This advanced Microsoft Access training course will build on your existing skills to teach you advanced techniques for making the most of Access’s functionality.

Microsoft Access is a very popular and widely used database program enabling the user to manipulate data in a wide variety of ways. Data can be analysed and sorted, specific information can be searched for, and the results can be used to produce reports, lists and more.

Access is part of the Microsoft Office suite. Our training is carried out on Access 2016 on our scheduled courses. There is very little difference between this version and Access 2013 or Access 2010. For private bookings we can organise to train on any recent version of Microsoft Access.

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Objectives

• Export records to and import records from a wide variety of sources and applications
• Create and work with aggregation queries
• Create and use a series of action queries
• Modify and adapt an existing form according to specific needs
• Create forms using a combination of wizards and manual techniques
• Create a navigation form for a database in Access 2013
• Understand and use a variety of tools that ensure the wellness of your database files
• Create and use macros in Access
• Work with a number of macro techniques
• Create and work with macros in forms
• Create some simple programming code using VBA
• Importing From a Text File
• Linking to an External Source

Prerequisites

A good working knowledge of Access is required; delegates should have an understanding of concepts covered in the Access Introduction/Intermediate course. These include creating and modifying table structures, creating a relational database, working with records, creating queries, forms and reports.

What Is Included?

Our courses run from 9.30 am to approximately 4.15pm. While you are with us we are focused on offering you a relaxed and productive learning environment. When you book a course with use you get the following:

A full colour training manual/book.
The exercises that you have worked on during your course to allow you to practice afterwards.
USB stick to take the exercises away.
Certificate of attendance
Freshly prepared lunch.
Refreshments throughout the day.
Training in fully air conditioned facilities from an experienced instructor.

Course details

Importing And Exporting Records

This introductory session is a quick revision of all of the key concepts around importing and exporting data from Access databases to Excel and text files. We also cover using Access to interface with an external datasource.

The key concepts trained in this session include:

• Exporting Records to Microsoft Excel
• Exporting Records to a Text File
• Importing From Microsoft Excel
• Importing From a Text File
• Linking to an External Source

Aggregation Queries

This section covers more advanced queries. It stars covering aggregation queries. These queries do not present each item of information but the aggregation of this. For example, if you would like to know your total sales for the last month that would be an aggregation query as it would calculate all sales for last month and then aggregate them.

This session coves aggregation queries in detail. It covers working with simple and multiple aggregations, for simple and calculated fields. It then moves to looks at using queries to modify your data and also look at working with expressions in queries.

The key topics trained include:

• Creating an Aggregation Query
• Working With Aggregation Queries
• Multiple Aggregations
• Modifying Aggregation Headings
• Aggregating Calculated Fields
• Applying Criteria to Aggregates
• Understanding Nested Queries
• Creating an Assembly Query
• Creating the Nesting Query

Action Queries

Creating a Make Table Query
Using a Make Table Query
Understanding Expressions and Update Queries
Preparing an Update Query
Running an Update Query
Updating Using Expressions
Running an Expression-Based Update
Creating a Delete Query
Running a Delete Query
Creating an Append Query
Running an Append Query
Turning Action Messages Off

Modifying Forms

This session looks at advanced form use in MS Access. It begins by looking at more advanced form design in Access, before looking at controls and tab orders in forms.

Forms are an essential way to make databases accessible to non-users by controlling and managing their access to the underlying tables.

The key skills that are trained include:

• Understanding Form Design and Layout
• Switching Between Form Views
• Selecting Form Objects
• Working With a Control Stack
• Changing Control Widths
• Moving Controls on a Form
• Aligning Controls
• Understanding Properties
• Changing Label Captions
• Adding an Unbound Control
• Adding a Control Source
• Formatting a Control
• Checking the Current Tab Order
• Changing the Tab Order
• Inserting the Date Into the Form Header

DIY Forms

Creating a Multiple Item Form
Adjusting the Layout of a Form
Typing Into a Form Layout
Disabling Fields
DIY Sub Forms
Removing SubForm Redundancy
Splitting and Merging Layout Cells
Adding an Easy Lookup Field
Adding Buttons to a Form
Adjusting Form Properties

Using A Navigation Form

Database Wellness

• Compacting and Repairing a Database
• Understanding Database Splitting
• Using the Database Splitter
• Managing Linked Tables
• Checking Object Dependencies
• Analysing Database Performance
• Documenting a Database

Creating And Using Macros

As with all Microsoft Office products, MS Access allows you to record macros to automate repetitive tasks. This session covers the basics of Access macros. So creating, saving, editing and running a macro.

For experienced macro users in Excel or Word this will be relatively familiar. For people who are not experience marco users this can be an eye-opener when they learn how simple it can be to automate tasks in an Office program.

The key skills trained in this session are:

• Understanding Macros and VBA
• Creating a Macro
• Running a Macro
• Modifying an Existing Macro
• Interacting With the User
• Stepping Through a Macro
• Documenting Macros

Macro Techniques

Having learned the basics of macros in the previous session this session covers some more advanced techniques. It looks at using macros to print work, working with message boxes to interact with a macro and other ways to get the most from macros.

The key concepts trained are:

Creating a Print Macro
Using Conditions to Enhance a Macro
Creating a Sequence of Conditions
Understanding the Versatility of MsgBox
Using the MsgBox Function
Reconfiguring a Message Box
Using the InputBox Function

Macros On Forms

The use of macros on user forms can be extremely powerful. It allows even non-technical users of Access databases to be able to access macros to automate repetitive tasks.

This session explains how this can be done, through event macros. It shows you want one is, how to create one and how to create a button to trigger a macro. It also walks delegates through how to create a search macro for MS Access.

The key topics trained are:

• Understanding Macros on Forms
• Creating Navigation Macros
• Accessing Event Macros
• Creating Unassigned Buttons
• Programming an Event
• Running an Event Macro
• Modifying an Event Macro
• Setting Echo Off
• Adding a Close Button
• Creating a Search Macro
• Running the Search Macro
• Understanding the Search Macro
• Naming Macros
• Referencing Macro Sheet Macros

An Introduction To VBA

• Understanding VBA
• Coding VBA for an Event
• Running VBA Event Code
• Understanding MsgBox and InputBox
• Modifying an Existing Procedure
• Understanding the Modified Code
• Creating a Standard Module
• Loan Simulator Code
• Running the Code
• Understanding the Loan Simulator Code
• Creating a Button for the Simulator
• Attaching the Simulator Code

Database Security

• Understanding Database Trust
• Enabling Blocked Content
• Understanding the Trust Centre
• Creating a Trusted Location
• Opening a Database From a Trusted Location
• Encrypting a Database
• Decrypting and Opening a Database
• Removing a Database Password
• Understanding Package and Sign
• Creating a Self Signed Certificate
• Creating a Signed Package
• Extracting and Using a Signed Package

Microsoft Access Training – Advanced