Access Tables 2003

 

Creating an Access Table

§ Click the Tables button

§        Double click Create table in Design view

§         Enter the first field name in the first Field Name box

§         Hit the Tab key

§         The default Data Type is Text with a default field size of 50 characters. You may wish to set the Field Size (at the bottom of the screen) larger or smaller.

§          In most cases, you will use Text as your field type.  You will not select any kind of a number field type unless you want to perform mathematical calculations on the field (i.e. Zip Code v Salary). 

 

 

 A drop-down list of data types appears when the arrow in the Data Type column is selected.  The data types are:

 

Data Type

Supports

Text

A maximum of 255 characters

Memo

Like text, but can have a maximum of 64,000 characters - not indexed

Number

Various forms of numerical data

Date/Time

Date and time entries in various formats

Currency

Currency values expressed in various formats

AutoNumber

Permanent identification number is entered that increases with each record

Yes/No

A checkbox with an (X) for yes or blank for No

OLE Object

A linkage to an object in another file (graphics etc.)

Hyperlink

A hyperlink

Look-up Wizard

Creates a lookup column, which creates a list of values to choose from when entering data

 

§         Hit the Tab key twice to return to the next Field Name box.  Enter the name.  Hit Tab

§         Change the Data Type if necessary and hit Tab twice.

§         Repeat until all fields have been added.

§         Click the Save icon            

§         Enter the name of your table.  Be sure to add the word Table to the end (i.e. Address_Table).

§         Click OK

§         When asked if you would like a primary key, click No

 

 

To Switch between Design View and Datasheet View

§         Click the Datasheet View icon in the upper left corner  

§         Enter your data

§         To return to design view, click the Design View icon.  You can now make changes to the table.

 

 

To Enter Data

§         You must be in Datasheet View

§         Enter data in the first field. 

§         Hit the Tab key to move to the next field

§         Repeat until all the fields are filled

§         Hit Tab again to return to the first field of the next record

 

To Sort Data

§         Click on the header of the column you want sorted

§         Click on the Sort Ascending or Sort Descending icons 

 

 

To Save Data

§         Unlike most programs, you do not have to save anything.  Once data is entered and you move out of the cell, the information is stored.

 

  

RLS

10/6/2005