Chapter 1: Getting Started with Access
Are you new to Microsoft Access or upgrading to the latest version of the program? This chapter introduces you to Access and to some useful database concepts. You also learn how to create and open a database as well as how to navigate through the Access interface.
An Introduction to Access
Start and Exit Access
Create a Blank Database
Create a Database by Using a Template
Open a Database
Close a Database
Understanding the Access Interface
Customize the Quick Access Toolbar
Customize the Ribbon
Change the Navigation Pane View
Open and Close an Object
Change an Object’s View
An Introduction to Access
Microsoft Access is a program for creating and working with special files called databases, which are designed to store collections of related information. For example, one database might store business data such as customers, invoices, and inventory, whereas another might store personal data such as contacts, movies, and household items. You can use Access to create, retrieve, and manage large or small collections of information.
To get the most out of Access, you need to understand basic concepts such as tables, records, and fields; database objects such as datasheets and forms; and database tools such as filters, queries, and reports.
Tables, Records, and Fields
In Access, data is stored in tables, and each individual entry in a table is called a record. For example, in a Customers table, the information about each customer is a separate record. Each record is composed of one or more fields that contain individual pieces of data. In this example, customer fields may include Name, Address, City, State, and Zip Code.
Datasheets and Forms
By default, each table appears as a spreadsheet grid called a datasheet. You can type directly into a datasheet. To make data entry more convenient, some people choose to create on-screen forms, which are like dialog boxes that prompt for field entries. An attractively formatted form is easier and more pleasant to use to enter new records than a plain datasheet.
Filters and Queries
It is often useful to display a filtered view of a table. You can filter a table to show only certain records, only certain fields, or both. You can run a one-time filter, or you can create a query, which is like a saved filter. Queries also enable you to combine data from multiple related tables into a single datasheet of results.
Reports
Tables and query results appear in plain datasheets, which are not very attractive when printed. Reports present data from tables and queries in an attractive, customizable format — complete with titles, headers and footers, and even logos and graphics.
Relational Databases
Microsoft Access creates relational databases — that is, databases that can contain multiple tables with links between them. For example, a business may have a Customers table for storing customer contact information and an Orders table for storing information about orders placed. Each customer in the Customers table has a unique ID, and each order in the Orders table references a specific customer ID.
Start and Exit Access
Before you can create or open a database file, you must first start Access. This brings the Access window onto the Windows desktop so that you can then begin using the program.
How you start Access depends on which version of Windows you are using. In this section, you learn how to start Access 2013 in Windows 8 and in Windows 7. When you are finished working with Access, you should exit the program.
Start and Exit Access
Start Access in Windows 8
On the Windows 8 Start screen, click Access 2013.
The Microsoft Access window appears on the desktop.
Start Access in Windows 7
Click Start.
Click All Programs.
Click Microsoft Office 2013.
Click Access 2013.
The Microsoft Access window appears on the desktop.
Exit Access
Right-click the Access taskbar button (
).
Click Close window.
Note: If you have two or more database files open, click Close all windows instead.
Access closes, returning you to your desktop view.
Create a Blank Database
The simplest way to get started with Microsoft Access is to create a blank database. A blank database contains only a single, empty table and no other database objects, such as queries, forms, or reports. A blank database provides the freedom to create exactly the objects that you want for your project.
If another person or your company has provided you with a database file, you should open that file instead; see the section “Open a Database.”
Create a Blank Database
Click File.
Note: If you have just started Access, skip to step 3.
The File options appear.
Click New.
The New options appear.
Click Blank desktop database.
The Blank Desktop Database dialog box appears.
Type a filename for the database.
Click Create.
A A new database opens, with a new blank table started.
TIP
Are there shortcuts that I can use to create a blank database?
Yes, Access offers a couple of techniques that you can use to shorten the process of creating a blank database. First, you can quickly display the New tab by pressing 
+ 
. Second, if you prefer to use your mouse to begin the process of creating a blank database, you can add the New command to the Quick Access Toolbar. After you have done this, you can click New on the Quick Access Toolbar to go directly to the New tab. See the section “Customize the Quick Access Toolbar” to learn how to add commands to this toolbar.
Create a Database by Using a Template
Rather than start from scratch with a blank database, you can get your database project off the ground easier and faster by creating a new database based on a template.
A template is a special file that includes prefabricated database objects that you can use right away. For example, a contact management template might include a table with fields such as Name, Address, and Phone, as well as a form for entering data and a report that organizes the contacts into an address book. With a template, all you do is fill in the data, and Access does the rest.
Create a Database by Using a Template
Start Microsoft Access.
Note: If Access is already running, click File and then click New instead.
Type a word that describes the type of database you want to create.
A You can also click any of these suggested template search terms.
B You can also click one of these Microsoft-supplied templates that are stored on your computer and then skip to step 5.
Press 
.
The search results appear.
Click the template that best matches your needs.
A dialog box for that template appears.
Type a name for the database file.
Click Create.
If you chose an online template, it is downloaded from the Internet.
The database opens. Its appearance depends on the template that you chose.
Open a Database
If you have created multiple databases, you can open a database that you previously created to continue developing its structure, type data in it, or analyze its data.
Your database files will most often be stored on your computer’s hard drive. However, it is also possible to open databases from your network or from the online SkyDrive storage area associated with your Microsoft account.
Open a Database
Start Microsoft Access.
Click Open Other Files.
Note: If Access is already running and you have another database open, click File instead.
The File options appear.
Click Open.
The Open options appear.
A If you opened the database recently, you can also click Recent and then click the database. In this case, you can skip the rest of the steps in this section.
Click Computer.
Click Browse.
The Open dialog box appears.
B If necessary, you can navigate to a different location.
Click the database that you want to open.
Click Open.
Access opens the database.
Close a Database
When you have finished your work with an Access database, you should close the file. You can have multiple databases open at once, each in its own copy of the application, but closing a database when you are finished with it frees up your computer’s memory.
When you close a database, Access checks to see whether any open objects have unsaved changes. If Access detects an object that has unsaved changes, it prompts you to save it. This is a very important step because it prevents you from losing work, so be sure to save your changes when and if Access prompts you.
Close a Database
Click File.
The File options appear.
Click Close.
A You can also close a database by clicking the Close button (
).
Access closes the database.
Note: If Access prompts you to save an object, click Yes.
Understanding the Access Interface
Access 2013 has a user interface consistent with those of other Office 2013 applications, including Word and Excel. It contains tabs, a multiple-tabbed Ribbon, and a status bar.
A File
Displays a menu of file commands.
B Quick Access Toolbar
Provides shortcuts to commonly used features. This toolbar is customizable.
C Tabs
Contain buttons and other controls for working with data.
D Ribbon
Displays and organizes tabs.
E Dialog box launcher
Clicking this icon (
) opens a dialog box related to the group.
F Groups
Organize controls into sections within tabs.
A Object tabs
Provide access to all open database objects, such as tables, reports, and forms.
B Scroll bars
Enable you to scroll through a datasheet.
C View buttons
Switch between various views of the selected object. The buttons are different depending on what type of object is active. Hover over a button to find out which view each button represents.
D Record selector
Displays the current record number and enables you to navigate to other records.
E Status bar
Displays information about the current object or view.
F The Navigation pane
Lists all available database objects.
Customize the Quick Access Toolbar
You can make Access easier to use by customizing the Quick Access Toolbar to include the Access commands that you use most often. You run Quick Access Toolbar commands with a single click, so adding your favorite commands saves time because you no longer have to search for and click a command on the Ribbon.
By default, the Quick Access Toolbar contains three buttons: Save, Undo, and Redo. You can add common commands such as New and Open to the Quick Access Toolbar, as well as hundreds of other Access commands.
Customize the Quick Access Toolbar
Click the Customize Quick Access Toolbar button (
).
A If you see the command that you want, click it and skip the rest of the steps in this section.
Click More Commands.
The Access Options dialog box appears.
B Access automatically displays the Quick Access Toolbar tab.
Click the Choose commands from 
.
Click the command category that you want to use.
Click the command that you want to add.
Click Add.
C Access adds the command.
D To remove a command, click it and then click Remove.
Click OK.
Access tells you to close and reopen the database for the change to take effect.
Click OK.
E Access adds a button for the command to the Quick Access Toolbar.
Note: You do not need to close and then reopen the database.
Note: Another way to remove a command is to right-click the command and then click Remove from Quick Access Toolbar.
TIPS
Can I get more room on the Quick Access Toolbar to show more buttons?
Yes, you can increase the space available to the Quick Access Toolbar by moving it below the Ribbon. This gives the toolbar the full width of the Access window, so you can add many more buttons. Click the Customize Quick Access Toolbar button () and then click Show Below the Ribbon.
Is there a faster way to add buttons to the Quick Access Toolbar?
Yes. If the command that you want to add appears on the Ribbon, you can add a button for the command directly from the Ribbon. Click the Ribbon tab that contains the command, right-click the command, and then click Add to Quick Access Toolbar. Access inserts a button for the command on the Quick Access Toolbar.
Customize the Ribbon
You can improve your Access productivity by customizing the Ribbon with extra commands that you use frequently. The Ribbon is a handy tool because it enables you to run Access commands with just a few clicks of the mouse. However, the Ribbon does not include every Access command. If there is a command that you use often, you should add it to the Ribbon for easy access.
To add a new command to the Ribbon, you must first create a new tab or a new group within an existing tab and then add the command to the new tab or group.
Customize the Ribbon
Display the Customize Ribbon Tab
Right-click any part of the Ribbon.
Click Customize the Ribbon.
The Access Options dialog box appears.
A Access automatically displays the Customize Ribbon tab.
Add a New Tab or Group
Click the tab that you want to customize.
B You can also click New Tab to create a custom tab.
Click New Group.
C Access adds the group.
Click Rename.
The Rename dialog box appears.
Type a name for the group.
Click OK.
Add a Command
Click the Choose commands from .
Click the command category that you want to use.
Click the command that you want to add.
Click the custom group or tab that you want to use.
Click Add.
D Access adds the command.
E To remove a custom command, click it and then click Remove.
Click OK.
Access tells you to close and reopen the database for the change to take effect.
Click OK.
F Access adds the new group and command to the Ribbon.
Note: You do not need to close and then reopen the database.
TIPS
Can I customize the tabs that appear only when I select an Access object?
Yes. Access calls these tool tabs, and you can add custom groups and commands to any tool tab. Right-click any part of the Ribbon and then click Customize the Ribbon to display the Access Options dialog box with the Customize Ribbon tab displayed. Click the Customize the Ribbon and then click Tool Tabs. Click the tab that you want and then follow the steps in this section to customize it.
How do I restore the Ribbon to its default configuration?
Right-click any part of the Ribbon and then click Customize the Ribbon to display the Access Options dialog box with the Customize Ribbon tab displayed. To restore a tab, click the tab, click Reset, and then click Restore only selected Ribbon tab. To remove all customizations, click Reset and then click Restore all customizations.
Change the Navigation Pane View
The Navigation pane on the left side of the database window presents a list of all the objects in the database, including its tables, queries, forms, and reports. This is an important element of the Access interface because it enables you to view and manage the objects, so you should set up the Navigation pane to suit the way that you work.
If you need more horizontal room to work on a table or form, you can hide the Navigation pane. You can also adjust the width of the Navigation pane as well as change the way it sorts and lists objects.
Change the Navigation Pane View
Hide the Navigation Pane
If the Navigation pane is displayed, click 
.
Access hides the Navigation pane.
Display the Navigation Pane
If the Navigation pane is hidden, click 
.
Access displays the Navigation pane.
Adjust the Navigation Pane Size
Drag the border to the left or right (
changes to 
).
A A black line shows the new position for the border.
Change the Way Objects Are Displayed
Click 
.
A menu of object options opens.
Click the way that you want to view the object list.
B You can also filter the list to show only a certain type of object.
C You can choose All Access Objects to return to the full list after filtering.
TIPS
What are some other ways to display and hide the Navigation pane?
Pressing 
toggles the Navigation pane on and off. You can also click Navigation Pane along the left edge of the window when it is hidden to display it. Another way to hide it is to double-click the divider line between the Navigation pane and the main window when it is displayed.
What is the purpose of the 
and 
arrows in the Navigation pane?
You use these arrows to expand or collapse a Navigation bar category. To expand a category and see its contents, click . To collapse a category and hide its contents, click .
Open and Close an Object
You perform work in Microsoft Access by manipulating database objects such as tables, queries, and forms. Before you can work on an object, you must open it. You can open any available database object from the Navigation pane. The object appears in the main window to the right of the Navigation pane; from there, you can work with the object’s content. You can open multiple objects at the same time and then switch among them.
When you no longer need to work with an object, you should close it to reduce clutter in the main database window.
Open and Close an Object
Open an Object
If necessary, click the category’s icon to expand it.
Double-click the object.
A The object appears in the database window.
B Access displays a tab for the object.
C To switch among open objects, click the tab of the object that you want.
Close an Object
Click the tab of the object that you want to close.
Click .
Note: You can also right-click the object’s tab and then click Close.
The object closes.
Change an Object’s View
Access offers you multiple ways to interact with each database object. For example, with a table, you can work either with the data, including adding, editing, and deleting records, or you can work with the table structure, including adding, editing, and deleting fields. To switch between these different ways of interacting with a database object, you change the object’s view.
The available views depend on the object type but usually include a view for using the object, such as the Datasheet view, and a view for modifying the object, such as the Design view.
Change an Object’s View
Select a View from the Ribbon
Click the Home tab.
Click the View 
.
Click the view that you want to use.
Note: You can also right-click an object’s tab and then click the view that you want from the shortcut menu.
Select a View by Using the View Buttons
In the status bar, click the button for the view that you want.
Note: The buttons that are available change depending on the object type.
A To determine which view a button represents, move over the button to see a screen tip.