
screen shown in the image is from the Access 2019 Professional Plus edition. Other versions of Access
2019 will provide the same options on the Start screen though their placement may differ.

Academy of Learning Career College 5

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Components of the Access 2019 Window

Let’s look at two important components of the Outlook interface.

Top Bar
Please review the components in the top right-hand corner of the screen.

Menu Bar
The panel on the left is called the Menu Bar.

Note: The layout of the Menu Bar may differ slightly for the various versions of Access 2019. The Menu
Bar shown in the image is from the Access 2019 Professional Plus edition.

Academy of Learning Career College 6

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

The New Tab

The New tab is also a part of the Menu Bar. Clicking the New tab displays the templates you may use to
set up your database.

An existing template is a good starting place to begin. You can select from template options, such as
asset tracking, contacts, students, event management, nutrition tracking, etc.

Note: The layout of the New tab may differ slightly for the various versions of Access 2019. The New tab
shown in the image is from the Access 2019 Professional Plus edition. Other versions of Access 2019 will
provide the same options though their placement may differ.

Types of Databases
The two broad types of databases in Access 2019 are:

• Desktop database - a traditional database that is kept on your desktop for you to use locally

• Web App - a database that you use online and share with others

Academy of Learning Career College 7

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule B – Using Database Templates

Using Database Templates
Let’s look at the steps required to create a database of contacts using the Contacts template.

Selecting a Database
Start Access and click the Contacts icon on the screen that appears.

Note: In some versions of Access, you will need to click the New tab and then click the Contacts icon.

Previewing Template Information

A preview screen with information about the template appears. Accept the default settings and click the
Create button.

Academy of Learning Career College 8

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Exploring the Database

The Contact List / Contact Management Database is created.

Re-opening the Database

If we close the database and re-open Access, you will see the database you have created under the
Recent tab. Double-click to re-open it.

Academy of Learning Career College 9

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

The Welcome Screen

THE WELCOME SCREEN

When you open a database, the Welcome screen appears. This screen provides information on what the
template is all about and how to use it.

As you become a proficient database user, you may wish to create Welcome screens for databases you
create. Welcome screens can be useful when you want to share the database you've created with others
and provide guidance on how to use it.

Academy of Learning Career College 10

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule C – Creating, Saving, and Renaming Databases

Opening, Saving, and Renaming Databases
Let us now look at how to open, save, and rename a database file.

Opening a Database
Open Access from your taskbar and you will see the recent file that you’ve created.

Close the Welcome screen that appears by clicking X at the top right of the screen.

Academy of Learning Career College 11

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Your database is now open.

Note: You can open a database from any location. For example, you can open databases stored on your
computer, or you may open databases saved to OneDrive or other cloud storage services.

Academy of Learning Career College 12

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Saving a Database
You can save the database using the Backstage area.

Note: In the case of a blank database, you will be asked to rename the default table before saving the
database.

You can also save a database as a different file type or in a specific location by clicking Save As in the
Backstage area.

Academy of Learning Career College 13

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Note: Just a few helpful database definitions.

A database is a collection of all objects inside of a database that make data access necessary or more
readily available.

An object is a single item inside of the database, such as a table, a query, a form, a report, a macro, or a
module.

There are two options for saving within Access:

1. Save Database As - This will save the entire database in one file. All the open objects in the database
must first be closed (but the database remains open) before the database itself can be saved. You
can tell that the database is open when you see the Navigation Pane of all the objects on the left
hand side of the screen, but no open database objects on the right hand side of the screen.
2. Save Object As - Allows you to save individual objects inside of the database as objects inside of the
single Access (.accdb) file. We will cover each of those objects in later lessons.

Academy of Learning Career College 14

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Renaming a Database
In order to rename a database, you can simply save the database as a different filename. To rename a
database, click File and then click Save As.

For most databases, you can select the default database or the first option. Be sure that all objects in the
database have been closed before saving the database file. If they have not been saved first, you will
receive a message asking to save the unsaved objects in the database. Click Yes.

Academy of Learning Career College 15

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

The database has been renamed.

Academy of Learning Career College 16

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule D – The Access Workspace and Backstage

Recent and Pinned Databases
When you launch Access, you see two tabs either at the center or to the left of the screen – Recent and
Pinned.

Recent Databases
The Recent tab shows the list of recent databases you've worked on. Each time you create a new
database, it will appear under the Recent tab. As this list gets longer, some of the earlier databases will
drop off the list.

Pinned Databases
You can pin databases you use frequently so that they are easily accessible when you launch Access. To
pin a database, hover your mouse over the name of the database in the list under the Recent tab. Click
the Pin this item to the list icon (see pushpin image below). The database appears under the Pinned tab
and will remain there until you unpin it. To unpin it, go to the Pinned list, find the file and its pushpin
icon, and click the pushpin icon again to the unpin position. This will cause the file to drop off the Pinned
list.

Academy of Learning Career College 17

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

The Access Workspace

Let's look at the different elements at the top and bottom of your Access 2019 workspace.

Ribbons and Tabs

The ribbon is the horizontal strip at the top of the screen. It comprises five tabs – Home, Create, External
Data, Database Tools, and Help. Each tab has groups and each group contains a set of relevant
commands to perform a variety of tasks.

When working with Access, you will notice that there are contextual tabs and ribbons that appear for
specific tasks. For example, when creating a table, the Table Tools tab with its relevant ribbon appears.
These tabs will be described later and are very useful for different object-specific functions.

Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access Toolbar is at the top left corner of the screen (highlighted in the image below). The
Quick Access Toolbar is a customizable toolbar that contains a set of commands that are independent of
the tab on the ribbon. This toolbar can be configured to include commands that you use frequently. By
default, it has the Save, Undo, and Redo icons. It has a drop-down menu, which allows you to customize
the Quick Access Toolbar. You can place the Quick Access Toolbar above or below the ribbon.

Academy of Learning Career College 18

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Status Bar
At the bottom of the screen is the status bar, which displays various pieces of status information. This
can be information on the page number, word count, read mode, and so on. It can be customized, as
well. If you right-click this bar, you will see all the options in the Customize Status Bar menu that you can
get information about.

For example, if Caps Lock is checked, it means that the Caps Lock key is ON and you will see that
indicated on the status bar. You can choose the information you want to display in the status bar by
checking or unchecking the options in the Customize Status Bar menu.

Academy of Learning Career College 19

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

The Access 2019 Navigation Pane

The Navigation Pane on the left side of the screen is the "nerve center" of the database. It includes all
the objects that are available in your database and allows the database designer to create, edit, and
delete objects inside the database. Remember, a database is made up of several different types of
objects that are displayed in the Navigation Pane.

Let’s look at two important functions within the Navigation Pane.

Search
Use the Search box to search for a database object, such as a form, a report, a query, etc., in the
Navigation Pane. Once you've entered your search term(s), click the magnifying glass to initiate the
search. Your search will result in a list of objects from all categories that has a part that matches your
search.

Academy of Learning Career College 20

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Drop-down List
The drop-down arrow at the top of the Navigation Pane provides other options to help you find and
work with Access objects. For example, it allows you to only look for one particular type of object, or it
allows you to find something that you have recently created. Sometimes the Navigation Pane can
appear blank and the selections here will be one of the reasons why that happens. Simply select All
Access Objects to go back to the default view.

Academy of Learning Career College 21

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Navigation Pane Forms

In this part of the module, we are going to give a brief introduction to how to design a form. However,
we will go into much more detail about forms in a later module, so this just serves as an introduction to
what design view is and will be explored in greater depth later.

A form is the spreadsheet-like component seen in the main window. Each form has two types of views:

• Layout View
• Design View

You can choose the view by right-clicking the respective form and selecting Layout View or Design View.

Both views allow for design and layout changes; however, certain tasks can be performed better in each
of the views. Let’s understand these better.

Note: Some of the information presented below is not mentioned in the video; however, it has been
added to provide greater clarity on the subject.

Academy of Learning Career College 22

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Layout View
Layout view shows the actual data of the form. This view helps you to see the visual appearance of the
form, usability, and the number of fields. You can use this view to rearrange fields, change their sizes, or
apply custom styling. For example, the Layout view of the Contact List form shows one contact
occupying one row of the form.

Design View
Design view provides a detailed view of the structure of the form. In Design view, you can format every
individual area of the form. For example, in the Design view of the Contact List form, one of the
modifications you can perform is to resize the different fields.

Academy of Learning Career College 23

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

The Access 2019 Backstage

The Backstage area is where you perform administrative tasks for the database. To access the Backstage
area, go to File, which is not a ribbon. We have previously explored New and Open. Let’s look at the
other tabs in the Backstage area.

Info
Info provides information on the current database related to repairing files and adding password
encryption.

Compact and Repair can also be done on the Database Tools Ribbon.

Save As
Save As will allow you to save a database with different attributes, such as a different file name.

Academy of Learning Career College 24

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Print
Print provides three options - a Quick Print, standard Print, and Print Preview. Most printing of a
database, however, is done with a Report, which we will learn about in a later module.

Close
The Close tab closes the current database. It does not close Access.

Academy of Learning Career College 25

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Account
At the bottom left of the screen, you’ll see Account. Account shows which account is being used for the
current copy of Access 2019. It shows OneDrive connections and Office Updates. You can also change
your Office background and theme from this screen.

Feedback
Feedback allows you to send feedback or suggestions to Microsoft.

Academy of Learning Career College 26

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Options
Options helps you set up Access according to your needs. One option that has already been set in our
previous template is the option to open the Contacts form automatically when a database is opened.

Academy of Learning Career College 27

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule E – Online Help and Tell Me What You Want To Do

Accessing Online Help
Let’s now look at how to use the online Help in Access 2019. To access Help, you need to have a reliable
internet connection since Help is located online.

The most popular method to access Help is to press the F1 key on your keyboard. Pressing the F1 key
opens the Help pane.

You could:

• Browse through the different categories.

• Type the term you are seeking help on and press Enter.
• Click Get Started (indicated in the image) to watch a video on how to create a database in Access.

Academy of Learning Career College 28

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Accessing Contextual Help

Contextual help is help that you can access while performing a specific task. Contextual help appears in
the form of a question mark on some screens and dialog boxes. Let’s look at an example.

In some cases, clicking the contextual help icon may not take you directly to the relevant Help page. If
that happens, you can look up your query in the given categories or search using the Search facility.

Academy of Learning Career College 29

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Tell Me What You Want To Do

The Tell me what you want to do feature is an additional search feature. It is a textbox available at the
top of the screen, above the ribbons. This is very helpful when you cannot remember which Ribbon a
command is on. The Tell Me feature provides a quick way to access commands.

Use the Tell me what you want to do feature to quickly understand features or tools you want to use.

For example, if you type add a form in the search box, it displays options that can assist you in adding a
form. It also displays Help topics.

Academy of Learning Career College 30

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Module 2 - The Ribbon and Toolbars

Learning Objectives
In this module, we look at how to use ribbons and toolbars.
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Identify ribbon components
2. Customize ribbons
3. Add commands to the Quick Access Toolbar
4. Explore contextual menus
5. Use the Status bar

Academy of Learning Career College 31

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule A – Working with the Ribbon

Ribbon Components
The Ribbon is a strip containing a list of commands or different groups of commands, running
horizontally across the top of your workspace. Having commands at the top makes it easier to locate
and use them.

Standard Ribbons
Standard ribbons are the ribbons you see when you open Access, namely, the ribbons for the Home,
Create, External Data, Database Tools, and Help tabs. We touched upon these in the last module and
will understand these better in this module.

Navigating Through Ribbons

There are three ways you can navigate through the ribbons:
• Click the ribbon or command.
• Scroll the wheel on your mouse to move across them.
• Use shortcuts; shortcuts are visible when you press the Alt key on your keyboard. For example, to go
to the Create tab, press Alt and then, press C on your keyboard.

Groups
Each ribbon has a series of groups. Each group has a set of commands that belong together and are
separated from each other by a vertical dividing line. For example, under the Create tab, you see groups
such as Templates, Tables, Queries, Forms, Reports, and Macros & Code.

Academy of Learning Career College 32

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Grayed-Out Commands
You notice that some commands are grayed out. Grayed-out commands get activated when the need
arises. For example, in the Clipboard group, notice that Cut, Copy, and Format Painter are grayed out,
because there is no text in the database form. These commands get activated once you add and select
text in the rows and columns.

Dialog Box Launchers

Some groups on the ribbon have a dialog box launcher, which is a diagonal arrow that helps you expand
the group or provide advanced options. For example, if we click the diagonal arrow at the corner of the
Text Formatting group, it launches a dialog box with more options.

Academy of Learning Career College 33

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Contextual Ribbons and Other Functionalities

Let’s now look at a few important ribbon functionalities.

Contextual Ribbons
Contextual Ribbons are ribbons that appear only when you need to use them. Contextual ribbons
declutter your screen and present only the options that you require.

Hiding the Ribbon

Ribbons tend to take up space on the screen. If you want more space and don’t need to use the ribbon,
you could hide it.

Academy of Learning Career College 34

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Customizing the Ribbon

The Customize Ribbon pane allows you to remove groups and commands from your ribbons or even
create new tabs, new groups, and commands.
You can access the pane by clicking File, scrolling down to Options, and then clicking Customize Ribbon.

Academy of Learning Career College 35

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule B – The Quick Access Toolbar

Customizing the Quick Access Toolbar
The Quick Access Toolbar appears at the top left of the screen and includes the Save, Undo, and Redo
commands.
You can add commands you use frequently to the toolbar. You can customize the toolbar using two
methods.

Using the Customize Quick Access Toolbar Menu

To customize the toolbar, you can click the Customize Quick Access Toolbar drop-down arrow. In the list
that appears, the default commands are indicated by check marks. You can select all the commands you
want to add to the Quick Access Toolbar

The list on the right are the default commands that are on the Quick Access Toolbar.

Academy of Learning Career College 36

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Note: You can also add separator lines between two commands in your Quick Access Toolbar by adding
<Separator> between the two commands.

Using a Command Button

The other method to add commands to the Quick Access Toolbar is by right-clicking a command and
selecting Add to Quick Access Toolbar. In this case, we will add the Filter button to the Quick Access
Toolbar.

Academy of Learning Career College 37

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule C – Contextual Menus

Contextual Menus
A contextual menu is different from a contextual ribbon. When necessary, a contextual ribbon appears
as a tab next to the standard tabs in Access. A Contextual menu, on the other hand, is a shortcut menu
that gives access to frequently used commands for a command, object, or a field. You can access it by
right-clicking any command, object, or field.
Example 1
For example, if you right-click the Contact List form to access the contextual menu, you can view options
such as Open, Export, Layout View, Design View, etc.

Example 2
In this second example, let’s view the contextual menu for the Email Address field. Note that the
contextual menu for the Email Address field has a different set of options than the previous example.

Academy of Learning Career College 38

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule D – The Status Bar

Exploring the Status Bar
The Status bar is the horizontal bar at the bottom of the screen that displays information about the
current condition of the program or database. It improves your efficiency in using Access.
Let’s explore the features of the Status bar.

Default View
The default commands at the bottom right of the Status bar are Form View, Layout View, and Design
View. Instead of accessing these views using the Home tab, you can access them easily in the bottom
right corner of the Status bar.

Customization
You can customize the Status bar by right-clicking it and accessing the Customize Status Bar menu. Add
or remove any of the options for which you do or do not need information on.

One very helpful feature of the status bar occurs when you run a query. The status bar will let you know
the percent of your query that has been completed so that you can monitor the process.

Academy of Learning Career College 39

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Module 3 - Keyboard Shortcuts and Key Tips

Learning Objectives
In this module, we'll look at how to use keyboard shortcuts and Key Tips in Access 2019.
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Access keyboard shortcuts
2. Use Key Tips

Academy of Learning Career College 40

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule A – Keyboard Shortcuts

Accessing Keyboard Shortcuts
A keyboard shortcut is a key or a key combination you can press on your keyboard to perform your
tasks. Keyboard shortcuts help you work efficiently. Many shortcuts are used in a variety of Windows
applications, such as CTRL + C for copy, CTRL + V for paste, CTRL + X for cut, etc.
Note: Not every command has a keyboard shortcut.
There are three ways in which you can access keyboard shortcuts.

Screen Tip
A screen tip is the small window that appears when you hover your mouse over a command. Most
screen tips include keyboard shortcuts.

Key Tip
When you press Alt on your keyboard, it shows the Key Tips for the tabs. We’ll explore these in greater
detail in the next submodule.

Academy of Learning Career College 41

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Help
You can also use Help to look up keyboard shortcuts. You can click the Help tab or press F1 on the
keyboard to open Help.

Academy of Learning Career College 42

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Frequently Used Keyboard Shortcuts

Here’s a list of frequently used keyboard shortcuts, which are useful to remember.

Action Keyboard Shortcut

Cut CTRL+X

Copy CTRL+C

Paste CTRL+V

Save CTRL+S

Print CTRL+P

Undo CTRL+Z

Spelling F7

Display the Database window F11

Open a New Database CTRL+N

Open an Existing Database CTRL+O

Close the Active window CTRL+W

Open Save As dialogue box F12

Academy of Learning Career College 43

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule B – Key Tips

Using Key Tips
Many commands in Access 2019 do not have a keyboard shortcut. In such instances, we use an
alternative feature called Key Tips.
Key Tips are the black blocks or boxes that appear when you press the Alt key on the keyboard. It is a
great tool for anyone who is unable to use a mouse or is not comfortable using a mouse.

Apart from the Alt key, you can also use the Tab and Esc keys to perform tasks using your keyboard:
• Use the Tab key to move to the next screen object.
• Click the Esc key to close or quit objects or tasks.

Academy of Learning Career College 44

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Module 4 - Access Options

Learning Objectives
In this module, we will look at how to customize your copy of Access 2019 using Access Options.
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Explore Access Options
2. Work with the General tab in Access Options
3. Customize options in the Current Database tab
4. Explore the Language tab

Academy of Learning Career College 45

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule A – General Access Options

Access Options
Access Options are a variety of settings that help you customize your Access application. You can modify
Access Options in a way that best suits your needs.

Academy of Learning Career College 46

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

General Access Options

Let’s begin by understanding the first tab, General, within Access Options. The General tab has three
settings:

User Interface Options

Enable Live Preview
By default, the Enable Live Preview checkbox is selected.

You can preview how a feature in your database is affected by hovering over the feature, if the Enable
Live Preview option is selected.
For example, the Themes preview shown below.

Academy of Learning Career College 47

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Screen Tip Style

You learned earlier that a Screen Tip is a small window providing a description of the command. The
Screen Tip Style option in Access Options controls the appearance of this function.

Screen tips can occupy space and can hide commands. If that hampers your work, you may select the
second and third options from the drop-down.
Creating Databases
The Creating databases option helps you select:
• The Access version from a drop-down list. Since Access 2019 is not in the list, you can select Access
2007 – 2016.
• The folder where you want to save all your Access databases. You can continue the default location,
or you can Browse and add a location of your choice.
• The language for sorting the data in your database. General – Legacy, which is English, is selected by
default. You can select the language of your choice from the list.

Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office

Using this option, you can view and update your account information and preferences. Many of these
options are also available in other Microsoft Office products, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Note: The Office Background option may not appear in some versions of Access.

Academy of Learning Career College 48

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule B – Current Database and Language Options

Current Database
The second tab in Access Options is the Current Database tab. The Current Database tab displays
information and options related to the database that you are currently working on.

Application Options
Application Options is where you select options related to the database and the form.

Navigation
You have the option to not display the Navigation Pane in your database. By default, the Display
Navigation Pane option is selected in the Navigation option. You can deselect it to remove the
Navigation Pane from the database. This feature is useful in restricting access when you share your
database with another person, so that they don’t go into the Design View to change or delete any data.

Academy of Learning Career College 49

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Language Options
The Language tab in Access Options allows you to set your language in Access.

Once you have added a language, it will be displayed in the box at the top (see image below).

Academy of Learning Career College 50

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Module 5 - Tables
Learning Objectives
In this module, we will create a table, understand its components, and perform basic table operations.
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Create a table
2. Add a Field and set Field Properties
3. Explore indexing
4. Use the Lookup Wizard
5. Add numbers into a table

Academy of Learning Career College 51

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule A – Creating a Table

Introduction to Tables
You have earlier learned that tables are objects you see at the top of the Navigation Pane. All data that
you add and store in the database is defined and stored in tables.
A simple database, like the Contact List database contains one or more tables.

A file can contain multiple tables and those tables can be linked together through queries, reports, or
forms.
We will explore all of these components later in the course.
Let us look at a few key features of a table.

Entering Data in the Tables

A table can be displayed in Datasheet View or in Design View. When a table is opened in Datasheet
View, data can be added, edited, and deleted directly in the table. Data is stored in rows and columns in
a table just like in Microsoft Excel. You can import data stored elsewhere, for example, in a text file or an
Excel file.
If you need to add another field (or column) to the table, or if you need to change the data type allowed
in a particular field (for example, changing the data from a number to text), this can be done in Design
View. When a table is opened in Design View, the structure of the table itself can be edited, as well as
the properties for each field. We will cover Design View a little later on. For now, we’re going to be
discussing the Datasheet View of a table.
Note: When in Datasheet View, you can press the Tab key on your keyboard to move across a row.

Academy of Learning Career College 52

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Table Names

When a table is first created in Design View (or when switching over to Design View when creating a
table in Datasheet View), Access asks you for a table name. In the above example, the Products table
has already been created for you and named Products. If you double-click the Products table, it will
open to Datasheet View where you can directly edit, add, or delete data.
Note: Some Access developers like to use a prefix for the type of object that is created. For example, for a
table, the prefix tbl would be used followed by a capital letter for the purpose of the table, such as
tblProducts. Below is a list of the prefixes commonly used for different objects in Access:
Prefix Object
tbl Table
qry Query
frm Form
rpt Report

Deleting a Record
If you’ve entered an incorrect record and would like to delete the entire row, that can be done by
clicking in the darker gray area to the left of the first column in the table of the record you wish to
delete. The entire row should then be highlighted. From there, simply click Delete on the keyboard or
right-click and choose Delete Record. Access will confirm whether or not you want to delete the record
with a message box. Click Yes to continue deleting the record.

Academy of Learning Career College 53

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

The ID Column
The first column where you typically add values in a table is the ID column. It’s very important to have a
field in each table that uniquely identifies each record. This unique identifier is called a Primary Key. The
primary key can be a field with unique values being entered, such as a Product Code, a Student ID, or
any other kind of ID system.
The primary key can also be automatically generated as a unique field by setting its data type to
Autonumber. With an Autonumber, each time a record is added, the ID field will increase by 1 more
than the previous record so that your IDs are unique and sequential. If a record is deleted, the ID will
become the next number that would have been used, not the deleted record’s ID, in order to avoid any
confusion with related records in other tables. Autonumber fields are not editable.
The benefit of using an Autonumber is that the primary key is managed for you automatically. If you use
another type of ID, you will have to ensure that you are always entering a unique value for your primary
key. Otherwise the table will return an error for any duplicate IDs.
The primary key should always be unique from all other records in a table. If a table references the
primary key of another table in that table’s field (i.e., in a relationship), it will be what is known as a
foreign key pointing to the primary key of another table. We will learn more about creating a primary
key and primary key / foreign key relationships a little later in the course. For now, just remember that a
primary key uniquely identifies a record in a table.

Sorting and Filtering

Sometimes when you open a table, you want to see specific data without having to write a separate
query. Click one of the down arrows to the right of the field name and you will be able to sort from A to
Z (or Z to A), as well as filter the data with several different filtering options. If you’ve used Excel in the
past, the sorting and filtering in Access is very similar to that of an Excel spreadsheet.

Academy of Learning Career College 54

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Creating a Table
Creating a Table
You can create a table in any database using the steps given below:

Table Components
A table has records (rows), fields (columns), and field values.

1. A field is a vertical column of data about one aspect of the table, such as the first name or an
e-mail address. Fields have a datatype, such as text, numbers, or dates.
2. A record is a horizontal grouping of specific data, like information about a particular person, place,
or product.
3. A field value is the value assigned to each record. For example, Olivia or Rodriguez or
[email protected].

Academy of Learning Career College 55

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule B – Adding a Field

Adding a Field
A field is a single column in an Access table. Each field has a name, which appears in the column header.
For example, in the table in the Contact List database, you have fields to store last names, first names,
email addresses, telephone numbers, mailing addresses, and so on.

When you open a table in a blank database, by default there is only one field called ID. To add data, you
can add fields in Design View of the table.

Next, let’s look at the components of a field.

Academy of Learning Career College 56

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Field Components
Note: Some information on this screen, such as information on the properties AutoNumber and Input
Masks, is covered only in the reading topics. We have added this information because they are useful to
know when working with tables in Access.
When you add a field name in Design View, you also need to specify the data type along with an
optional description. Let’s understand these three components that appear at the top of the table.

Field Name
Field names can have up to 64 characters (letters or numbers), including spaces.
By default, the first field in a new table is named ID with the datatype of Autonumber. A field name
added in Design View will appear as the column title in Datasheet View.

Data Type
A datatype indicates what kind of data can be stored in a field. You need to specify the type of data for
each field name in the database. Each field can store data consisting of only a single data type. As seen
in the image below, some of the datatype options include Short Text, Long Text, Number, Currency, etc.

By default, for the field name ID, the data type is set to AutoNumber.

To review, AutoNumber is a unique number assigned by Access whenever a new record is added to a
table. AutoNumber fields are used to create an identity that uniquely identifies each record. These fields
cannot be updated. They can be a set of unique numbers in increments of 1 or completely random
numbers.

Academy of Learning Career College 57

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Description
Descriptions are onscreen instructions or help for adding data to your table and can make it easier for
other users to see the purpose of the data in the table. The description is optional. When you select a
field, the description you have added appears in the Status Bar for the table.

Field Properties
Properties are characteristics that are relevant to the selected field. When you add a field in Design
View, you have the option to define the properties for that field. These properties allow you to add
more information about the datatype for the field, such as the size limit for text fields or a more specific
number type for number fields (such as decimals / no decimals), and so on. They help prevent incorrect
data from being entered into the field and can also control the appearance of data.
A field property applies to the entire row or field. Here are the steps to access field properties in Design
View:

Academy of Learning Career College 58

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Academy of Learning Career College 59

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Let’s explore some important field properties:

Field Size
The property of Field Size is used to set the number of characters needed in a text or number field. The
default field size for the Short Text type entry is 255 characters. For example, if the data in the field is
likely to have two or three characters, you can keep the field size as 5. There is a datatype called Long
Text that will allow you to store more than 255 characters if necessary, but sometimes it can slow down
searches and limit sorting and filtering, so keep that in mind and use it sparingly.

Input Mask
An Input Mask provides a format for entering telephone, social security, date, time, and other numbers
that have dashes, parentheses, or some form of punctuation.
Input Mask is used only in text and data fields. When you click the Input Mask property, the Input Mask
Wizard opens. Follow the instructions in the Wizard to format your desired input mask for the field.

Academy of Learning Career College 60

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Default Value
The Default Value property specifies text or an expression that is automatically entered in a field when a
new record is created. The maximum length for a Default Value property setting is 255 characters. A
good example for using a default value is when you need the date to be set automatically to the current
date.

Required
You can use the Required property to specify whether an entry is required in a field. If this property is
set to Yes, you must enter a value in the field to save that record , otherwise Access will return an error
to the user. By default, the property is set to No.

Allow Zero Length

You can use the Allow Zero Length property to specify whether a zero-length character is a valid entry in
a field. If Allow Zero Length is set to Yes, it means that the field allows for null, or seemingly empty
values. Null values can sometimes cause issues that will need a work-around, so consider if you want to
allow for nulls as opposed to a default value such as a zero or other text that is easier to query when
necessary.

Academy of Learning Career College 61

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule C – Indexed Field

Indexing
Indexing allows a table to be sorted by default by a particular field or perhaps a first field followed by a
second field. Although this analogy may not fully apply, you can compare this to putting books on a shelf
in alphabetical order. It’s easy to sort by one category (and in this case, imagine resorting all the books
again by a second category). Without any sorting, it is a little harder to find the correct book, and it is
difficult to sort by every category all at once. Indexing is similar to sorting. You can choose one main
field for a sort, and then another one for another sort. It is good to sort by at least one field instead of
having a big pile of books, but it takes some consideration beforehand to think about which fields are
going to be the best to index because you won’t want to index all of them as it will impact Access’s data
writing speed.
Indexed is a field property that improves the performance of Access when searching for particular data
in a database. For example, if you are searching for specific employee names in the ‘Last Name’ field,
you can add an index to this field to speed up the search for a specific last name.
Importance of Indexing
An Access database stores large data. To search through this data, you need specific keywords and even
then, you would need to know the exact name or details. Moreover, because of the data size, if the
keywords are not specific, the search may take a long time.
This is where indexing helps. When you index data, searching it becomes easier.
For example, if you are searching for a particular trip in your database and you have indexed all your
trips with a trip code, all you have to do is enter the trip code. The search is also much faster compared
to, if say, you had not indexed the trip code.
What Should Be Indexed
You can index a field:
• That is unique and specific to a particular entry.
• You search frequently.
• That you sort.
• Where the data type is Short Text, Long Text, Number, Date/Time, AutoNumber, Currency, Yes/No,
or Hyperlink.

For example, in case of a trip with a unique trip code, your trip code can be indexed. You could also
index the location, but it is possible that you may have multiple trips with the same location. You should
not index the description, because it is not something you would search for.

Academy of Learning Career College 62

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Indexing a Field
Once you have created a field, select the data type in Design View.
There are two ways to index a field:

Using Field Properties

In Field Properties, locate the Indexed property and click the drop-down arrow. There are three options:

You can index a field:

• If you select Yes (No Duplicates), it means that the indexing is unique to the field. For example, a
field that records telephone number of customers, generally has unique entries.
• If you select Yes (Duplicates OK), it means you can create an index for the field. For example, if a
field that records last name of employees needs to be indexed, then the Yes (Duplicates OK) setting
should be enabled as the field could have similar last names.
• No is for not creating an indexed field.

Note: Keep in mind that the more fields you index, the speed of searching may improve, but the speed of
data entry will slow down because Access updates the indexes each time a record is added or changed.
Thinking back to our book sorting analogy, if you have too many sorts, it’s going to take longer to find
where exactly to put a book on the shelf. So indexes help with getting the data OUT, but slow down the
process of getting it back IN.

Using Primary Key

To review, a primary key is a field with data that is unique throughout a table. It is the main identifier for
a record in a table. For the primary key, the indexed field property is automatically set to Yes (No
Duplicates).
When you create a new table in Datasheet View, Access automatically creates a primary key for you and
assigns it a field name of "ID" with the AutoNumber data type.

Academy of Learning Career College 63

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Adding a Field in Datasheet View

You have already seen how to add a field in Design View. It is also possible to add a field in Datasheet
View.
Let us look at how to add a field in Datasheet View.

Academy of Learning Career College 64

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule D – Lookup Wizard

Lookup Wizard
The Lookup Wizard is used to create values that allow the user to select values from a drop-down box
instead of typing them in. Creating fields using the Lookup Wizard can help avoid data entry errors,
because it can restrict the list of values.
You can also reference values from another table using the Lookup Wizard. In this submodule, you’ll
look at how to create your own lookup field that does not select values from another table, but instead
from a manually typed list of values. In a future module, we will learn more about relationships, and
there you will see how the Lookup Wizard can be used to obtain values from another table.

Creating a Lookup Field

The Lookup Wizard is used to create the lookup field. The lookup field is created in Design View. You can
select the Lookup Wizard by going to the Datatype for a field and choosing Lookup Wizard… The “…”
here means that a Wizard will be used. You can see this in various other properties throughout
Microsoft Access.

In choosing this, we are telling Access that the possible values are to be drawn from a list. The list can be
entered in two ways (see image below). If your list is stored in another table or query, you can choose
the first option, and then select the table or query that contains the values. We will explore this option
in a later module.

Academy of Learning Career College 65

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

With the second option, you can create your own values by adding them in the Lookup Wizard dialog
box.

When you click Next in the above dialog box, you get the following options:

Click Finish once you are done.

Academy of Learning Career College 66

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Lookup Tab Properties

Once you create a field in the Lookup Wizard, you can access its properties from the Lookup tab, which
is next to the Genera tab under Field Properties. Once you’re more familiar with Access, you’ll be able to
edit the Lookup Properties here and not have to run the wizard every time you’d like to make a change.

Let's look at some of the important properties in the Lookup tab.

Academy of Learning Career College 67

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule E – Numeric Fields

Numeric Fields
Numeric fields in a database are going to require a number datatype depending on the type of number
being entered. When you need to add a number field, use the Number field in the Data Type drop-down
list. To add a currency field, select Currency.

When you select Number or Currency in Data Type, the Field Properties box appears at the bottom of
the screen. You need to update the fields in this box to customize the table for your data. Let’s look at
the field properties on the next screen.
Note: The Currency field has the same properties, except for Field Size.

Academy of Learning Career College 68

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Field Properties
Let’s understand the fields that are important for adding numbers or currency in the database.
Field Size
The Field Size property is important in the Number field because it determines the range of field values.
It helps you set the maximum number of characters that can be entered in the field.
For example, if you want to enter five-digit zip codes, select Byte in the Field Size box. This means that
you will not be able to enter a six-digit zip code.
Note: If you need to store a decimal, it is common to use the Double Field Size.
The Field Size property has the following settings in the drop-down:

Field Size Description

Byte For integers that holds values from 0–255.

Integer For integers that hold values from –32,768 to +32,767.

Long Integer For integers that hold values from –2,147,483,648 to

+2,147,483,647.

Single For floating-point numbers that hold large values up to 7

significant digits.

Double For floating-point numbers that hold large values up to 15

significant digits.

Replication ID* For storing a globally unique identifier (GUID) required for
replication; this number is generated randomly.

Decimal For numeric values that range from -9.999... x 1027 to

+9.999... x 1027. The default precision is 0, but you can set
the scale up to 28.

Note: The Currency field does not have the Field Size property.

Academy of Learning Career College 69

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Validation Rule
Validation Rule is a rule for entering data in a particular field. Use it in conjunction with the Validation
Text property.

Validation Text
Validation Text is the message that appears when someone adds data that violates the Validation Rule.
This text will depend on the rule.

Required
In the Required property, you can set if data needs to be entered for a particular field. By default, the
field is set to No, which means no data needs to be entered. However, if you choose Yes from the drop-
down and do not enter data, a message box will remind you to add data.

Academy of Learning Career College 70

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Module 6 - Importing Data

Learning Objectives
In this module, we will explore different ways of importing data in the Access 2019 database.
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Import data from Excel
2. Import data from a text file

Academy of Learning Career College 71

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule A – Importing Data

Importing Data
In the previous module, you learned about tables. You also learned that the data for a table can be
imported from various external sources. Sometimes data from an external source is imported into
Access without a live link between Access and the system it came from. But sometimes, it’s possible to
retain a live link between the data, making the imported data a Linked Table. You can tell that a table is
a linked table because there will be a black arrow attached to the table icon for the table after running
the External Data Wizard. It’s important to note here that the live link only displays updated data from
the source to Access in some cases, such as with Excel. In other cases, for example with another Access
database, the changes can be done at the source and from within the Access database that has the
linked table.

Academy of Learning Career College 72

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Let us look at each of these options.

From File
The From File option allows you to import from an Excel file, an HTML Document, XML File, or a Text
File.

From Database
The From Database option allows you to import from another Access database, SQL server, Azure
database, or dBASE file.

Academy of Learning Career College 73

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

From Online Services

The From Online Services option allows you to import from a SharePoint list or other applications and
data services.

From Other Sources

From Other Sources allows you to import from an ODBC database, which is an Access-compatible
database, or from an Outlook Folder.

Academy of Learning Career College 74

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Importing Data from Excel

An Excel spreadsheet is one of the most common sources for importing data to a database. Let’s look at
how to import from Excel.

Academy of Learning Career College 75

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

You also need to specify how and where you want to add the data in the current database. There are
three ways you can do this:

The Import Wizard automatically analyzes your data from Excel (see image below) and categorizes the
data into fields for the new table. It even guesses at what the datatype should be for each field based on
the kind of data it seems to be at its source.

Academy of Learning Career College 76

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Importing Data from Text Files

Let’s look at how to import data from a text file in your Access database table.

Selecting Import Options

The first step while importing a text file is to select the import options.

Academy of Learning Career College 77

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Selecting Delimited Options

The next step is to select the delimiters.

Setting Field Components

The last step is to indicate whether or not the first row in the datasource contains the field names that
you’d like to import into the new table. You’ll be able to get a view of what your imported table will look
like in Datasheet View in this step of the Wizard.

Academy of Learning Career College 78

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Once you’re satisfied with the options that have been selected, click Finish and your data will be
imported into a new table in Access. The steps for this import can be saved in case you import another
table in a similar format to this one.

Academy of Learning Career College 79

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Module 7 - Backup, Compact, and Repair

Learning Objectives
In this module, we will look at how to backup, compact, and repair your database.
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Back up a copy of your database
2. Repair and fix errors in a database

Academy of Learning Career College 80

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule A – Backing Up Databases

Backing Up Databases
It is important to back up your database to ensure that your data is safe. The reasons for backing up
your database are:
• Objects in your database can get corrupted or go missing.
• Your hardware develops a fault or your laptop gets stolen or crashes.
• To save all data before a major design change.

Backing Up Your Database

The process for backing up a database is similar to that of saving a file. First, go to the Backstage Area by
clicking File and then click Save As.

Academy of Learning Career College 81

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Academy of Learning Career College 82

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule B – Compact and Repair

Compact and Repair a Database
Sometimes Access databases behave in an unexpected manner and become unpredictable. One possible
reason for this could be due to adding and deleting a lot of records at once. You can use the Compact
and Repair Database command to prevent or fix issues related to deleted objects that continue to
occupy disk space and affect database performance.
It is a good idea to repair and compact your databases on a regular schedule. However, before the
compact and repair operation, remember to:

• Back up the database.

• Get exclusive access to the database, meaning that you are the only user in the database at the time
of repairing and compacting

Exclusive Mode
A database needs to be in an Exclusive mode before you perform the compact and repair operation.
Click Open in the Backstage area and then, click Browse. Select the file you want to open in exclusive
mode.

Academy of Learning Career College 83

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Manual Compact and Repair

Once you have backed up your database and ensured you have opened it in Exclusive mode, you can
perform the compact and repair operation using one of two methods.

Academy of Learning Career College 84

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Module 8 - Datasheet View

Learning Objectives
In this module, we will explore Datasheet View in more detail.
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Apply commands in the Fields tab
2. Sort and filter data
3. Modify column widths and row heights
4. Delete fields and records
5. Find and replace terms in a field

Academy of Learning Career College 85

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule A – Design in Datasheet View

The Fields Tab
When you open a table in Datasheet View, the Fields and Table tabs are displayed.
Let’s look at the first three groups under the Fields tab.

Views
In the previous modules, we have explored the Views group, which allows you to switch between
Datasheet View and Design View.

Add & Delete

You added a field in one of the earlier modules by using the Click to Add button. You could also add a
field using the Add & Delete group.
Note: To use any of the commands on the ribbon, you have to first select the particular field that you
want to make changes to.

Academy of Learning Career College 86

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Properties

Name & Caption

The Name & Caption option allows you to change the field name and the description. It also allows you
to add a caption, which will be addressed later in the course.
Default Value
Clicking the Default Value button opens the Expression Builder dialog box, where you can change the
details of the property.
Note: Default Value is not covered in the video you watched earlier. However, we have added the
information here to maintain continuity.
Field Size
You can change the Field Size directly in the textbox.
Modify Lookups
The Modify Lookups command allows you to make changes to the Lookup Wizard. This command is
enabled when you set the selected field as a lookup field.
Memo Settings
The Memo Settings command includes two options, Append Only and Rich Text. The command gets
activated when you click fields that have sentences or longer text.

Academy of Learning Career College 87

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Additional Fields Groups

Let’s now look at the other Fields Groups – Formatting and Field Validation.

Formatting
The Formatting group displays the formatting options for a given field.

Field Validation
The last group on the Fields ribbon is the Field Validation group. It has four commands -- Required,
Unique, Indexed, and Validation. You have gone through these in the module about tables.

Academy of Learning Career College 88

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule B – Sorting and Filtering in Datasheet View

Filtering in Datasheet View
Sorting and filtering help you enter specific criteria to quickly find specific data, as well as sorting your
data in ascending or descending order by field. You can sort and filter data using the commands in the
Sort & Filter group on the Home ribbon.

Filtering
Filters allow you to view only specific data. The filter searches for your search criteria in the entire table
and finds the appropriate records. It hides the ones that do not match the criteria.
There are two ways you can filter data:
1. Select the field and then click the Filter command in the Sort & Filter group.

2. Select the field and click the drop-down arrow next to the column header.

Academy of Learning Career College 89

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Text Filters
When you are filtering data in a text entry field, you can use Text Filters to filter data. A more commonly
used filter would be Contains… where you can enter a word or phrase to be found within a larger group
of words.

Number Filters
When the field has numbers, you can use the Number Filters in the drop-down arrow next to the
column header. There is a wide variety of ways to filter numeric data, such as greater than, less than,
between, equal to, etc.

Academy of Learning Career College 90

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Additional Filtering Options

Let’s now look at the other options for filtering data.

Toggle Filter
The Toggle Filter command helps you to switch between the filtered and the unfiltered view. This
command gets activated only after you have filtered any of the data.

Advanced
The Advanced command provides advanced filtering options such as Clear all Filters, Filter by Form,
Apply Filter/Sort, and Advanced Filter/Sort. We will not be covering these in this course, but you can
look up these advanced features in Help.

Selection
The Selection command is a quick way to filter specific terms. In the image below, since the word LEX is
selected, the command shows filtering options for LEX.

Academy of Learning Career College 91

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Sorting
Sorting data is arranging the data in a way that makes it easier to understand and analyze. You can sort
data in ascending or descending order. Select a field you want to sort and click either Ascending or
Descending in the Sort & Filter group.

Academy of Learning Career College 92

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule C – Entering and Modifying Data in Datasheet View

Modifying Table View
You can modify the view of your table in the Datasheet View by adjusting aspects related to the columns
and rows. Let’s see what these aspects are.

Adjusting Column Width

You may want to modify the width of a column for better readability and data management.

You can also adjust the column width by positioning the mouse over the right edge of the field title until
the cursor changes to this symbol - and then click and drag to make the column wider or narrower.

Academy of Learning Career College 93

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Adjusting Row Height

Resizing the row height is similar to resizing the column width.

You can also adjust the row height by clicking and dragging the cursor:

Moving a Field
To move a field to a different location in the table, simply highlight the field then click and drag it to the
desired position. Be sure to hold the mouse button down while dragging.

Note: The position of the field only changes in Datasheet View and not in Design View.

Academy of Learning Career College 94

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Hiding a Field
You can temporarily hide a field with the Hide Fields option. You can find the Hide Fields option in the
contextual menu by right clicking the column header. This doesn’t delete the field from the table.

Hide a Field Unhide a Field

To hide a field, right click the column To unhide a field, right click the column heading and
heading and select Hide Fields. select Unhide Fields.

Click the field that needs to be restored. Click Close

to restore the field.

Academy of Learning Career College 95

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Additional Data Modifications

You can delete fields and records, navigate through fields, and find and replace data in Datasheet View.

Delete Fields and Records

You can delete a field or a record permanently from a table by right clicking the head of the column or
row. Once deleted, you cannot undo the step to bring back the record.

You can also delete fields and records using ribbons. You have already seen how to delete a Field in the
previous module.

When you’re editing a record, also keep in mind that you’re able to press Escape when making changes
in any field and all changes will revert to what the record was before the edit. However, once you click
out of the record into another record OR when you close the table, all changes to a record will
automatically be saved without the option to go back and undo the changes. If you see a pencil icon to
the left of the record, you’re in edit mode. If the pencil is not there, then the changes have already been
committed.

Academy of Learning Career College 96

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Navigating Through Fields

To navigate through the database records, you can select from the Navigation buttons located at the
bottom of the table, just above the Status Bar. Keep these navigation buttons in mind when creating
forms later on, because the same buttons are used and they’re very helpful for record navigation.

Find and Replace Data

The Find and Replace dialog box provides a way to change small amounts of data in less time and with
less effort.

Highlight the field, you want to find and replace data in, then click Find.

Academy of Learning Career College 97

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Access will highlight the data that matches your entry. Click the Replace tab to replace the highlighted
data.

Academy of Learning Career College 98

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Module 9 - Relationships Between Tables

Learning Objectives
In this module, we will explore relationships between tables in Access 2019.
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Create a link table
2. Set up relationships between tables

Academy of Learning Career College 99

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule A – Creating a Link Table

Relationships Between Tables
The relationship feature in Access helps you combine data from two or more different tables, depending
on the type of relationship between tables. Each relationship may consist of fields in two tables with
corresponding data. For example, you could have a ProductType field in the Products table as well as in
the Types table. A record in the Products table will have a ProductType that corresponds to a record in
the Types table with the same ProductType.
First, let’s explain the different types of relationships used in an Access Database.
One-to-One Relationship
This is when there is one instance of a value in a field in one table that matches with one instance of a
value in another field. This wouldn’t normally be used because records like that are generally entered
into the same table. It’s just worth mentioning, because it is one of the three types of relational
database relationships, although it is somewhat redundant.
One-to-Many Relationship
This type of relationship happens when a table has a field that is related to another table. For example,
in a Supplies Table, there is a Supplier ID for the item and it is important to note that there is only ONE
supplier for the supply. That Supplier ID (a foreign key) would then relate to the primary key in the
Supplier Table, thus creating a relationship between the two tables. It would be called a foreign key
when it is in the Supplies Table because it points to the Primary Key of the Suppliers Table. This is
perhaps the most common type of relationship.
Many-to-Many Relationship
This type of relationship occurs when there are many records in one table that relate to many records in
another table. This relationship cannot easily be resolved by two tables. In the travel example from our
earlier modules, first assume that any trip can go to any number of countries and different trips can visit
one or more of the same countries. If a trip included three countries (which are listed in the Countries
Table), where would those three countries be stored in the Trips table? If the user is starting to create
fields named Country1, Country2, Country3 (how many more as the number differs per trip?), that is a
good indicator that this is most likely a many-to-many relationship. In order to create this relationship, a
Junction Table is necessary to resolve the many-to-many relationship between the two tables.
Therefore, a Trips Table, a Country Table, and a table that stores all the trips with their associated
countries (TripCountries Table) all need to be created. It is also possible in this case to have a different
number of countries per trip and it’s not uniform. One trip may go to one country, while another trip
may go to five countries. It can vary.

Academy of Learning Career College 100

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Next, let’s understand a few important elements for creating relationships between tables.

Academy of Learning Career College 101

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

If you want to add more tables, you can right-click anywhere on the Relationships window and select
Show Table.

Academy of Learning Career College 102

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Creating a Link (Junction) Table

Creating a Link (Junction) Table
You need to have at least two tables before you can add a relationship. Before you create the
relationships, first build all the tables that will be included in the relationship. To create a one-to-one or
a one-to-many relationship, you will only need the two tables involved in the relationship. However, if
you have a many-to-many relationship, that will be a little more involved to create the relationship
between two tables. First, create the two tables with the many-to-many relationship. Next, you will
need to add a third table, knows as a Link (Junction) Table, which will link the two tables. For example,
you can create a Link Table called ProductType. The ProductType table will link the two tables - the
Products table and the Type table. The ProductType table will show that a product can be of many types
with a varying number of types per product. The ProductType table will enable you to link each product
to the type of product.

Academy of Learning Career College 103

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

A Link Table is created the same way you create any other table – click Table under the Create tab.

Academy of Learning Career College 104

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Primary Key and Foreign Key

Relationships between tables normally rely on the Primary Key. Recall that the Primary Key is a unique
identifier (often numeric) for each record.
To create a relationship between two tables, the Primary Key from one table is matched with a field of
the same datatype in another table. When a field in one table is actually a primary key from another
table, it is known as a Foreign Key in the table that is pointing to the primary key of the other table.
Simply put, the Primary Key of one table can become a Foreign Key in another table.

Data Types and Field Properties

When setting up a relationship between tables, it is essential that the common fields have the same
Data Type. Considering the previous example, the Type field in the ProductType table and Types table
must be Short Text.
If the primary key field is an AutoNumber field, the foreign key field can be a Number field. The Field
Size property of both fields is the same. For example, you can match an AutoNumber field and a
Number field if the Field Size property of both fields is Long Integer. When both common fields are
Number fields, they must have the same Field Size property setting.

Academy of Learning Career College 105

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule B – Setting Up Relationships

Creating a Table Relationship
Earlier in this module you explored the Relationships command and how to add tables in the
Relationship window. Now, you will look at how to create a table relationship.
You can create table relationships using the Relationships command.

Academy of Learning Career College 106

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Remember that the primary key of one table can become a foreign key in another table.
You can further define the relationship between the tables using the Edit Relationships command,
which opens the Edit Relationships dialog box.

You’ll learn more about the Relationship Type on the next page.

Academy of Learning Career College 107

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Referential Integrity and Types of Relationships

It’s important to understand Referential Integrity and types of relationships before setting up a
relationship.

Referential Integrity
Referential Integrity is a feature in Access where the software manages the possible errors that can
happen between related tables if data is changed or deleted. The Referential Integrity feature prevents
users from adding data that is incorrect or from referencing data that does not exist. Referential
Integrity ensures that you do not edit or delete data in one table and not in the other.

You can choose from the following options, after enforcing Referential Integrity:
Cascade Update Related Fields

If the Cascade Update Related Fields option is selected, you can change the data in the field of one
table and Access will automatically update the matching data in the related table.
Cascade Delete Related Records

If the Cascade Delete Related Records option is selected, you can delete a record in the main table and
Access will automatically delete any matching records in the related table.
Please note that if you set up changes and deletions to happen automatically, the end user may not
expect those changes to be made immediately. Also, Access can display error messages when using
referential integrity that may be confusing to the end user of the database, so some training or guidance
in what is happening here may be necessary.

Academy of Learning Career College 108

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Types of Table Relationships

Once a relationship is created, Access draws a relationship line between the tables in the Relationship
window.

To review, there are three types of table relationships that indicate how the tables relate to each other.

One-to-One Relationships
Two tables are said to have a one-to-one relationship when one record from the first table is related to
only one record in the second table, and vice versa. This is denoted in the relationships window with a 1
on both sides of the relationship.

Academy of Learning Career College 109

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

One-to-Many Relationships
In a one-to-many relationship between two tables, one record in the first table is related to more than
one record in the second table. The reverse is not true, because one record in the second table is related
to only one record in the first table. This is denoted in the relationships window with a 1 on the side of
the table with the value as the primary key and the infinity sign on the table with the foreign key.

Many-to-Many Relationships
In a many-to-many relationship, multiple records from the first table are related to multiple records in
the second table, and vice versa.
This type of relationship requires a link (junction) table. In the relationships window, this will actually be
displayed as two one-to-many relationships with the link (junction) table in the middle of the two tables.
The two relationships will be denoted in the relationship window as the 1 side of the relationship
pointing to the table with the primary key, while the infinity sign will be pointing to the link (junction)
table with the foreign keys in both cases.
(Note: Relational database systems don't allow you to implement a direct many-to-many relationship
between two tables.)

Academy of Learning Career College 110

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Accessing the Subdatasheet

Note: This information was presented in the first video on relationships, however, the explanation has
been added here because of its relevance to the current topic.
Once a relationship is established, ‘+’ signs will appear on the left column next to the ID field in
Datasheet View of the table. These ‘+’ signs appear only in the ‘one’ table from the one-to-many
relationship.

Referential Integrity, the Cascade Update, and Delete Related Fields ensure that the changes you make
in the Subdatasheet are updated in the primary record.

Academy of Learning Career College 111

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule C – Relationships Using Lookup Wizard

Linking Multiple Fields
To create more than one relationship across two tables, you create lookup fields using the Lookup
Wizard. The Lookup Wizard also helps you link numeric and text fields. Previously, we used the Lookup
Wizard to add specific (customized) values to a field. Now, we’re going to use Option 1 of the Lookup
Wizard where we will look up the values from a table instead of from a list of values.
The process begins by selecting Lookup Wizard in Data Type for a particular field.

Perform the steps that follow (you will perform the steps in the Let Me Try activity). Ensure you select
the Enable Data Integrity option towards the end of the process.

Academy of Learning Career College 112

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Note: Sometimes when you create a new Relationship, it is not immediately visible on the Relationships
window. Follow the instructions below to see how to view changes you have made.

Academy of Learning Career College 113

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Module 10 - Forms
Learning Objectives
In this module, we will create and design forms.
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Create a form
2. Modify forms in Layout View
3. Work with forms in Design View
4. Customize form design

Academy of Learning Career College 114

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule A – Creating a Form

Creating a Form
As you’ve learned earlier, tables are where data is stored in an Access database. However, it is often
confusing for an end user to open a table and begin entering data. Also, you run the risk of not having
good control over the data in the table if you allow users to have access to data directly in the tables.
A form is a database object in which a user can add, edit, delete, or display data that is stored in a table.
A form is a more user-friendly interface in which external users can work in a table. In other words, a
form is an alternative way for an end user to have access to a table. A form also provides better control
of the data that is going into a table.
You have already seen a few forms in this course. For example, you saw them in the Navigation Pane in
the Contacts database.

Academy of Learning Career College 115

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Adding a Form
In order to create a form, you have to first add a form to your database. To add a form, click the Form
command under the Create tab.

The Forms Group

The Forms group on the Create tab displays multiple options to choose from.
Let’s look at the commands in the Forms group.

Academy of Learning Career College 116

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Form Wizard
We are going to start with the simplest option, the Form Wizard, just to give you an idea of what a form
is. The Form Wizard provides a step-by-step guide to create a form in Access. The first step is to add the
table for which you need to create the form. If you select the table first for which you would like to build
the form, that table will automatically be selected in the first step of the Form Wizard.

If you are designing a form for someone to perform a specific task you may not need all fields to be
available on the form. So, determine which fields the user needs access to.

The >> allows you to add all of the fields at once from the left side (the list of all available fields) to the
right side (the fields you want to display in the form). The << allows you to remove all the fields from the
right side and put them back on the left side.
The > allows you to add just the selected field from the left side to the right side and the < allows you to
remove the selected field from the right side back to the left side.
In the next step, you select the form type. This is usually a matter of preference as all styles will allow
you to edit data in the underlying table. The first and last options will allow you to only see one record in
the form at a time. If you choose the first or last option, you will need to use the navigation buttons to
move between records. We will go over those a little more soon.

Academy of Learning Career College 117

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

The last question in the Wizard asks about how you would like to see the form you just created. The first
option allows you to view the form directly with the table’s data. The second option allows you to make
changes to the design of the form before viewing the data in the form.

Academy of Learning Career College 118

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Form View
A form's data can be seen in Form View. Changes to the design of the form can be made in Design and
Layout Views.

Note: Data changes in a form function just like that of a table. In order to save the changes to a record in
the form when the form is in Form View, you need to close the form or move to a different record. If you
can see multiple records, you will only need to move down one record. However, if you are only looking
at one record, you will need to use the form’s navigation buttons to move to the next record.
Also note that if you choose to delete a record, you might get an error message regarding referential
integrity. However, you can add or modify information.

Academy of Learning Career College 119

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Deleting a Form
There are a few ways to delete forms in Access.

Keep in mind that once the form is deleted from Access, you will not be able to retrieve it without a
database backup if it was saved in the backup.
Note: Close the form before deleting it, since database objects cannot be deleted while they are open.

Academy of Learning Career College 120

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Form Properties
Let’s understand how to access and work with form properties.
Design View
You can make edits to a form in Design View.

Property Sheet
Just like tables, forms too have properties. These properties are accessible in the Property Sheet.

Academy of Learning Career College 121

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

The changes made in the Property Sheet are immediately reflected in the design of the form. It is
important to select the relevant object to access properties related to the object. The properties of the
entire form are different from that of a field. For the entire form, you need to access Form Properties.

When you click the Property Sheet using the Form Properties option, you can see all the properties for
the entire form.

Academy of Learning Career College 122

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule B – Modifying a Form

Modifying a Form
Previously, we’ve seen how to create a basic form. In this submodule, you’ll look at how to work in
Single Form, as well as modify a few more properties.

Default View
When you open a form in Access, you can control how your data records appear. Depending on the
nature of the database, you can choose a default form view for the end users to work in.
The Default View property, which can be accessed in the form properties using the Property Sheet, lets
you select form views. The views we will cover include the following:
- Single Form View shows one record on the screen at a time.
- Continuous Form View shows multiple records on the screen at a time.

Academy of Learning Career College 123

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Single Form View

In Single Form View, records can be viewed showing a single record at a time. To change to this default
view, select Single Form from the Default View drop-down in the Property Sheet.

Let’s review the Navigation Buttons as they will be used often in Single Form View.

Academy of Learning Career College 124

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Continuous Form View

In Continuous Form View, all the records are displayed in one form. To change to this default view,
select Continuous Form from the Default View drop-down in the Property Sheet.

Academy of Learning Career College 125

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Filtering Records and Datasheet View

Let’s look at how to filter records in a form and enable Datasheet View.
Filter Records
When you would like to see a subset of records based on selected criteria, a Filter is applied to the form.
Filtering records in a form is similar to filtering them in a database table.

Once the filter is applied, you’ll be able to navigate through filtered records with the help of the
Navigation buttons at the bottom left corner of the form.

Academy of Learning Career College 126

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Enabling Datasheet View

Datasheet View allows you to see many records at once in a tabular format, similar to a spreadsheet.
Datasheet View is another option that can be selected for the Default View similar to Single Form and
Continuous Form. You can also turn on or off the ability to view data in a datasheet by changing the
Allow Datasheet View property to either Yes to allow the Datasheet View or No to turn that option off
for the end user. To enable the user to have the possibility to view the form as a Datasheet, select Yes in
the Allow Datasheet View property in the Property Sheet. The form needs to be in Design View while
making this change.

Academy of Learning Career College 127

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule C – Forms in Layout View

Formatting Forms in Layout View
You can use Layout View to make design changes to forms in Access. Layout View allows you to format
and rearrange fields while continuing to display the data in a form.
There are three different ways to view a form in Layout View.

Difference Between Design View and Layout View

Design View Layout View

Design View is used for extensive modification Layout View is a more visually oriented view
and customization of your form. than Design View.

Live data is not visible in Design View. You're While viewing a form in Layout View, each
only working with the structure and design of control displays real data.
the form.

Let’s look at different ways to design forms in Layout View.

Note: Some of the information given below may not have been part of the video. However, we have
added the information to provide more clarity on the concept.

Academy of Learning Career College 128

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Layout View Controls

When you open a form in Layout View, the Form Layout Tools contextual ribbons appear (there are
three of them – – Design, Arrange, and Format). Under the newly displayed Design Ribbon, there is a
group displaying the controls available for a form.

Just to review again, Controls are basically all editable parts of a form with their own individual
properties. The part could be a label, a text box, an image, a button, etc.
By default, when a form is opened in Layout View, it is arranged in a tabular layout. The image below
shows some of the frequently used controls – drop-down boxes, text boxes, labels, etc.
And, remember, sometimes when the word table is used for form design, it refers to the structure of the
controls automatically placed in the form when it was built (they are structured in a table type format),
and not the underlying table that stores the data from the form. Usually, when we use words like row or
column and the word table, we mean this secondary definition. We are only using the secondary
definition of a table in this section and will resume using table when referring to the Table Object in
Access as we have been up until now.

Also, from the Design Ribbon, you can insert an image in a form by selecting the Insert Image command
and then navigating to the image file containing the picture.

Academy of Learning Career College 129

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Once selected, place the image anywhere in the table. If you want to reposition the image, you can drag
it to another location.
Fields can be added in the form by selecting Add Existing Fields in the Design tab. You’ll learn more
about using the Add Existing Fields command in the next module.

The Arrange Tab

The arrangement of the form can be changed with the help of the Arrange tab under the Form Layout
Tools contextual ribbon.

Academy of Learning Career College 130

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Sort Records by Form Fields

To sort records in a form in Layout View, select the field you want to sort and then select the options
(see highlight in the image) from the Sort & Filter group on the Home Ribbon. Remember that you can
navigate through the form with the help of the Navigation buttons at the bottom left of the form to view
the sorted records.

Modify Form Positioning

To change the position of the entire form in Layout View, select the tabular layout form as a whole and
then drag it to the place of your choice.

Academy of Learning Career College 131

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Enabled Property
If you do not want users to edit certain aspects of the form, you can set the Enabled property to No to
restrict the controls from being edited.
For example, you could make this change if you do not want the user to make changes to the
CustomerID text box control in a customer database form. (Please note that a user cannot edit an
Autonumber type field in any case.)

Academy of Learning Career College 132

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule D – Forms in Design View

Forms in Design View
You looked at how to design forms in Layout View, now you’ll learn how to design them in Design View.
Design View has more options for designing than Layout View.

Adding Fields in Design View

To open the form in Design View, you can simply switch views by using one of the options we looked at
earlier.

Academy of Learning Career College 133

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

In Design View, the position of the fields and labels can be changed. You can also resize them, move the
labels, and check their properties. Remember that you may also set the Enabled property to No to
disable access to the fields, so that they cannot be edited.

Academy of Learning Career College 134

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Form Properties in Design View

Let’s look at some important properties that you can use in Design View.

Record Source
The Record Source property for the form indicates which table the records are sourced from. In other
words, it is the table that will have its data changed, added, or deleted when using the form.

What this means is that the form is not changing all the fields in a table, just the selected field or
number of fields. A form can be bound to a table or to a query, which will bind it back to the table in the
query if that query is editable. Don’t worry if you don’t understand what a query is just yet as we will
explore queries later in the course.
Because you have access to all the tables, you can select fields from different tables to build your form.
If you do that, you will be creating the Record Source for the form from what is known as a SQL (see-
kwel) String instead of from a Table, as we have done up until this point. A SQL String is essentially a
query that may or may not join tables together, similarly to the relationships we created in Module 10,
as well as display fields from any of the related tables. If you use the … in the Record Source property,
you will build the SQL String that becomes the Record Source for the form.

Academy of Learning Career College 135

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Structure and Alignment

If you create a form using options under the Form group (except the Form Design option), the form has
a fixed table structure in Design View. This means that all the fields are bound within that structure
when moving them (they will move together as a group).

To get rid of the rigid structure, you can use the Remove Layout button.

The Remove Layout option allows you to move individual fields around freely. You can click and drag any
field and then only the label will move with it.
The tabular structure that was in place is removed and you can easily position the fields wherever you
want. This gives you more control when you’re designing your forms.
You could also neatly align the fields with the help of a few tools on the Arrange Tab.

Academy of Learning Career College 136

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

To align the fields, you can use the Align option.

Academy of Learning Career College 137

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule E – Form Design

Modifying Field Size
To make the screen more aesthetically pleasing as well as making it easier for the end user to add data
in Form View, you could use Design View to adjust the field size, arrangement, and alignment.

Adjusting Field Sizes

Sometimes when you add a text box, the size needs to be changed. Field sizes can be adjusted in Design
View. Fields that are likely to have numbers can be smaller and fields that have descriptions can be
larger.

Aligning Fields
When fields are not lined up correctly horizontally or vertically, the Alignment is off. You’ve seen
previously how to align fields in Design View.

Academy of Learning Career College 138

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Separating Fields
You can choose to separately move a field from its label or vice versa. For instance, you might want to
move only the field label.

If you simply click the field or label and drag it around, without clicking on the grey square, the field and
label will move together. This feature gives you much more flexibility in designing your fields. If you wish
to permanently separate the text box from its label, you can edit the text box’s Label Name property to
be a blank entry. If a text box is moving with its label, this means there is an entry in the Label Name
property.

Academy of Learning Career College 139

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Using Tab Order, Header, and Footer

Let’s now understand how to set the order for the fields in your database and also how to insert a
header and footer.

Modifying Tab Order

In Form View, you can use the Tab key on the keyboard to move the selection from one field to another.
The order in which the selection moves, is the order that the users will be able to navigate through the
fields on the form. This is called the Tab Order. You can set this order in Design View on the Design tab.

Academy of Learning Career College 140

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Adding a Header and Footer

A Header is a section of the form that will appear at the top of the form. A Footer is a section in a form
that will appear at the bottom of the form. The Design tab includes the Header and Footer group from
where you can add a Logo, a Title, or Date and Time (see image below). By default, the Title is a label
control that follows the name of the form, which you can modify.

By default, the Date and Time are text boxes with formulas in the Control Source property that are
placed in the Header. You can also change the position and alignment of your Date and Time. For
instance, you can select the date from the Header and cut it using Ctrl-X on your keyboard. Then paste it
in the Footer using Ctrl-V. You can also change the alignment of the text in the Header and Footer.

There are many more aspects, such as themes and formatting, of Form Design that you’ll cover later in
the course.

Academy of Learning Career College 141

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Module 11 - Subforms
Learning Objectives
In this module, we will look at subforms and how to work with them in Access.
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Create a simple subform
2. Prevent editing of a subform
3. Create subforms using the Property Sheet

Academy of Learning Career College 142

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule A – Setting Up Subforms - Part 1

Subforms
A subform is a form within a form. A subform is added in the main form to display information linked to
a record that is open in the main form.
Subforms are especially useful in showing data from tables that have a one-to-many relationship as
described in Module 9. The main form shows the 'one' side of the relationship and the subform shows
the 'many' side of the relationship. If you have the one side of the relationship on each record of a form
in Single Form View, you can display all related records on the many side of the relationship using a
subform. This allows the user to view all related records all on one page.
The is perhaps the biggest advantage of adding a subform within a form in one single form because all
the data is now in one place instead of across multiple forms.
A main form-subform combination is sometimes described as a master-child unit. The master would be
the one side of the relationship and the child would be the many side of the relationship
For example, you could have a main form that displays details of a single trip (the one side) and a
subform that displays the names of countries that the trip visits (the many side).

Some highlights related to subforms:

• There can be multiple subforms open in one main form. Over the next few screens, you will learn
how to build the subform and then add it to the main form.
• It's common to build the subform in Datasheet View, because in the Datasheet View you get an
accurate visual representation of the data contained in the table.

Academy of Learning Career College 143

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Creating a Simple Subform

Let’s look at how to create a simple subform.

Controls
A Subform is found in the Controls group under the Design tab.

Academy of Learning Career College 144

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

SubForm Wizard
Once the subform is placed in the main form, the SubForm Wizard window opens up. SubForm Wizard
helps you create subforms and link the fields from the main form to the fields in the subform. The link
specifies that the subform shows data relevant to the field in the main form.
You can create a subform using the following options: Use existing Tables and Queries and Use an
existing form

When you select Define my own option, the linked field in the main form is called a Master field and
the linked field in the subform is called a Child field.

Academy of Learning Career College 145

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

The master and child fields can also be edited in the Data tab under the Property Sheet after the
subform is created.

Academy of Learning Career College 146

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Aligning and Resizing

The subform and its fields can be positioned and resized just like any other control that we have seen in
the previous modules.

Similarly, highlight the fields inside the subform and drag its borders to resize.

Academy of Learning Career College 147

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule B – Setting Up Subforms - Part 2

Protecting Data in the Subform
Sometimes it’s necessary to lock down a form so that the end user cannot edit certain data.
A subform can be set up in a way where the end user working on the form is unable to alter or edit the
data in the subform.
Let’s now look at protecting subforms by preventing edits and controlling the information being
displayed to the end user.
Here are some properties that help you achieve this protection.

Record Selectors
Record selectors are the function that help you select a record to delete. The Record Selectors property
has Yes and No options. If you select Yes, the end user will be able to select and delete the record. If you
select No, the end user is restricted from selecting the record and hence the record remains intact.

Academy of Learning Career College 148

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Navigation Buttons
You’ve seen the use of Navigation buttons in the previous modules. Navigation buttons enable you to
move to the first, previous, next, last, or blank (new) records. Setting the Navigation buttons property to
No will restrict the user from navigating through records.

Academy of Learning Career College 149

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Allow Addition, Allow Deletion, and Allow Edits

The Allow Addition, Allow Deletion, and Allow Edits properties, found under the Data tab, can further
help you restrict the end user from making changes to the record.

Setting the Enabled and/or Locked Properties

Another option for locking down a field is to set the Enabled property for the field to No. Setting
enabled to No will not even allow the user to enter the field.
You can also set the Locked property to Yes. The Locked property will still allow a user to enter a field;
they just won’t be able to edit it. This can be useful for cases when a user wants to search in this field
specifically, but not change the data in the field.
Access allow for a variety of ways to protect information based on your individual needs.

Academy of Learning Career College 150

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule C – Setting Up Subforms - Part 3

Using a Composite Key
In the previous submodules, you’ve seen how to create a subform with the help of the SubForm Wizard.
In this submodule, you’ll link the subform manually to data that has been imported and added to a new
table.
But before we do that let’s review the use of Primary Key in this process.
Recall that a primary key is a field with a unique value for every record in a table.
Sometimes, however, it may happen that a database table needs more than one key to define the
uniqueness of the record. In such cases a single primary key does not suffice. You need to use a type of
primary key known as a composite key. A composite key has more than one defining or unique
attribute.

Composite Key
Let’s look at an example to understand the use of a composite key.
The tbltour database table shows the details of a tour. The table comprises the following fields with
their data types and descriptions.

Let’s look at each field to see if it’s feasible to be a primary key.

• TripCode: There could be multiple instances of a particular trip code for different start dates.
• StartDate: The start dates of different trips possibly could be the same, which means this is not
unique data.
• PriceAdult: Prices for an adult for different trips can be the same – so again, no unique data.
• PriceChild: Prices for a child for different trips can be the same (no unique data).

It’s clear from the above example that no field in the tbltour table can be assigned as a primary key
(since data is not unique).
But, when a combination of the TripCode and StartDate fields are defined as primary key, i.e., a
composite key, a trip starting on a particular date will always yield a unique record because two similar
trips cannot have the same start date.

Academy of Learning Career College 151

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

To assign a composite key, open the database table in Design View.

Academy of Learning Career College 152

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Linking Subforms to a Table

Let’s look at the properties and terms that will help us understand links between subforms and tables.

Unbound
When a subform is not linked to any existing table or a database object, such as another form or report,
the term `Unbound’ appears within the subform box.

Source Object
The Source Object is the source form or report that is linked to the subform.
Once the Source Object is specified, you can assign the Link Master Fields and Link Child Fields for the
subform.
Remember, the master field is usually on the one side of the one-to-many relationship and the child is
on the many side of the relationship.

Just a quick note of clarification. The Source Object and the Record Source are two properties with
similar names that can be confusing. Just remember that the Source Object is an object in the database,
such as a form or report. The Record Source is where the records are coming from for the data in the
form. A table (or query) has records, so this will be a table or query.

Academy of Learning Career College 153

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Module 12 - Queries
Learning Objectives
In this module, we’ll start to explore the use of queries with Access.
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Create a query
2. Create joins in a query
3. Use the Query Wizard
4. Use the Query Builder

Academy of Learning Career College 154

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule A – Creating a Query

What is a Query?
A query is a database object that helps you search and retrieve specific data from single and/or multiple
tables in a database. Once you create and save a query, you can view the query data whenever you
want. In addition to retrieving data, you can also use a query to add, modify, or delete data in a
database.
With a query, you can also specify the number of fields you would like from a table, limiting the
columns. You can enter criteria for a specific field that will limit the number of rows returned in your
query results. And you can limit both the number of columns and the number of rows that are being
returned at the same time.
Based on the usage, a query can be of two types: select query and action query.
A select query lets you retrieve discrete data from database tables, while an action query helps you add,
modify, or delete data in a database.
Let’s look at some important terms related to queries.

Query Commands
There are two primary commands that are used to create a query.

The Run command is an important query command.

Academy of Learning Career College 155

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Query Components
When you click the Query Design command, a blank query design screen opens. This screen is made up
of three main components.

SQL View
Queries have an additional view setting – the SQL View. SQL stands for Structured Query Language. SQL
is a database language that is used well beyond Access databases. Access has many development tools
that make writing SQL easy, so that you don’t have to know how to actually code SQL to write a query.
In fact, the Design View tool parses together the SQL code for you automatically.

Academy of Learning Career College 156

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Navigation Pane
A created query will show in the Navigation Pane on the left of the screen.

Academy of Learning Career College 157

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Creating a Simple Select Query

To create a query, you need to select the Query Design command in the Queries group under the Create
tab.

Academy of Learning Career College 158

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Academy of Learning Career College 159

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

The Grid and SQL Statement

Before we understand the fields inside the grid and the SQL statement, let’s look at an important
feature in the table.

The Grid
Adding information in the grid is a critical task while performing a query. It’s important to know what
each row signifies.

Academy of Learning Career College 160

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

SQL Statement
SQL is a language for queries. While you don’t have to master it, you need to understand the structure
to be able to comprehend it. An SQL statement is made up of SQL clauses such as SELECT, FROM,
WHERE, AND, OR, etc.

Here is a brief introduction to a SQL statement:

SELECT fieldnames (separate the fieldnames by commas)
FROM tablename
WHERE fieldname = criteria (often in single quotes)
ORDER BY fieldname
The SELECT line limits the number of columns and the WHERE line limits the number of rows in the
query results.

Academy of Learning Career College 161

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule B – Joins
Joins
So far, you’ve seen how to build a query in a single table. Whenever you run a query, the resultant set of
records is referred to as the Query Record Set.
Let’s see how to build queries in more than one table, especially if there is an existing relationship
between the tables.
When there are multiple sources in an Access query, you need to join the information from these
multiple sources based on how the sources are related to each other.

You can also create joins in queries even if these joins do not represent an existing relationship.
Types of Joins
There are two basic types of joins - inner joins and outer joins.

Inner Join
Inner join is the default join type. It is also the most commonly used join type in Microsoft Access. When
you run a query, an inner join will return records that have matching data for the joined field in both
tables.

Academy of Learning Career College 162

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

If Access detects a relationship between the tables, it automatically forms an inner join on the basis of
that relationship. Also, when you create a join and don’t specify what kind of join it is, Access creates an
inner join by default.

Outer Join
Outer join includes all records from one table and only matching records from the other table. There are
two types of outer joins: left outer join and right outer join.

Academy of Learning Career College 163

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

You can choose which table appears on the left and the right. In an inner join, only the matched and no
other data is included. In an outer join, unrelated records from one of the tables are also included in the
query results, depending on which type of join was selected.

Joins Explained Visually

While this is not covered in the video, here is a graphical representation of the different join types.

Note that Outer Join could be either Left Join or Right Join.

Academy of Learning Career College 164

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Creating Joins
You can easily create a join in Design View of a query. When you add a second table in the query
window, Access detects if there are any relationships between the tables using the relationships
previously defined in the Relationships Window.
Access automatically creates inner joins if you add two tables to a query, even if no relationships exist
between them. In this case, the tables must each have a field with the same or compatible data type and
one of the join fields is a primary key. To delete a join, just select the join and press Delete on your
keyboard.

Based on your query, click one of the radio buttons and then click OK. If you view the query in SQL View,
you will notice the following statements:

Academy of Learning Career College 165

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule C – Query Wizard

Using the Query Wizard
By now you know that all database objects have a Wizard, which provides a step-by-step guide to
perform tasks in that object. The Query Wizard too is a quick guide to create and modify queries. The
Query Wizard is especially helpful when you’re first learning how to create queries and gaining
familiarity with the SQL language.

An important feature of the Query Wizard is that it allows you to select fields from two different tables.

Types of Query Wizards

There are four types of Query Wizards. Be sure you select the table you would like to work with before
starting the Query Wizard.

Academy of Learning Career College 166

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Summary Options
The Query Wizard also provides an option where a summary can be made available. Summaries are
Totals or Counts of like data. If you have ever used a Pivot Table in Excel, that would be very similar to a
summary table.

Access looks at the fields you have selected and it determines which ones are suitable for a summary or
aggregation. It then displays the possible summary options.

Academy of Learning Career College 167

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Query Types and Actions

Earlier in this module, you learned about the Simple Select and Crosstab query types. Let’s look at a few
other types and also the different actions you can perform on a query.

Academy of Learning Career College 168

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule D – Query Builder

Using the Query Builder
Previously, we learned that there is a table behind a form for data entry. It is also possible to have a
query behind a form. Some queries are updatable, meaning that they can update the data in the tables
that make up the query. But some queries are not updatable and are only used for displaying data.
Some forms are meant to just display data, or sometimes just parts of the forms are meant to display
data, maybe in a subform.
You’ve previously learned that Record Source is a form property that displays the underlying table. In
this submodule, you will see that you can also use a query as a Record Source. If you do not have a
query already built, you can add fields to the Record Source property using a query, specifically the
Query Builder functionality.

Academy of Learning Career College 169

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

This is how you can add fields in a database object using the Query Builder.
Note: You can also define and type an SQL statement, which includes fields from various tables, directly
in the Record Source property without opening the Query Builder.

Academy of Learning Career College 170

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Module 13 - Expressions
Learning Objectives
In this module, we will explore expressions used in an Access database.
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Set up validations using the Expression Builder
2. Calculate using expressions

Academy of Learning Career College 171

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule A – Setting Up Validations

Setting up Validations
You have already explored validations in an earlier module. In this module, you will look at validations in
more detail. A Validation Rule property is a rule set for a field that limits the data that can be entered in
that field. A good example of this would be a date that is earlier than today’s date. The Validation Text
property is the text in a message box that appears to the end user when the rule is violated.
Expressions
An expression is a way to tell Access what you want in a field. This can include a calculation of values
derived from another field, such as an equation or a function. It can also simply be a value, such as
today’s date or stringing together two fields into one field. There is a lot of flexibility in expressions, and
they can be customized to your various data needs.

Expression Builder
Earlier, you have also looked at using the Expression Builder to create or modify validation rules.

To build an expression in the upper panel, you use components from the lower panel. If you’re familiar
with the parameters of your validation in an expression, you can also directly type the parameters in the
upper panel.

Academy of Learning Career College 172

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

There are three Expression Elements available to you.

• The first is a Function. Functions are built-in calculations that allow you to change numbers or values
derived from other fields, such as MIN, MAX, SUM, and AVERAGE. If you’re familiar with Microsoft
Excel, Functions in Access are similar to Functions in Excel.
• The second element is a Constant. A constant is a known value that does not change, such as NULL,
TRUE, or FALSE.
• The final element is an Operator. An operator can be thought of as a mathematical symbol, such as
+, –, *, <, >, etc. An Operator can also be the & symbol, which is used to join fields together.

All three of these elements work together to build an expression.

Parts of an Expression
An expression has two parts. First is the operator, which is the part of the expression that performs the
action, such as the greater than or equal to symbols.

The second part of the expression is the operand, which is the input that the operator is operating on.
For example, in the equation A + B, the + sign is the operator and A and B are the operands.
You can either type in an operand manually or choose the value from the list of Functions. The list of
functions can be seen when you click on the + to the left of the Functions. You will then see an option
called Built-In Functions. Select Built-In Functions to see some of your options in the middle box. The
middle box categorizes all the different functions for you. The column on the far right includes the
options for each category of functions.

Academy of Learning Career College 173

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Note: When you are working with dates in the expression, Access will automatically enclose the date
between hash (#) symbols.

Academy of Learning Career College 174

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule B – Calculation Using Expressions

Calculation Using Expressions
You saw how you can use the Expression Builder to set validations. Let’s now look at how you can use
the Expression Builder to define the data source for a control, field, or query.
You’ve also seen how to add data in fields in a form by pulling data from tables. You can also add data to
a form by using an expression.
Let’s look at an example to understand these concepts.
If in a database form, two fields display Income and Expense of a company, an expression can be
created to calculate Profits. To calculate the profit, you need to add the mathematical formula for
calculating profit as an expression and you also need to add a new control to the existing form.

Academy of Learning Career College 175

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Academy of Learning Career College 176

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Academy of Learning Career College 177

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Module 14 - Reports
Learning Objectives
In this module, we will create and design reports.
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Create a basic report
2. Format a report in Design View
3. Create a complex report

Academy of Learning Career College 178

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule A – Creating a Basic Report

Creating a Basic Report
Note: Some information in the course is covered only in the readings, such as the information below on
reports. This wasn’t mentioned in the video, but we’re calling your attention to it, because you will likely
see it come up again in a practical exercise or in a quiz or exam question.
A report is a database object that creates a summary of the information in your database. Reports may
be printed or stored as separate files and shared with others without any interference with the actual
database.
The report data is sourced from the database tables and queries. A report does not display live data
from the database, but rather a snapshot of the data at the time the report is created. Therefore, a
report printed minutes ago may be outdated if the data in the database gets updated between print
time and the current time.
A report can be accessed from the Navigation pane.

Academy of Learning Career College 179

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Note: The image shown above is of a complex report with multiple fields and grouping levels. You'll learn
about complex reports in the subsequent submodules.
Report View is the default view for a report. You can use Print Preview to see how the report will look
when printed and Design View for making changes to your report.
Let’s look at the steps for creating a report consisting of a single field using the Report Wizard.
Step 1: Adding Fields
The Report Wizard allows you to define fields, grouping/sorting levels, and layout choices.

Academy of Learning Career College 180

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

The Report Wizard window appears.

Academy of Learning Career College 181

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Step 2: Setting the Sort Order

In this step, you’ll set the sort order for the records as you want them to appear in the final report.

(Note: If you choose more than one field in the first Wizard step, an additional Report Wizard step
appears before you can set the sort order, asking you to add grouping levels. You will learn more about
grouping levels in the forthcoming modules.)
Step 3: Report Layout
The next step allows you to select a layout and orientation for your report.

(Note: If you choose more than one field in the first Wizard step and set a grouping level(s), the Layout
options will be different. You will look at Layout options for a report with multiple fields and grouping
levels in the forthcoming modules.)

Academy of Learning Career College 182

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Step 4: Naming a Report

In the last step, you can give a desired name to your report. You also have the option to either preview
the report or format the report in Design View. If you’d like to stick with the naming convention we have
been using so far, start the name of the report with rpt followed by an uppercase letter; for example:
rptCountries.

Click Finish to complete the process for creating a report. An example of a report is shared below.

Academy of Learning Career College 183

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Print Preview
When you create a report, it opens by default in the Print Preview mode. Print Preview provides a visual
representation of the printed report. You can open a report in Print Preview using any of the following
methods:

Method I Method II Method III

Right-click the report in the If you already have the report Click the Print Preview
Navigation pane and then click open, click the Print Preview option from the View drop-
Print Preview from the button in the Status Bar. down list.
contextual menu.

Academy of Learning Career College 184

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Let’s look at the groups and commands in the Print Preview tab.

Print
The Print command in the Print group helps you set the type of Printer, Print Range, Number of Copies,
and many other properties.

Academy of Learning Career College 185

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Page Size
The options in the Page Size group allow you to set a specified size and margins for the page on which
the report is going to be printed.

Academy of Learning Career College 186

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Page Layout
The commands in the Page Layout group will help you set the page orientation, column settings, and
other properties.

Academy of Learning Career College 187

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Zoom
You can enlarge a section of your report using the Zoom group. You may also use the Zoom options to
view one or more pages of a report at the same time.

Academy of Learning Career College 188

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule B – Reports in Layout View

Reports in Layout View
In the previous modules, you’ve explored forms in Layout View. Recall that in Layout View you can make
design changes to a form while the live data is still visible. Similarly, when you display a report in Layout
View, the report will look identical to the one in Report View, but you can update the information.
Let’s compare the different Views in which a report can be displayed.

Report and Print Preview Layout View Design View

Views

• Report View is the default • A report in Layout View • Design changes for a report
view of any report. Usually, looks similar to one in are done in Design View.
the end-user will view and Report View.
• Design View doesn’t display
work with the report in
• Live data is visible. live data from the report
Report View.
source.
• Basic design changes can be
• No design modifications are
made, but not as exhaustive • The effects of the design
possible in this view.
as in Design View. adjustments done in Design
View are usually seen in
Layout View or Report View.

Academy of Learning Career College 189

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Now, let’s look at how to modify and format a report in Layout View.

Changes in Layout View

You can make the following changes to a report in Layout View:

Academy of Learning Career College 190

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Group and Sort Fields

In Layout View, you can use the Group & Sort option in the Design tab to group and sort fields in a
report. Grouping and sorting brings like information together in a palatable, more readable format.

Academy of Learning Career College 191

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Adding Report Controls

Adding controls in reports in Layout View is similar to adding controls in forms.

The properties for the individual control can then be set using the Property Sheet.

Academy of Learning Career College 192

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Formatting Options
Let’s look at a few key formatting options for reports.
Formatting Reports into Multiple Columns
Columns are added in the report to make maximum use of the space on the page the report is going to
be printed on. Adding columns also makes the report look more organized. In some cases, reports use
the page space on the left-hand side of the report, but leave a lot of blank space on the right-hand side.

To optimize the use of space, you can format the above data into columns. Open the report in Layout
View and click the Columns command in the Page Setup tab.

Academy of Learning Career College 193

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Academy of Learning Career College 194

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

The previous report has been formatted to optimize the unutilized space on the page.

Insert Images on Reports

You can easily insert a picture in a report by selecting the Insert Image option under the Controls group
in Layout View and then navigate to the image file containing the picture. This is good for printing a
company logo or other branding images.

Once selected, place the image anywhere on the report. If you want to reposition the image, you can
click it and then drag it to another location. You can also resize the image by moving the cursor to the
edge of the picture until it changes to a double-headed arrow ( ) and then dragging it till you achieve
the required size.

Academy of Learning Career College 195

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule C – Report Design

Reports in Design View
Designing reports is similar to designing forms. You are therefore familiar with most of the concepts.
When you open a report in Design View, the Report Design Tools tab opens. This tab has four subtabs:
Design, Arrange, Format, and Page Setup. You’ll use the commands in these four tabs to make design
changes in a report.

Let us look at the different sections of a report in Design View.

There are two ways to format these sections – right-clicking the relevant sections or using the Property
Sheet.

Academy of Learning Career College 196

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

If you click the Page Header/Footer or the Report Header/Footer in order to turn them off, you’ll get a
warning message that says ‘Deleting these sections will also delete all controls in them and you’ll not be
able to undo this action.’ Hence, ensure you actually want to perform the action before you proceed.

Academy of Learning Career College 197

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Using Expressions in Report Design

Adding Expressions
You can use an expression to add information that isn’t part of a record. Recall from Module 13 that in
the control source for a textbox in form design, the expression for Date and Time appeared in Design
View.

Academy of Learning Career College 198

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Note: An expression has a specific syntax that you use in the Expression Builder that we went over in
detail in Module 13. Let’s review the common components:

Using the Format Property

You can use the Format property to modify the way a field looks in the report.

Academy of Learning Career College 199

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule D – Complex Reports

Creating Complex Reports
In the previous submodules, you’ve seen how to create a basic report for a single field. In this
submodule, you’ll take a look at creating complex reports that consist of multiple fields, a variety of
layouts, and field groupings.
The Report Wizard provides advanced features to create complex reports. Let’s explore each of these
steps in detail.

Grouping in Reports
Grouping is a feature where you can group like or similar types of data together. Grouping records
makes it easier to identify patterns in the data. For example, in a music album database, you may group
a report by music genre and then by artist name followed by other details.
The image below shows an Esprit De Tour report with two levels of grouping — Country followed by
TRIP Code.

Academy of Learning Career College 200

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Creating Groupings
Let’s look at how to create grouping levels using the Report Wizard.
Recall that the Report Wizard is located in the Reports group under the Create tab. In the first step, add
all the fields you want in the final report.

Academy of Learning Career College 201

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Academy of Learning Career College 202

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Summary Options
In the next step, you can set a sort order for the records in the report. The Wizard also includes a
Summary Options button that allows you to summarise information from any of the selected numeric
fields. Recall the Summary Options feature you’ve used in the Query Wizard.

Academy of Learning Career College 203

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Layout Options
In the next step, you need to select the orientation and layout for your report in the Wizard. The layout
options for a report with and without grouping levels are different.

Let’s look at the layout options for reports with multiple grouping levels.

Academy of Learning Career College 204

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Complex Reports in Design View

You can format a report extensively in Design View.
Understanding a Report
To be able to make edits to a report, you need to understand the different layers in the report in Design
View.
A report with one or more groupings will have a group header and footer and a page header and footer,
as well as a report header and footer. The arrangement may differ based on the layout selected in the
Wizard.
The images below show the Design View and the corresponding Report View.

The central part of the report has the Detail section, which contains the most amount of information in
the report.

Academy of Learning Career College 205

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Academy of Learning Career College 206

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

The footers for the grouping levels appear at the bottom of the report above the page footer.

You can always customize your report based on your needs. Modifying a report is similar to modifying a
form in Design View. You can add controls, resize and rearrange them, and set their properties using the
Property Sheet. You can also move fields from one section to another to make for better readability and
flow. One of the biggest differences in a report as compared to a form is the sorting and grouping levels.
Below is a description of the different categories of headers and footers that you can have.
Report Headers and Footers - Displayed at the beginning and/or end of the report itself. This header or
footer only appears twice. Once at the beginning and once at the very end. These are useful for
displaying the date and time the report was printed, as well as grand totals, such as a count, an average,
a sum, a min or a max, etc.
Page Headers and Footers - These appear at the top and/or bottom of each page. These are useful for
displaying page numbers. They can also display the date and time if you would prefer to see that on
every page.
Group Headers and Footers - These appear at the beginning and/or end of each group. A group is a field
from the underlying table or query, and the header changes when the field value changes on the report.
This is useful for displaying a group total, such as a count, an average, a sum, a min or a max, etc. Note:
Make sure that the report sorting matches the order of the group header and footer or you may see
unexpected results.

Academy of Learning Career College 207

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

The Can Grow/Can Shrink Properties

In an Access report, it may happen that some fields do not show the entire textual data from the
database, some of the text could be missing. This could happen if the allotted space for the field is
smaller than the entire text in the report design.
Instead of resizing the control to be a set length, you can use the Can Grow property. When enabled,
the Can Grow property expands the text box control vertically to fit the contents of the field.
You may also use the Can Shrink property (located just below the Can Grow property) in the event that
a field size is too large and you would like to close it up to save space in your report.

Academy of Learning Career College 208

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Module 15 - Printing and Print Properties

Learning Objectives
In this module, we will explore different aspects of printing in Access 2019.
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Create a definition of an object
2. Explore print properties
3. Access print and print options

Academy of Learning Career College 209

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule A – Printing and Print Properties

The Database Documenter and Print Properties
You have briefly looked at printing in earlier modules. Let's look at some features that provide advanced
printing options in a database.
When discussing Access objects, we’ve spent time talking about their design view as well as their data
view. When printing different objects, the first question to ask is whether or not you want the design of
the object or the data of the object. For the design view, you can use the database documenter. For the
data view, you can print similarly to the way we printed reports in the previous module. Both will be
discussed in this module.

Database Documenter
A Database Documenter documents not the data but the design of the database. This tells you various
information about database objects themselves. Remember, objects we have learned so far include
tables, queries, forms, and reports. If you’re keeping track of design changes, it might be a good idea to
save some of these files as PDFs on your computer to refer back to in order to see the change process
when designing a database. We’ll review how to print a document as a PDF later in this module.
The document that is generated from the Database Documenter is called its definition, which displays
all the properties of the selected object (tables, queries, etc.) and details about individual columns
(fields). You will also find details of the relationships (if any) between the objects in your database.

Academy of Learning Career College 210

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Academy of Learning Career College 211

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Once you click OK on the Documenter, Access will create a definition of the design of the object(s).

Print Properties
If you want to print the definition or data of an object, you could use the Print Preview tab to set the
size, the margins, the orientation, etc.

Academy of Learning Career College 212

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Note: The options in the Name drop-down list will depend on which printer is attached to your computer,
and which applications are downloaded on your computer.

Academy of Learning Career College 213

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Saving as a PDF Document

The Name drop-down list in the Print dialog box also has the option to save a database as a PDF
document.

Note: Access may not automatically open the saved PDF file. To open the file, go to the folder on your
computer where you’ve saved the file. Once you open the folder, search/locate the PDF file and double-
click to open it.

Academy of Learning Career College 214

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Printing
You will now look at the regular printing options.
Using the Quick Access Toolbar
To print all the data in a specific object, select the object from the Navigation pane and click the Print
Preview command in the Quick Access Toolbar.

Click the Print Preview option to view how your database appears in the printed version. Once you are
satisfied with all your options, click Print.

Academy of Learning Career College 215

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Using the Backstage Area

You can also access the Print Preview option using the Backstage area.

Academy of Learning Career College 216

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Module 16 - More Data Types

Learning Objectives
In this module, we will explore more data types.
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Create fields with Yes/No and Attachment data types
2. Use Check Box and Attachment controls in forms

Academy of Learning Career College 217

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule A – More Data Types

Yes/No Data Type
Data Type is the property of a field that determines the kind of data the field can store. So far, you’ve
worked with data types such as Short Text, Long Text, Number, Date/Time, AutoNumber, etc.
In this section, you'll explore data types that can help you store specialized information in your
database.
Let’s take a look at the Yes/No data type and the Check Box control.

Yes/No Data Type

The Yes/No data type can be used for a field that requires a binary input like Yes/No, True/False, or
ON/OFF.
For example, in a student information database, a field with a Yes/No data type can be used to denote
whether a student has paid fees; the user will be provided with two options to choose from — Yes and
No.
The Yes/No Data type for a field can be set in either Design View or Datasheet View.

By default, the display control for a Yes/No data type field is set to a Check Box.

Academy of Learning Career College 218

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

In Datasheet View, you can manually check/uncheck the box for the specific records.

Academy of Learning Career College 219

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Check Box Control

A Check Box control is created to represent data stored in a field with Yes/No data type.
Let’s look at creating a check box control for a Yes/No data type field.

You can use the Property Sheet to set the properties for a field with the Yes/No data type.

Academy of Learning Career College 220

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Attachment Data Type

In this section, you will learn about the Attachment data type and the Attachment control.
Attachment Data Type
In Access, you can attach multiple files — PDF documents, spreadsheets, images, presentations, etc. —
to the records in your database with the help of the Attachment data type.
Attachments in databases are used to store file/s in a single field. For example, in an employee contact
database, each entry may have an attachment such as a person's company ID, salary slip, or other
associated documents.
The Attachment data type for a field can be set in either Datasheet View or Design View.

Academy of Learning Career College 221

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

The file opens in the default program assigned on your computer for the specific file type. For example,
an Excel file attachment opens in the Excel program.

Academy of Learning Career College 222

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Attachment Control
An Attachment control is used to represent data from the Attachment field in an underlying table on a
form.
Let’s look at adding an Attachment control in a form. You can find the Attachment control in the
Controls group.

Academy of Learning Career College 223

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Set the field with the Attachment data type as the Control Source for the Attachment control in the
Property Sheet.

A Word of Caution about Attachments

While attachments are very useful and convenient in an Access database, it is important to understand
they are contained in the database and can take up a lot of space quickly, which can affect database
performance. Sometimes too many attachments can cause corruption in the database and increase the
need for compacting and repairing (as discussed in Module 7). If you’re planning to use attachments for
a large number of records, consider using a hyperlink to the file’s location instead. We’ll cover more on
hyperlinks in the next section.
Note: The icon may look different on your database depending on the applications/programs installed on
your system or PC.

Academy of Learning Career College 224

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

OLE Object and Hyperlink

Let’s take a brief look at two more data types – OLE Object and Hyperlink.
OLE Object
The OLE Object Data type is a specialized data type used for attaching documents (Excel, Word, etc.) or
items (images, graphs, etc.) that need to interact with the database.

When using OLE objects, the same caution mentioned in the previous regarding attachments applies.

Hyperlink
The Hyperlink data type is used to link to a file on the Internet, Intranet, or on your PC. For example, you
may link an Excel sheet with the trip requirements in your Esprit De Tour database. A hyperlink is a great
alternative to an attachment if you’re experiencing performance issues.

Academy of Learning Career College 225

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Module 17 - More About Forms

Learning Objectives
In this module, we will explore forms in greater detail.
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Use specific form controls
2. Customize form themes
3. Create and use Navigation forms

Academy of Learning Career College 226

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule A – Form Controls

Form Controls
You have learned about controls used in forms in previous modules. So far, you’ve mainly looked at the
Text Box, Attachment, and Check Box controls. Let us now explore some of the other controls.
Recall that you can access different controls from the Design tab in Design View of a form.

You’ll learn about the Option Group control next, and about the Navigation control later in this module.

Academy of Learning Career College 227

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Additional Form Controls

Let’s look at the other form controls.
The Option Group Control
The Option Group control allows you to add additional options in the form.

Once you draw the option on the form, you can add a set of option buttons that will include a number.

Once you add a button, the Property Sheet automatically assigns an Option Value of 1. That’s the default
value when you add an Option Group control. If you add another button, it will have a value of 2, and so
on.

Academy of Learning Career College 228

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

While it can be tempting to use an option box for a Yes/No field, we recommend that you use a
checkbox instead. The option box allows you to change values and are numeric. While it is true that the
Yes/No field values can translate to a number (-1 for true, 0 for false), the option box has values that can
be changed, and the confusion between the two can lead to unexpected consequences in the future.

Academy of Learning Career College 229

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Additional Controls
You’ve already looked at the Attachment, Check Box, and Subform/Subreport controls. Let’s look at the
other controls.

Academy of Learning Career College 230

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule B – Form Themes

Form Themes
You know that forms are an interface through which end users interact with a database. You can make
the interface visually appealing by using themes.
Themes are a pre-defined collection of templates, each with its own set of default font sizes, color
scheme, and alignment. The nice thing about themes is that they are used in all Microsoft Office
products, so a theme in Access can also be used in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc., for continuity and/or
branding for your business. Or you could simply apply a theme you like to your Access database only.
Themes help customize the appearance of your entire form without having to format the individual
elements.
Themes can be accessed under the Design tab in either Design View or Layout View.

Let's take a closer look at each option in the Themes group.

Themes
Under the Themes option, you’ll find several theme templates categorized in three sections — In this
Database, Custom, and Office.

Academy of Learning Career College 231

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Hovering your cursor over a theme displays its name as well as a preview of the theme.

Note: The theme preview will only be visible if the Enable Live Preview option is selected. The Enable Live
Preview option can be accessed using Access Options > General.

Default Theme
The default color and font scheme you have been using all along in your forms is the default theme in
Access. The name of this default theme is the Office theme. So you have already been using a theme
without even knowing it!
To make a theme the default theme, right-click the theme and select the Make This Theme the
Database Default option.

Academy of Learning Career College 232

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Theme Colors
Every theme has a standard color palette; however, you could add additional theme colors, independent
of the theme. The Theme Colors command lets you choose from a variety of pre-defined color schemes,
which you can mix and match with your current theme.

Academy of Learning Career College 233

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Theme Fonts
Every theme has standard fonts as well. You can select fonts for your theme using the Theme Fonts
option.

Academy of Learning Career College 234

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Formatting Properties
Access has a wide variety of ways to format your form to get it looking just the way you would like.
There are many different options, including fonts, colors, borders, background colors, foreground colors,
etc.
Let’s look at a few additional options to customize the look and feel of a form.

Back Color
The Back Color property is used to define the background or interior color of a form control or section.
The form control could be a text box, label, combo box, list box, etc. The Back Color property is useful to
distinguish or emphasize specific elements of a form.
To define a background color, highlight the concerned control or the section in Design View or Layout
View. Here’s an example.

Note: If you select a color from the palette's Standard Colors section, the selected background color for
the section or control remains unchanged until you manually update it, regardless of the theme.

Academy of Learning Career College 235

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Fore Color
The Fore Color property specifies the color of text within a form control.

The Fore Color property is located under the Format and All tab in the Property Sheet. Click the ellipsis
(…) to pick a color.

Perhaps you have noticed that the textbox control also has a Back Color property just as on a form.
That’s because the text box itself has a background color that can be changed.
Note: If you select a color from the palette's Standard Colors section, the selected fore color for the
control remains unchanged until you manually update it, regardless of the theme.

Academy of Learning Career College 236

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Shape Outline
The Shape Outline option allows you to choose an outline or border for various form controls — text
box, shapes, subforms, labels, combo box, etc. You have the option to customize the border color,
thickness, and style.

Academy of Learning Career College 237

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule C – Navigation Forms

Creating a Navigation Form
Once you’ve built several objects in Access, it can be confusing as to how those objects are going to
interact with each other. Remember that objects include tables, forms, queries, reports, etc. A large
database has huge amounts of data that needs to be protected. At the same time, new data will be
added to the database periodically.
End users who add data to the database need to be given access to specific parts of the database, but
may not need access to other parts. It’s important to keep track of who should access which objects so
that you can protect your data from errors.
A Navigation Form is a form that allows end users to work on multiple forms without direct access to the
database. The Navigation Form also provides a simple interface where end users can input data easily.

Academy of Learning Career College 238

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

End users working on the navigation forms will use the tabs to navigate instead of the objects in the
Navigation pane.
You’ve learned that forms are the objects that end users use. A Navigation Form is a special kind of form
that allows end users to work on multiple forms without direct access to the database. The Navigation
Form also provides a simple interface where end users can input data easily.

Academy of Learning Career College 239

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Formatting Navigation Forms

Since navigation forms would be used by end users, it may be a good idea to keep the design of the form
simple and user-friendly. Let’s look at the formatting options in a navigation form that will help you do
that.

Formatting the Navigation Form

You can format the navigation form in Design View using the Property Sheet and other commands.
For instance, you can change themes, the shape outline, etc. that you looked at in the previous
submodule. You can use all the formatting options that you’ve learned so far in form design.

Displaying the Navigation Form

Access Options helps you choose the database you want to display to your end users when the database
is first opened. This would be a good place to select the Navigation Form you created above.

Academy of Learning Career College 240

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Displaying the Navigation Pane

Remember that the Navigation Pane allows users to see all objects in the Access database. To keep your
data safe, another caution you can exercise is not displaying the Navigation pane, which has all the
important objects.
Recall that you learned how to hide the Navigation pane from your database in the previous video.
In Access Options > Current Database, uncheck the Display Navigation Pane option. This will hide the
Navigation pane.
Note: Recall that once you click OK, sometimes, the changes that you’ve applied will come into effect
only after you close and reopen your database.

If you need to reinstate the Navigation pane, you can update Access Options or press F11 on your
keyboard.
You could also collapse the ribbon to limit people from formatting the form.

Academy of Learning Career College 241

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Module 18 - Exporting Databases

Learning Objectives
In this module, we will explore the different export options in Access.
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Export an Access object to Excel
2. Export an Access object to PDF

Academy of Learning Career College 242

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule A – Exporting Databases

Exporting Databases
In one of the previous modules, you looked how to import data from sources like text files.
In this module, you’ll look at how to do the opposite - the export options in Access.
Oftentimes, you might want to share some or all of your data with others. It is at such times that you
can export your database object in a format that can be shared with others.

Exporting Options
Not everyone has access to Microsoft Access, so the Export group under the External Data tab gives you
a number of formats that you can export your database to.

Academy of Learning Career College 243

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Exporting to Excel
To export a database object to Excel, first select the object from the Navigation pane.

The Export – Excel Spreadsheet wizard box opens.

Once you’re done, you can open the object as an Excel file from the folder you saved it to.

Academy of Learning Career College 244

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Exporting to PDF
Another option that is commonly used is exporting to a PDF or an XPS document. As the name suggests,
this option exports the selected object as a PDF or an XPS document. A PDF is a great format for
exporting an Access report as it will retain a lot of the design of the original report.

Academy of Learning Career College 245

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Module 19 - Additional Backstage Features

Learning Objectives
In this module, we explore additional Access Options and the Info tab in the Backstage area.
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Explore more ways to customize Access using Access Options
2. Use commands in the Info tab

Academy of Learning Career College 246

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule A – Additional Access Options

Additional Access Options
In one of the initial modules, you looked at Access Options and you’ve used Options many times
throughout this course, including the Show Navigation Pane option and Display Form for the initial form
when the database is opened in the previous module. Let us look at a few more important tabs in Access
Options.

Current Database
Recall that you can make design changes when you’re in Datasheet View of a table. You can choose to
disable this option in the Current Database tab.

Academy of Learning Career College 247

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Datasheet
In the Datasheet tab, you can customize the way datasheets are displayed in Access. For instance, you
could remove the horizontal or vertical gridlines.

Gridlines are the lines separating records in the database.

Academy of Learning Career College 248

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Object Designers
The Object Designers tab lets you change the default settings of objects, such as tables, queries, forms,
etc. This is similar to creating an initial custom theme for those objects.

Academy of Learning Career College 249

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Client Settings
The Client Settings tab only applies to a standard Access database, and not web databases. This is where
you make edits that would affect the end users use of the application.

Academy of Learning Career College 250

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Scroll down to the next section, the Display section.

Academy of Learning Career College 251

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

If you scroll down in Client Settings, you have the Advanced section. It is important to note that when
you are using Access in a multiuser mode, a lot of people can access the database at the same time.

Right at the bottom, you will find the Default Theme section.

Academy of Learning Career College 252

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Submodule B – The Info Tab

The Info Tab
At the beginning of the course, you learned about the Info tab in the Backstage area.

Let’s now look at the important features in the Info tab.

Academy of Learning Career College 253

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

View and Edit Database Properties

The first feature you’ll look at is the View and edit database properties feature on the Info tab.

General
The General tab provides information related to the database – name of the file, the type, the location,
the size, when it was created, when it was last modified, last accessed on, etc.

Academy of Learning Career College 254

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Summary
In the Summary tab, you can modify information related to the title, subject, author, company, etc. of
the database. You can also add keywords and comments.

Academy of Learning Career College 255

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Statistics
The Statistics tab provides the date and time of creation and modification.

Academy of Learning Career College 256

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Contents
The Contents tab gives a summary of all the objects in the database.

Academy of Learning Career College 257

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Custom
The Custom tab is where you can customize the name, type, value, and properties of the database.

Academy of Learning Career College 258

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Password Encryption
You can encrypt a database with a password to protect the file and to help prevent unauthorized access
to the information. Let’s now look at how you can encrypt your database with a password.

Encrypt a File
Before you encrypt a file, you need to ensure it is opened in the Exclusive mode, which you’ve learned
in an earlier module. Exclusive mode ensures the database is open only on your laptop or Personal
Computer.

Close the encrypted file and reopen it.

Academy of Learning Career College 259

Student Reference Guide Microsoft Access 2019 - Level 1

Decrypt a File
To decrypt an already encrypted file, open the file in the Exclusive mode.

Then, select the Decrypt Database option from the Info tab.

The file is decrypted and doesn’t require a password to open thereon.

Academy of Learning Career College 260