4 Modify Tables and Fields

LESSON SKILL MATRIX

Skill Exam Objective Objective Number

Modifying a Database Table Rename objects. 1.2.1

Delete objects. 1.2.2
Creating Fields and Modifying Field Modify field properties. 2.2.8
Properties Rename a field. 2.2.3
Insert a field. 2.2.1
Use Quick Start. 1.3.2
Delete a field. 2.2.2

KEY TERMS
• input mask
• multivalued field
• properties
• Quick Start field
• validation rule
• validation text
• zero-length string

78
 Modify Tables and Fields 79

Erin’s Travel is a full-service travel agency that specializes in sports-event travel

packages. The company offers both individual and group travel packages to many
of the leading sports events throughout the country. The travel packages can be
customized to include plane tickets, event tickets, event transportation, hotel
accommodations, official event souvenirs, and on-site staff assistance. As an as-
sistant event coordinator, you are responsible for gathering information about a
variety of events; you use Access to store the necessary data. In this lesson, you
learn how to modify table properties, rename a table, delete a table, modify field
properties, and create and modify fields—including multivalue and attachment fields.

MODIFYING A DATABASE TABLE

After a table has been created, you may need to modify it. You can make many changes to a
The Bottom Line table—or other database object—using its property sheet. You can also rename or delete a table,
but keep in mind that such a change could possibly break the functionality of the database,
because in a relational database the various components work together.

Modifying Table Properties

You can set properties that control the appearance or behavior characteristics for an entire table
in the table’s property sheet. Sometimes it’s necessary to describe the purpose of a table by
modifying the table’s Description property since others who view your table may require more
information about its purpose. Other table properties are more advanced and used less often. In
this exercise, you modify the description property for a table.

STEP BY STEP Modify Table Properties

GET READY. Before you begin these steps, be sure to launch Microsoft Access.
1. OPEN the Events database from the data files for this lesson.
The Events file for 2. SAVE the database as EventsXXX (where XXX is your initials).
this lesson is available 3. Click the Close ‘Event List’ button to close the form that displays.
on the book companion
4. In the Navigation Pane, double-click Events to open that table.
website or in WileyPLUS.
5. On the Home tab, in the Views group, click the Views button and then click
Design View.
6. On the Design tab, in the Show/Hide group, click Property Sheet. The Property Sheet
pane appears on the right of the Access window, as shown in Figure 4-1.
WileyPLUS Extra! features an
online tutorial of this task.
80 Lesson 4

Property sheet pane

Figure 4-1
Property sheet pane
7. Place the insertion point in the property box for Description.
8. Press Shift+F2 to open the Zoom box, shown in Figure 4-2, to provide more space.

Figure 4-2
Zoom dialog box
9. Key Most popular events for 2012.
10. Click OK.
Another Way 11. Click the Close button on the Property Sheet pane to close it.
You can also press
Alt+Enter to display the 12. Click the File tab and click Save to save the design changes you’ve made to the table.
property sheet for an object. PAUSE. LEAVE the database open to use in the next exercise.

To set the properties for a table, open the table in Design View. On the Design tab, in the Show/
Hide group, click Property Sheet. Click the box for the property you want to set and key a
setting for the property. Table 4-1 lists the available table properties and what they control.
 Modify Tables and Fields 81

Table 4-1
Table Property Use This Table Property To
Table Properties
Subdatasheet Expanded Specify whether to expand all subdatasheets when you open the table.
Subdatasheet Height Specify whether to expand to show all available subdatasheet rows
(default) when opened or to set the height of the subdatasheet window
to show when opened.
Orientation Set the view orientation, according to whether your language is read
left-to-right or right-to-left.
Description Provide a description of the table.
Default View Set Datasheet, PivotTable, or PivotChart as the default view when you
open the table.
Validation Rule Supply an expression that must be true whenever you add a record or
change a record.
Validation Text Enter text that appears when a record violates the Validation Rule
expression.
Filter Define criteria to display only matching rows in Datasheet View.
Order By Select one or more fields to specify the default sort order of rows in
Datasheet View.
Subdatasheet Name Specify whether a subdatasheet should appear in Datasheet View, and,
if so, which table or query should supply the rows in the subdatasheet.
Link Child Fields List the fields in the table or query used for the subdatasheet that
match this table’s primary key field(s).
Link Master Fields List the primary key field(s) in this table that match the child fields for
the subdatasheet.
Filter On Load Automatically apply the filter criteria in the Filter property (by setting
to Yes) when the table is opened in Datasheet View.
Order By On Load Automatically apply the sort criteria in the Order By property (by
setting to Yes) when the table is opened in Datasheet View.
Order By On Provide an alternate method to the Order By On Load property by
automatically applying the sort criteria in the Order By property when
set to -1 (Yes).

Renaming a Table
To rename a table or other database object, you must first close it. In the Navigation Pane,
locate and right-click the object that you want to rename, and then click Rename on the shortcut
menu that appears. Or, select the table in the Navigation Pane, press F2, key a new name, and
press Enter. Think carefully before you rename a table. If existing database objects, such as queries
or reports, use data from that table, the name modification might break the functionality of the
database. In this exercise, you create a new table and then rename it using the shortcut menu.

STEP BY STEP Rename a Table

USE the database that is open from the previous exercise.

1. On the Create tab, in the Tables group, click the Application Parts button and click
Comments to create a new table.
2. In the Create Relationship dialog box that appears, select There is no relationship and
then click Create.
82 Lesson 4

3. Open the Comments table and right-click Comments in the Navigation Pane to display
the shortcut menu shown in Figure 4-3. Select Rename and a dialog box appears that
states You can’t rename the database object ‘Comments’ while it’s open, as shown in
Figure 4-4. Close the dialog box.

Figure 4-3
Rename command on table
shortcut menu

Right-click
to display
shortcut
menu
Rename
command

Figure 4-4
Can’t rename table dialog box

4. Close the Comments table. The table closes.

5. Right-click Comments in the Navigation Pane to display the shortcut menu.
6. Click Rename. The table name is now selected for renaming, as shown in Figure 4-5.

Figure 4-5
Table name selected
for renaming

Key new
table name
1.2.1
7. Key Event Comments and press Enter. The table has been renamed.
How do you rename a
database table? PAUSE. LEAVE the database open to use in the next exercise.
 Modify Tables and Fields 83

Deleting a Table
Deleting an entire table is not a complex process; however, remember that when you delete an
entire table you might break the functionality of your database. Although you will be asked to
confirm the deletion of a table, you can always undo the action. In this exercise, you delete a table.
To delete a table or other database object like a report, form, or query, right-click it in the Navi-
gation Pane and click Delete. Or, select the table in the Navigation Pane and press Delete.

STEP BY STEP Delete a Table

USE the database that is open from the previous exercise.

1. Right-click the Event Comments table in the Navigation Pane and click Delete on the
shortcut menu. A confirmation message appears, as shown in Figure 4-6.

Figure 4-6
Delete table confirmation
message

2. Click Yes to delete the table.

Take Note If the table was related to one or more additional tables, Access would ask if you wanted to delete
those relationships before deleting the table.
1.2.2
PAUSE. LEAVE the database open to use in the next exercise.
How do you delete objects?

Ref Another way to remove data is to delete information from individual records or delete entire
records from a table, as you learned in Lesson 3.

SOFTWARE ORIENTATION

Field Properties
Some field properties are available in Datasheet View, but to access the complete list of field
properties you must use Design View. An example of field properties for a table in Design
View is shown in Figure 4-7.

Selected field

Field properties
for selected field

Figure 4-7
Field properties Use this figure as a reference throughout this lesson as well as the rest of this book.
84 Lesson 4

CREATING FIELDS AND MODIFYING FIELD PROPERTIES

A field has certain defining characteristics such as a name that uniquely identifies the field within
a table, and a data type that’s chosen to match the information to be stored. Every field also has
The Bottom Line
an associated group of settings called properties that define the appearance or behavior of the
field. In this section, you learn how to create fields and modify field properties.
Access uses the field property settings when you view and edit data. For example, the Format,
Input Mask, and Caption properties affect how your information appears in table and query
datasheets. In addition, any controls on new forms and reports that are based on the fields in the
table inherit these same property settings by default.

Setting Field Properties

You can control the appearance of information, prevent incorrect entries, specify default values,
speed up searching and sorting, and control other appearance or behavior characteristics by set-
ting or modifying field properties. For example, you can format numbers to make them easier
to read or you can define a validation rule that must be satisfied for information to be entered
in a field. In this exercise, you set the Required field property in Datasheet View and Field Size
property in Design View.
To set a field property in Datasheet View, open the table in Datasheet View. Click in the field
for which you want to set the property. In the Field Validation group on the Table Tools Fields
contextual tab, select the Unique check box to require the values in the field to be unique for all
the records in the table. Or, select the Required check box to make this a required field, where all
instances of this field must contain a value. In the Properties group, select the Field Size property
box to define the text length for a field, which limits the number of characters allowed for input.
You can also select other field properties like Name and Caption, where you can modify a preex-
isting field or specify a new field name and the associated caption for that field. The field name
is what Access uses to reference the field behind the scenes and when you view the field names
in Design View. The caption is what appears as column names in tables, and as labels in queries,
forms, and reports. Keep in mind that Access will show field names as the column names and
labels when no caption property value is specified.
You can set a few of the available field properties in Datasheet View, but to access all of the avail-
able field properties (Table 4-2), you must open the table in Design View. For example, you can
modify the Field Size property in both Datasheet and Design Views, but can only modify the
Smart Tags property—which allows actions to occur when field data is clicked—in Design View.
To set field properties in Design View, open the table in Design View. In the upper portion of
the table design grid, click the field for which you want to set properties. The properties for this
field are displayed in the lower portion of the table design grid.
Click the box for the field property you want to set. Alternatively, you can press F6 and then
move to the property by using the arrow keys. Type a setting for the property or, if an arrow
appears at the right side of the property box, click the arrow to choose from a list of settings for
the property.

Take Note The maximum number of characters you can enter into a field is 255.

STEP BY STEP Set a Field Property in Datasheet View and Design View

USE the database that is open from the previous exercise.

1. Double-click the Events table in the Navigation Pane to open the table in Datasheet
View, if it is not already open.
2. Click the Location column header to select that field.
3. Click the Required check box in the Field Validation group on the Table Tools Fields
contextual tab, as shown in Figure 4-8. This setting determines that all instances of the
Location field must contain a value.
 Modify Tables and Fields 85

Field Validation group with

Required check box selected

Figure 4-8
4. On the Home tab, in the Views group, click the View button and click Design View.
Table Tools Tab
5. In the Field Name column in the upper portion of the table design grid, click in the
Title cell.
2.2.8 6. In the Field Size row in the lower portion of the table design grid, select 150 in the
property box and key 175 to change the maximum number of characters you can enter
How do you modify field in the Title field.
properties?
PAUSE. LEAVE the database open to use in the next exercise.

Table 4-2
Field Property Use This Field Property To
Available Field Properties.
Field Size Set the maximum size for data stored as a Text, Number, or AutoNumber
data type.
Format Customize the way the field appears when displayed or printed.
Decimal Places Specify the number of decimal places to use when displaying numbers.
New Values Set whether an AutoNumber field is incremented or assigned a random
number.
Input Mask Display editing characters to guide data entry.
Caption Set the text displayed by default as the column name in tables and labels
for forms, reports, and queries.
Default Value Automatically assign a default value to a field when new records are added.
Validation Rule Supply an expression that must be true whenever you add or change the
value in this field.
Validation Text Enter text that appears when a value violates the Validation Rule.
Required Require that data be entered in a field.
Allow Zero Length Allow entry (by setting to Yes) of a zero-length string (““) in a Text, Memo,
or Hyperlink field.
Indexed Speed up access to data in this field by creating and using an index.
Unicode Compression Compress text stored in this field when a large amount of text is stored.
IME Mode Specify an Input Method Editor, a tool for using English versions of Windows.
IME Sentence Mode Specify the type of data you can enter by using an Input Method Editor.
SmartTags Attach a smart tag to this field.
Append Only Allow versioning (by setting to Yes) of a Memo field.
Text Format Choose Rich Text to store text as HTML and allow rich formatting.
Choose Plain Text to store only text.
Text Align Specify the default alignment of text within a control.
Precision Specify the total number of digits allowed, including those both to the
right and the left of the decimal point.
Scale Specify the maximum number of digits that can be stored to the right of
the decimal separator.
86 Lesson 4

Defining Input Masks

You use an input mask whenever you want users to enter data in a specific way. An input mask
can require users to enter dates in a specific format, for example, DD-MM-YYYY, or telephone
numbers that follow the conventions for a specific country or region. An input mask is helpful
because it can prevent users from entering invalid data (such as a phone number in a date field).
In addition, input masks can ensure that users enter data in a consistent way. In this exercise,
you specify that the dates in the Start Time field be entered in Medium Date format, following
the required pattern, 28-Aug-73.
You can add input masks to table fields by running the Input Mask Wizard or by manually
entering masks in the Input Mask field property.

STEP BY STEP Define Input Masks for Fields

USE the database that is open from the previous exercise.

1. In the Field Name column in the upper portion of the table design grid, click in the
Start Time cell.
2. Click the Input Mask property box in the lower portion of the table design grid to
display the Input Mask Wizard button (...) on the far right of the cell, as shown in
Figure 4-9.

Figure 4-9
Input Mask Wizard button

Click to
open Input
Mask Wizard

3. Click the Input Mask Wizard button. A message box appears asking if you want to save
the table now.
 Modify Tables and Fields 87

4. Click Yes to close the message box and display the Input Mask Wizard, as shown in
Figure 4-10.

Figure 4-10
Input Mask Wizard

5. Click Medium Date, to select the DD-MON-YR date format, and then click Next >. The
next screen in the Input Mask Wizard appears, as shown in Figure 4-11.

Figure 4-11
Input Mask Wizard, next screen
Input mask pattern
that Wizard creates
for you can also be
manually entered

Allows you to try

input mask to view
how it would appear
in table

6. Click Next to accept the default settings in this screen and display the final Input Mask
Wizard screen, as shown in Figure 4-12.

Figure 4-12
Input Mask Wizard, final screen
88 Lesson 4

7. Click Finish. The input mask appears in the Input Mask row, as shown in Figure 4-13.

Figure 4-13
Input Mask row

Input mask for

Start Time field
in Input Mask row

PAUSE. LEAVE the database open to use in the next exercise.

Allowing Zero-Length Strings in a Field

When the Zero Length field property is set to Yes, you can enter zero-length strings in a
field. A zero-length string contains no characters; you use the string to indicate that you
know no value exists for a particular field. This recognition of a nonexistent value actually
represents a string. You enter a zero-length string by typing two double quotation marks with
no space between them (“”). In this exercise, you modify the Zero Length property for the
Description field.

STEP BY STEP Allow Zero Length

USE the database that is open from the previous exercise.

1. In the Field Name column in the upper portion of the table design grid, click in the
Description cell.
2. Click the Allow Zero Length property box in the lower portion of the table design grid
to display the down arrow on the far right of the cell.
3. Click the down arrow to display the menu, as shown in Figure 4-14.
 Modify Tables and Fields 89

Click to
display
menu

Figure 4-14
Zero Length property menu 4. Click Yes.
PAUSE. LEAVE the database open to use in the next exercise.

Setting Memo Fields as Append Only

A field’s data type determines the properties you can set. For example, the Append Only prop-
erty applies only to a field that is set to the Memo data type. You cannot set this property on
a field with any other data type. You use a Memo field when you need to store large amounts of
text in a database. When the Append Only field is enabled, users can add data to the Memo field,
but they cannot change or remove existing data. This is sometimes necessary if you want to be
sure to retain preexisting data and not allow it to be inadvertently deleted. In this exercise, you
set the Append Only property for the Description field.

STEP BY STEP Set Memo Field as Append Only

USE the database that is open from the previous exercise.

1. In the Field Name column in the upper portion of the table design grid, the Description
cell should be selected.
2. Click the Append Only property box in the lower portion of the table design grid to
display the down arrow on the far right of the cell.
3. Click the down arrow to display the menu and click Yes.
PAUSE. LEAVE the database open to use in the next exercise.

Take Note By default, when you try to position the pointer in a Memo field with the Append Only property
enabled, Access hides the text.

Setting Data Validation Rules

Validation rules help to ensure that your database users enter the proper types or amounts of
data. A validation rule is an expression that limits the values that can be entered in the field.
The maximum length for the Validation Rule property is 2,048 characters. For example, if the
field contains a date, you can require that the date entered in the field be later than June 4,
1977. Validation text specifies the text in the error message that appears when a user violates
a validation rule. For example, the error message could say “Please enter a date that is later than
90 Lesson 4

June 4, 1977.” The maximum length for the Validation Text property is 255 characters. In this
exercise, you modify the Validation Rule and Validation Text properties for the End Time field.
Data can be validated in several ways, and you will often use multiple methods to define a valida-
tion rule. Each of the following can be used to ensure that your users enter data properly:
• Data types: When you design a database table, you define a data type for each field in
the table, and that data type restricts what users can enter. For example, a Date/Time field
accepts only dates and times, a Currency field accepts only monetary values, and so on.
• Field sizes: Field sizes provide another way to validate text. For example, if you create a
field that stores first names, you can set it to accept a maximum of 15 characters. This can
prevent a malicious user from pasting large amounts of text into the field. It could also
prevent an inexperienced user from mistakenly entering a first, middle, and last name in a
field designed only to hold a first name.
• Table properties: Table properties provide very specific types of validation. For
example, you can set the Required property to Yes, and, as a result, force users to enter
a value in a field.
Another Way
As you already • Field properties: You can also use field properties, such as the Validation Rule property to
learned in this lesson, you require specific values, and the Validation Text property to alert your users to any mistakes.
can also use the Input Mask For example, entering a rule such as ⬎1 and ⬍100 in the Validation Rule property forces
property to validate data by users to enter values between 1 and 100. Entering text such as “Enter values between 1 and
forcing users to enter values in 100” in the Validation Text property tells users when they have made a mistake and how to
a specific way. fix the error.

STEP BY STEP Set Data Validation Rules

USE the database that is open from the previous exercise.

1. In the Field Name column in the upper portion of the table design grid, click the
End Time cell.
2. Click the Validation Rule property box in the lower portion of the table design grid
to display the Expression Builder button (...) on the far right of the cell, as shown in
Figure 4-15.

Figure 4-15
Expression Builder button

Click to open the

Expression Builder
 Modify Tables and Fields 91

3. Click the Expression Builder button to display the Expression Builder dialog box, as
shown in Figure 4-16.

Figure 4-16
Expression Builder dialog box

4. Select the number 1900 and replace it by keying 2012.

5. Click OK.
6. Click the Validation Text property box in the lower portion of the table design grid.
7. Select the number 1900 and replace it by keying 2012. The property boxes should look
like those shown in Figure 4-17.

Figure 4-17
Modified Validation field
properties

PAUSE. LEAVE the database open to use in the next exercise.

Entering Captions
The Caption property field specifies the text displayed by default as column names in tables and
in labels for forms, reports, and queries. The maximum length for the Caption property is 255
characters. If you don’t specify a caption to be displayed, the field name is used as the label. In
this exercise, you set the Caption property for the Location field.
92 Lesson 4

STEP BY STEP Enter Captions

USE the database that is open from the previous exercise.

1. In the Field Name column in the upper portion of the table design grid, click the
Location cell.
2. Click the Caption property box in the lower portion of the table design grid.
3. Key To be announced. The caption property has now been set to To be announced and
will display as a column name in table Datasheet View, as well as in labels for forms,
reports, and queries.
PAUSE. LEAVE the database open to use in the next exercise.

SOFTWARE ORIENTATION

Add & Delete Group

When creating fields, you use the Add & Delete group on the Table Tools Fields contextual
tab, which is shown in Figure 4-18. You can use these commands to add fields with associ-
ated data types, add Quick Start fields, insert lookup columns, and delete columns.

Figure 4-18 Add a field (column) Delete

Add & Delete group with data type indicated a column

Additional fields with data types,

including Lookup and Quick Start fields

Use this figure as a reference throughout this lesson as well as the rest of this book.

Creating Fields
Fields can be created in different ways. You can add fields to a table in Design View, or add fields
in Datasheet View using the Click to Add column and Add & Delete Group. Sometimes it is
easier to choose from a predefined list of fields than to manually create a field. Access includes a
quick and easy way for you to add fields to a table using the Add & Delete group on the Table
Tools Fields contextual tab, which includes a collection of fields with associated data types and
built-in Quick Start fields that can save you considerable time. In this exercise, you add fields to
a table by using a combination of the Click to Add column and the Add & Delete group.
The last column in a table in Datasheet View has a Click to Add column, which you can use to
add a field simply by keying information in that column. Rename the field by right-clicking the
column head, choosing Rename Field from the menu, and keying a new name. Access will try
to automatically determine the field data type by the data entered.
A Quick Start field is a predefined set of characteristics and properties that describes a field,
including a field name, a data type, and a number of other field properties. Quick Start fields are
NEW new to Access 2010 and allow you to quickly add commonly used single fields or several related
to Office 2010 ones. For example, using Quick Start fields, you can choose from a variety of fields including
“Status” to quickly add a field named Status with built-in options like Not Started, In Progress,
and so on, or you can choose the “Address” Quick Start to quickly include related fields like City,
State, and Zip Code.
 Modify Tables and Fields 93

To create a new field, you can simply choose from commonly used fields in the Add & Delete
group, or click the More Fields button to access a menu with a greater variety of field types. To
create a new field using Quick Start, click the More Fields button and then choose a Quick Start
field from the menu, as shown in Figure 4-19.

Figure 4-19
More Fields button menu Click button to
display menu

Additional
Fields

Quick
Start fields

STEP BY STEP Create Fields

USE the database that is open from the previous exercise.

1. On the Home tab, in the Views group, click the View button and click Datasheet View.
Save the table, if required. If you get a message about data integrity, click Yes.
Take Note Whenever you add or modify field validation rules for fields that contain data, the data may
violate these new rules. You can allow Access to test the data against the rules and inform you if
there are any violations.
2. Scroll to the right of the Events table to display the last column and click in the first
cell below the Click to Add header, as shown in Figure 4-20. You are going to add a
new field in which you can indicate whether or not events will have on-site staff.

Figure 4-20 Key data to add a new field

Click to Add column
94 Lesson 4

3. Key Yes and press Enter. A new field named Field1 is added, and the Click to Add
column becomes the last column in the table, as shown in Figure 4-21.

Figure 4-21 New field created

New field created

4. Right-click the Field1 column header to display the shortcut menu and click Rename
Field, as shown in Figure 4-22.

Right-click to display menu

Rename Field command

Figure 4-22
Column shortcut menu
5. Key On-site staff? as the column name.
6. Click the More Fields button in the Add & Delete group on the Table Tools Fields
contextual tab, which is shown in Figure 4-23. The More Fields menu appears.
 Modify Tables and Fields 95

Figure 4-23 More Fields button displays

More Fields button and menu menu with categories when clicked.

7. In the Yes/No category, click Check Box. A new field with check boxes is created in the
table, as shown in Figure 4-24.

Figure 4-24 Check box field created

Check box field created for Yes/No values

8. Click the Name & Caption button in the Properties group, which is shown in Figure 4-25.
The Enter Field Properties dialog box appears.

Figure 4-25 Name & Caption button

Name & Caption button in
Properties group
96 Lesson 4

9. Key Souvenirs in the Name box and press Enter. Notice the column has been renamed
Souvenirs.
10. Scroll to the right of the Events table to display the last column and click in the first
cell below the Click to Add header.
11. Click the More Fields button in the Add & Delete group on the Table Tools Fields
contextual tab to view the More Fields menu.
12. In the Quick Start category, click Status. A new Quick Start field named Status, in
which you now have options to indicate the status of the event, appears to the right of
the Souvenirs field, as shown in Figure 4-26.

Status field created

Click down arrow

to display list of
Status options

Figure 4-26
Status field created

13. Click the Status field drop-down arrow button to view the available options, and click
2.2.3 Not Started, as shown in Figure 4-27.

How do you rename a field? Click down arrow to

display list of Status options

Not Started
option
selected

Figure 4-27
Status field drop-down
box options

14. Click Close to close the Field Templates pane.

2.2.1 PAUSE. LEAVE the database open to use in the next exercise.

How do you insert a field?

 Modify Tables and Fields 97

Deleting a Field
1.3.2 Before you delete a column from a datasheet, remember that doing so deletes all the data in the
column and that the action cannot be undone. For that reason, you should back up the table
How do you use Quick Start before you delete the column. Before you can delete a primary key or a lookup field, you must
to add fields? first delete the relationships for those fields. In this exercise, you learn how to use the shortcut
commands to delete a field from an Access 2010 table.
To delete a field in Datasheet View, select the column, right-click, and then click Delete Field
Another Way from the shortcut menu. Or, on the Table Tools Fields contextual tab in the Add & Delete
You can also quickly group, click the Delete button. You will see a confirmation message asking if you are sure you
add fields by accessing the Click
want to delete the column and all the data. Sometimes you may see an additional confirmation
to Add column menu on the
right side of the Click to Add
message warning you about potential issues when deleting fields. You should always be cautious
column header. when deleting fields from a table.

STEP BY STEP Delete a Field

USE the database that is open from the previous exercise.

1. Click the column header for the Attachment field, located between the Description
field and the On-site staff? field.
2. Right-click in the column to display the shortcut menu and click Delete Field, as shown
in Figure 4-28.

Figure 4-28 Right-click column to display menu

Delete Field command on field
shortcut menu

2.2.2
How do you delete a field?

Another Way
You can also delete Delete field command
a field by clicking the Delete
button on the Table Tools Fields
contextual tab in the Add & 3. A message appears, as shown in Figure 4-29. Click Yes.
Delete group.

Figure 4-29
Delete field message
98 Lesson 4

4. A confirmation message appears, as shown in Figure 4-30. Click Yes. The field is deleted.

Figure 4-30
Delete field confirmation
message

5. Click the column header for the Status field.

6. Right-click in the column to display the shortcut menu and click Delete Field, and click
Yes in the message box that appears to delete the Status field.
PAUSE. LEAVE the database open to use in the next exercise.
Another Way
You can also
delete a field in Design View by
selecting the field (row) that Creating Multivalued Fields
you want to delete and clicking
Delete Rows on the Table Tools
In Office Access 2010, it is possible to create a multivalued field that lets you select more
Design contextual tab, in the than one choice from a list, without having to create a more advanced database design. You can
Tools group. create a field that holds multiple values, such as a list of employees that you have assigned to
a particular event. Use the Lookup Wizard to create multivalued fields. The Lookup Wizard
guides you through the process of creating a field or lookup column that can “look up” data
that exists in one or more tables to automate the complexity of manually relating tables. In this
exercise, you create a multivalued field using the Lookup Wizard in Datasheet View.
Use a multivalued field when you want to store multiple selections from a list of choices that
is relatively small. It is also appropriate to use a multivalued field when you will be integrating
your database with Windows SharePoint Services, software that allows for information sharing
and collaboration—for example, by exporting an Access table to a SharePoint site or linking to
a SharePoint list that contains a multivalued field type.

Take Note You can also create lookup columns that allow for a single selection of a value.

STEP BY STEP Create a Multivalued Field

USE the database that is open from the previous exercise.

1. Place the insertion point in the first cell of the table. Click the More Fields button in the
Add & Delete group on the Table Tools Fields contextual tab, then click the Lookup &
Relationship button. The Lookup Wizard appears, as shown in Figure 4-31.

Figure 4-31
Lookup Wizard
 Modify Tables and Fields 99

2. Click Next > to accept the default setting (I want the lookup field to get the values from
another table or query) and display the next screen in the Lookup Wizard, as shown in
Figure 4-32. Notice you have a choice of two tables to provide the values for the lookup
field you’re creating. The first table, Employees, should already be selected for you.

Figure 4-32
Lookup Wizard, second screen

3. Click Next > to accept the default settings and display the next screen in the Lookup
Wizard, as shown in Figure 4-33. The Available Fields scroll box contains all the fields
of the Employees table, two of which you will select since they contain the values you
want to eventually look up.

Figure 4-33
Lookup Wizard, third screen

4. In the Available Fields list, select Last Name, then click the > button to move it to the
Selected Fields box.
5. In the Available Fields list, select First Name, then click the > button to move it to the
Selected Fields box.
6. Click Next > to accept your settings and display the next screen in the Lookup Wizard.
7. Click the down arrow in the first box and click Last Name, as shown in Figure 4-34.
This will sort the Lookup column in alphabetical order by Last Name.

Figure 4-34
Lookup Wizard, fourth screen
100 Lesson 4

8. Click Next > to accept your selection and to display the next screen in the Lookup
Wizard, as shown in Figure 4-35.

Figure 4-35
Lookup Wizard, fifth screen

9. Click Next > to accept the default selection and to hide the primary key column to
ensure only relevant and meaningful data displays in the lookup column later. The
final screen of the Lookup Wizard displays, as shown in Figure 4-36.

Figure 4-36
Lookup Wizard, final screen

10. In the What label would you like for your lookup field? box, key Coordinator. This will
create a new label named Coordinator for your column.
Another Way
You can also 11. Select the Allow Multiple Values check box to allow for the multiple selection of values.
modify the Allow Multiple 12. Click the Finish button. A new column named Coordinator appears after the ID field.
Values property in the Lookup Click the down arrow in the first cell to display the list of names, as shown in
Field Properties sheet in table Figure 4-37.
Design View.

Figure 4-37
Lookup column list

Click down
arrow to display
list of names

Check boxes allow multiple selections

 Modify Tables and Fields 101

13. Click Flood/Kathie and Mares/Gabe on the list and then click OK to choose those
multiple values for the field.
STOP. CLOSE the database.

Troubleshooting Consider using a multivalued field only when you are relatively sure that your database
will not be moved to a Microsoft SQL Server at a later date. An Access multivalued field is
upsized to SQL Server as a memo field that contains a delimited set of values. Because SQL
Server does not support a multivalued data type, additional design and conversion work
might be needed.

SKILL SUMMARY
In This Lesson Objective
You Learned How To: Exam Objective Number
Modify a Database Table Rename objects. 1.2.1
Delete objects. 1.2.2
Create Fields and Modify Modify field properties. 2.2.8
Field Properties Rename a field. 2.2.3
Insert a field. 2.2.1
Use Quick Start. 1.3.2
Delete a field. 2.2.2

Knowledge Assessment

Fill in the Blank

Complete the following sentences by writing the correct word or words in the blanks provided.

1. or a table could possibly break the functionality of the database.

2. If you want more space to enter or edit a setting in the property box, press Shift+F2 to
display the box.
3. A(n) contains no characters, and you use it to indicate that you know no
value exists for a field.
4. specifies the text in the error message that appears when users violate a
validation rule.
5. The property field specifies the text displayed by default as column names
in tables and in labels for forms, reports, and queries.
6. When creating fields, use the commands in the group on the Table Tools
Fields contextual tab.
7. A(n) is a predefined set of characteristics and properties that describes a field.
8. Creating multivalued fields can be accomplished by using the Wizard.
9. The Quick Start includes fields for city, state, and zip.
10. You should always consider a table before deleting a column.
102 Lesson 4

Multiple Choice
Select the best response for the following statements or questions.

1. To rename a table or other database object, first

a. Save it
b. Close it
c. Rename it
d. Open it
2. If you delete a database table,
a. You cannot undo the action.
b. Click Undo to restore the table.
c. It is still available in the Navigation Pane.
d. The data is transferred to the Clipboard.
3. A complete list of field properties is available in
a. The Navigation Pane
b. Datasheet View
c. Design View
d. All of the above
4. Which of the following is not a field property?
a. Column Template
b. Field Size
c. Caption
d. Allow Zero Length
5. Which field property requires users to enter data in a specific format?
a. Validation Text
b. Default Value
c. Required
d. Input Mask
6. The Append Only property applies only to a field that is set to
a. Memo
b. Number
c. Currency
d. Text
7. Which of the following is not a way to validate data?
a. Data type
b. Field sizes
c. Filtering
d. Field properties
8. The Caption field property is used for which field?
a. Text
b. Attachment
c. Date/Time
d. All of the above
9. Which type of field allows you to select more than one choice from a list?
a. Attachment
b. Multivalued
c. Caption
d. Validation
10. To delete a field in Datasheet view, select the column, right-click, and then click Delete
Field from the
a. Quick Access toolbar
b. Lookup Wizard
c. Shortcut menu
d. Home tab
 Modify Tables and Fields 103

Competency Assessment

Project 4-1: Home Inventory

You decide to use Access to create a home inventory database for insurance purposes. To include all
the information you want, you need to add several fields to the existing table.

GET READY. LAUNCH Access if it is not already running.

1. OPEN the Home inventory database from the data files for this lesson.
The Home Inventory 2. SAVE the database as Home inventory XXX (where XXX is your initials).
file for this lesson is available 3. Close the Home Inventory List form that is open.
on the book companion
4. In the Navigation Pane, double-click the Assets table to open it.
website or in WileyPLUS.
5. Horizontally scroll to the end of the table and click in the cell below the Click to Add
header.
6. On the Table Tools Fields contextual tab, in the Add & Delete group, click the More
Fields button and click Yes/No in the Yes/No category. A column named Field1 is
created.
7. On the Table Tools Fields contextual tab, in the Properties group, click the Name &
Caption button.
8. Key Insured to rename the Field1 column.
9. Click in the cell below the Click to Add header.
10. On the Table Tools Fields contextual tab, in the Add & Delete group, click the More
Fields button and click Attachment in the Basic Types category to create an attachment
field.
11. CLOSE the database.
LEAVE Access open for the next project.

Project 4-2: Customer Service

You are employed in the customer service department at City Power & Light. Each call that is received
is recorded in an Access database. Because you know how to modify tables and fields, your supervisor
asks you to add a lookup column to the Calls table to record the customer service representative who
receives the call.

GET READY. LAUNCH Access if it is not already running.

The Customer 1. OPEN Customer service from the data files for this lesson.
service file for this lesson is 2. SAVE the database as Customer service XXX (where XXX is your initials).
available on the book companion
3. Close the Case List form that is open.
website or in WileyPLUS.
4. In the Navigation Pane, double-click the Calls table to open it. Place the insertion point
in the first cell of the table, if necessary.
5. On the Table Tools Fields contextual tab, in the Add & Delete group, click the More
Fields button and then click the Lookup & Relationship button. The Lookup Wizard
appears.
6. Click Next > to display the next screen in the Lookup Wizard.
7. Select Table: Employees and click Next >.
8. In the Available Fields list, select First Name, then click the > button to move it to the
Selected Fields box.
9. In the Available Fields list, select Last Name, then click the > button to move it to the
Selected Fields box.