Computer E-Learning

Module One: Getting Started Welcome to the Microsoft Access2010Essentials workshop. Access is the world’s premier database software. You can use Access to create and edit databases -- just download a ready-made database template and start typing. It’s that easy. You can create a database of contacts, expenses, household and/or business inventory. In other words, if you have data, you can create a database of that data using Access. Microsoft’s newest version of Access uses the new ribbon interface, and offers significant improvement to its database capability.

In this module, you will learn how to open Access. You will also explore the Access interface, and become familiar with the different panes. Finally, you will create a new, blank database.

In this module, you will learn to understand security warnings. Databases can contain codes that could cause serious harm to your computer. Should a potential problem be present, you will see a warning on a message bar under the ribbon. This module also presents an overview of the Access Interface, including the Ribbon Interface,the Backstage View, and the Navigation pane.

Database Objects in Access 2010 consist of Tables, Forms, Reports, Queries, and Pages. You can do quite a bit with an Object, such as copying, deleting, renaming, exporting and renaming it. You can switch between views of a Database Object; then set your favorite as the default view for that Object. You can also save a Database Object as another Object type. Finally, you can also set or change the description of a Database Project.

Although Access is comprised of many Objects, the basic database framework revolves around Tables. Each table usually holds information about a single topic, and is connected or related to other Tables through similar pieces of information (or fields). You can create a new Table in datasheet view or design view. You can also create a new Table from a template. This module also covers some of the tools to help develop your new tables.

Each row of a Table is called a record. It contains information about a specific item. This module covers the work you may do most in Access – working with your tables. It covers adding information, as well as editing or deleting records. This module also explains how to search for a record.

Forms are a visual way of presenting information in one or more related tables. Forms often show one record at a time to collect information for tables. In this module, we’ll explain the types of controls available on forms. We’ll also discuss how to create a form using the Form Wizard or in layout view, as well as how to modify a form in Design View. In this module, we also introduce the new ability to create a Navigation form. Finally, we’ll go over the key features of the form tools tabs, both for layout view and design view.

This module covers ways to work with your forms to customize them to your needs. It covers some of the most common formatting tasks, as well as adding or moving controls on a form. Just as in other Office 2010 applications, Access includes Themes to help with formatting, which we’ll discuss in this module. Finally, we’ll discuss how to delete records using forms.

Reports allow you to make sense of your data. You can create a report using a wizard or in design view. This module also explains how to add a logo and work with controls, and it explains the key report tab tools.

Queries allow you to answer very specific questions about your data that might be difficult to answer simply by looking at table data. Queries can filter data, perform calculations, summarize data, or automate changes to your database. This module introduces different types of queries. It also explains creating a query with the wizard, then executing the query and viewing the query results. It also introduces the key features of the Query Tools tab.

This module covers some of the basics of managing your database, such as saving it as another format, printing an object, emailing the database, and backing up your database.

Although this workshop is coming to a close, we hope that your journey to improve your Access skills is just beginning. Please take a moment to review and update your action plan. This will be a key tool to guide your progress in the days, weeks, months, and years to come. We wish you the best of luck on the rest of your travels!