Introduction Microsoft Access Training

Microsoft Access Training – Introduction / Intermediate

This introductory Microsoft Access training course will teach you the fundamentals of using Access.

Microsoft Access is a popular database programme enabling the user to manipulate data in a number 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.

This course is instructor led, involves the use of a number of examples and exercises in a workshop environment to bring the classroom teaching to life. The course is led by an experienced Access trainer.

Objectives (Click to find out more)

Our two day Microsoft Access Introduction / Intermediate course will equip you with the skills to create your own databases to manage your information more effectively. By the end of this training course, students will be able to describe and create databases, access, view and process data using queries, produce forms for data entry and view data in report format. You will be a confident user of Access.

At the completion of this course you should be able to:

understand how Access is used and how to navigate around it

design a database with lookup tables
create a database structure using Access
modify the structure of an existing table
set table relationships and join tables together
add records to a new table
add transactional records to a lookup database
use various data validation features in Access to protect data
work with the records in a database table
format the data in a table
sort and filter records in a table
export records to and import records from a wide variety of sources and applications
create simple and effective queries
perform more advanced queries using a variety of querying techniques
create queries based on one or more tables
create and use parameter queries
create calculated queries
create meaningful reports from tables
create and use forms.

Prerequisites (Click to find out more)

It is assumed that delegates have little or no knowledge of the software. However, it would be beneficial to have a general understanding of personal computers and the Windows operating system environment

What Is Included? (Click to find out more)

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 detail (Click to find out more)

Getting to know Access

Understanding Microsoft Access
Starting Access From the Windows Start Screen
Starting Access From the Desktop
Understanding the Start Screen
Creating a New Blank Database
Understanding the Backstage View
Opening an Existing Database File
Understanding the Access 2013 Screen
Using the Ribbon
Working With the Navigation Pane
Adding Commands to the QAT
Working With Touch Mode
Working With a Table
Working With Other Database Objects
Closing a Database File
Exiting From Access

Designing A Lookup Database

This session is focused on database design. Before creating a database it is critical to design it correctly for it to function efficiently. This session explained the different datatypes that Access can store before leading delegates though the process of designing and refining a database design.

The key topics trained include:

Creating A Lookup Database

Having designed a database the next step is to actually create it. This session leads delegates through that process. So how to create a new file and then the table (or tables) within it. It then looks at creating and defining primary keys for the table created. The next part focuses on working with a multiple table database. It explains how relationships are defined, managed and created. Finally it shows you how to review the relationships within a database.

The key topics trained in this session are:

Creating A New Database File
Creating the Lookup Table
Defining the Primary Key
Saving and Closing A Table
Creating the Transaction Table
Understanding Lookup Table Relationships
Connecting To A Lookup Table
Viewing Table Relationships

Modifying Table Structures

Once you have created your database the next step is to define the datafield that are held within each of your tables. This session gives delegates a thorough overview of defining and working with table field properties.

The key topics trained include:

Setting Table Relationships

The relationships between tables are critical in an Access database. This session focuses on all aspects of those relationships. It explained how they work, how to view them and then how to create and edit table joins which are defined by table relationships. It finishes by showing you how to create a report that shows the relationships within a database.

The key topics trained include:

Adding Records To A Table

Having established a database which contains a number of linked tables and in which the fields have been established it is time to start using your database to store data. This session focuses on entering data into a database. It shows you how to manually enter records, how to create and use a form to make data entry and how to save that form for future use. It finishes by showing you how to import data into Microsoft Access from Excel.

The key topics trained include:

Adding Transactional Records

Typing Transactional Records
Transactional Records Using A Form
Assignment – Adding Transactional Records
Adding Records Using A Subdatasheet
Removing A Subdatasheet
Inserting A Subdatasheet

Data Validation

The next step in creating a database is to ensure that only the correct types of data are entered into the various tables.In addition to helping to ensure that the correct data is entered into the right fields it also avoids a large number of potential problems later when incorrect data could cause problems with queries and other database functions. Access makes data validation straight forward luckily.

The key topics trained include:

Assigning Default Values
Validation Rules and Text
Validating Numbers
Setting Required Fields
Working With Validations

Working With Records

Once you have a populated database the next skill to master is how you work with and manipulate those records. This session shows you all of the basic skills. It shows you how to navigate around your table and how to edit the records that are held in your tables. It then moves to show you how to delete the records held in your table.

The next part of the session shows you how to search through the records held in your database, either the whole table or an individual field, and how to use ‘find and replace’. Finally it shows you how to print from your database.

The key topics trained include:

Formatting Tables

Formatting your tables will make working with your Access database far simpler and easier. This session covers the basics. It shows you how to change column widths, change fonts and formats with in a cell. It also covers moving, hiding and freezing columns. All of this makes navigating a database far simpler.

The key topics trained are:

Sorting And Filtering

Another very useful skill when working with a populated database is sorting and filtering the data in the database so that you can see only the records that you are interested in.

This session shows you the various ways that you can filter databases to isolate just the data that you want to seek. The key topics trained are:

Simple Sorting
Sorting On Several Fields
Simple Filtering
Working With Filters

Importing & Exporting Records

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

Creating Queries

Often a simple filter will not allow you to isolate the data that you require. This session introduces the query functions in MS Access. It beings by explaining how they work before leading you though using the query designer. It shows you how to create a query, setup the various criteria to be applied to the data and how to run a query. It then covers saving a query so that it can be used agin in future.

The key topics trained in this session are:

Querying Techniques

Having introduced queries in the previous session this session builds on that to explain the more advanced functionality that Access offers.

It begins by showing delegates how to modify the query they saved at the end of the previous session. It then moves to looking at compound queries involving AND or OR logic before looking at querying for ranges and then sorting data in a query as well. It then moves to cover using wildcard characters in queries and looking at the characters that can cause problems in queries.

The key topics covered in this session are:

Multi Table Queries

Parameter Queries

Creating a Parameter Query
Displaying All Using Parameters to Display a Range
Using Parameters in Expressions
Using Parameters With Wildcards

Calculations in Queries

Creating And Using Reports

The final session of the introduction to MS Access course covers reporting. Having shown delegates how to create, populate and query their database the final topic is reporting.

Access contains some very powerful reporting tools. These allow reports on data to be created very quickly and simply. We cover creating, saving, editing, printing and deleting reports. After that we look at more advanced topics like creating statistical and grouped reports.

The key topics trained include:

Creating And Using Forms

Forms are a very useful way to interact with your data in Access. This session gives covers forms and the actions that forms can be used for in detail. It covers creating forms, using forms with queries, editing data using forms and finally saving and deleting forms themselves.

The key topics trained include: