How to use a database

Find a key field. This field must be totally unique to every entry. When you have found it, click on the field and then on the key icon in the top toolbar.

Choose the Data type from what type of data will go in that entry. E.g. for title, text will be in that field so we choose text.

For each field there are various options. You can choose how many characters can go in that field under field size,                    

You can choose whether a field is required to have data in it, under Required.         

You can validate data to only allow certain data in that field. E.g. 1:9 means only the numbers 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 can be entered in that field. This Prevents GIGO (garbage in garbage out)

You can easily validate fields by clicking on the data type, then on lookup wizard.

Forms

A form is a way of looking at individual data in a nice way.

Click on forms at the main menu and then click create form by using wizard

Choose the table/query etc you want to make a form of and put all the selected fields into the form using the arrows. The double arrow selects all the fields.

Choose what form design you want. The most common design is tabular and it is definitely the best and most clear. Next, choose your form name and click finish.

Reports

A report is used to make a quick selection of certain data that has something in common. For example, all entries with no e-mail address.

To create a report, click on reports in the main menu and then create report using wizard.

Do the same as you did for the form and select the various fields and table/query you want to make a report of.

Choose whether you want a particular order for your data to come in. For example you could have Customer Id on ascending which means Customer Id would come first, and Postcode on descending which means postcode will come last.        

Choose the layout of your report (tabular is best this time) Columnar and justified tend to be unclear and messy. The choose whether you want it portrait or landscape, and finally choose whether you mind it being on several pages.

A finished Report

Queries

Queries are used to find particular data you don’t know all of the information for. E.g. you want to find customer number 25 but you don’t know their name. Or you want to find a Mr. Smith but don’t know fully who he is.

To make a query click on query in the main menu and then select create query in design view.

Select what table you want to make a query of and place the desired fields into the query.

Type in the criteria you want to make a   query of and then click the red exclamation mark in the top toolbar. E.g. If you want to find a Mr Jones who lives in Coventry, type in Miss under title, Smith under surname and Coventry under town

        

For mail merge you need two pieces of software, a data source (access database) and a word processor (word). In word you write a document inserting fields where you want the personal data to be. This template is below. Having completed the template you then merge it with the data. The data then replaces the field names. Creating personal documents. From writing one template letter you can produce hundreds of personalised letters e.g. junk mail. This saves a lot of time and effort.