Microsoft Access Training: Introduction / Intermediate Course

Microsoft Access Training: Introduction / Intermediate Course

Master the fundamentals of Microsoft Access the quick way on this 2-day introductory Access training course.

Microsoft Access is a very popular database programme. It allows data to be analysed and sorted, specific information to be searched for, and the results to be used to produce reports, lists and more very easily.

Led by a certified Access trainer, this course involves a number of hands-on exercises so that you can experiment with what you are being taught and there is plenty of time to ask questions.

What Will I Learn?

By the end of this training course, you will be a confident, independent Access user.

You 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 learn how to:

  • Design and create a new database in Access.
  • Modify the structure of an existing database.
  • Add records to a new table.
  • Add transactional records to a lookup database.
  • Use the various data validation features in Access to protect data.
  • Format the data in a table.
  • Export records to, and import records from, a wide variety of sources and applications.
  • Quickly create simple queries.
  • Create and use parameter and calculated queries.
  • Create meaningful reports from tables.
  • Use forms to create a helpful user interface.

Am I Ready For This Course?

This course does not assume any prior knowledge of Microsoft Access so don’t worry if you haven’t used it before.

It only assumes that you have experience of working with Windows and the Microsoft Office.

The Training Day

Our courses run from 9.30am to roughly 4.15pm with refreshments and biscuits throughout the day and a break for lunch.

We offer a relaxed, supportive learning environment, fully air-conditioned training facilities and some of the nicest instructors on the planet.

Also, you’ll receive:

✔ A full-colour manual which covers everything in the course.
✔ Your course exercises so that you can practice at home.
✔ A Certificate of Attendance.

Course Details

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  • 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

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 explains 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:

  • Understanding How Access Stores Data
  • Understanding Access Data Types
  • Scoping Your New Database
  • Identifying Table Problems
  • Refining Table Structures
  • Finalising the Design

Having designed a database the next step is to actually create it. This session leads delegates through that process, ie 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

Once you have created your database the next step is to define the data fields 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:

  • Opening an Existing Table
  • Adding Fields to an Existing Table
  • Understanding Field Properties
  • Changing Field Size
  • Changing Field Names
  • Changing Decimal Places
  • Changing Date Formats

The relationships between tables are critical in an Access database. This session focuses on all aspects of those relationships. It explains 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 teaching you how to create a report that shows the relationships within a database.

The key topics trained include:

  • Understanding Table Relationships
  • Understanding Lookup Relationships
  • Looking Up the Employees Table
  • Looking Up the Expense Types Table
  • Viewing Table Relationships
  • Understanding Table Joins
  • Editing the Employee Table Join
  • Editing the Expense Type Table Join
  • Creating a New Join
  • Creating a Relationship Report

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:

  • Typing Records In A Table
  • Adding Records Using A Form
  • Saving A Form Layout For Reuse
  • Adding Records Using An Existing Form
  • Assignment Adding Records
  • Importing From Microsoft Excel
  • Typing Transactional Records
  • Transactional Records Using A Form
  • Assignment Adding Transactional Records
  • Adding Records Using A Subdatasheet
  • Removing A Subdatasheet
  • Inserting A Subdatasheet

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. Luckily, Access makes data validation straightforward.

The key topics trained include:

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

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 on 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:

  • Table Navigation
  • Navigating to a Specific Record
  • Editing a Record
  • Deleting Record Data
  • Undoing a Change
  • Deleting a Record
  • Deleting Several Records
  • Searching in a Table
  • Searching in a Field
  • Finding and Replacing
  • Printing Records From a Table
  • Compacting a Database

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 within a cell. It also covers moving, hiding and freezing columns. All of this makes navigating a database far simpler.

The key topics trained are:

  • Changing Column Widths
  • Formatting Cells In The Table
  • Changing Fonts
  • Moving Columns In A Table
  • Freezing Columns In A Table
  • Hiding Columns In A Table
  • Unhiding Columns

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
  • 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

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, set up 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 again in future.

The key topics trained in this session are:

  • Understanding Queries
  • Creating A Query Design
  • Working With A Query
  • Changing A Query Design
  • Applying Record Criteria
  • Clearing Selection Criteria
  • Saving A Query
  • Running Queries Via The Navigation Pane
  • Deleting A Query
  • Assignment – Creating Queries

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:

  • Modifying A Saved Query
  • Creating AND Queries
  • Creating OR Queries
  • Querying Numeric Data
  • Querying Dates
  • Using A Range Expression
  • Querying Opposite Values
  • Moving Fields In A Query
  • Sorting Query Data
  • Removing Fields From A Query
  • Querying Using Wildcards
  • Problem Characters
  • Querying With A Lookup Table
  • Sorting Query Data Numerically
  • Displaying NULL Values
  • Querying for Uniqueness
  • Understanding Relational Queries
  • Creating a Relational Query Design
  • Filtering a Relational Query
  • Filtering Related Fields
  • Adding More Tables and Fields
  • Utilising Hidden Fields
  • Understanding Query Joins
  • Creating an Inner Join
  • Creating a Left Outer Join
  • Creating a Right Outer Join
  • Creating a Parameter Query
  • Displaying All Using Parameters to Display a Range
  • Using Parameters in Expressions
  • Using Parameters With Wildcards
  • Creating a Calculated Field
  • Formatting Calculated Fields
  • Summarising Data Using a Query
  • Changing the Grouping
  • Calculating With Dates
  • Using Criteria in Calculations
  • Concatenating String Fields

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:

  • Understanding Reporting In Access
  • Creating A Basic Report
  • Working With Existing Reports
  • Previewing and Printing A Report
  • Changing The Report Layout
  • Using The Report Wizard
  • Creating A Grouped Report
  • Creating A Statistical Report
  • Working With Grouped Reports

Forms are a very useful way to interact with your data in Access. This session 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:

  • Understanding Forms
  • Creating A Basic Form
  • Creating A Split Form
  • Binding A Form To A Query
  • Using The Form Wizard
  • Working With Existing Forms
  • Editing Records In A Form
  • Deleting Records Through A Form
  • Deleting An Unwanted Form

Online Training Requirements

To attend this Access course online, you will need:

✔ MS Access on your Windows PC with a camera, speakers & microphone
✔ A stable internet connection capable of running Zoom
✔ To be a confident computer user and able to use Zoom

If you have access to a second screen, we would encourage you to use it as it improves the experience.