Access 2003

Database Tables
Page 1

Introduction
By the end of this lesson, learners should be able to:
Understand datasheet basics
Understand field properties
Understand table relationships
Understand the role of the primary key

Page 2

Datasheet basics
The core component of a database is a table. Data is defined and stored in a table. Multiple tables -- each consisting of different
types of data -- can be created in a database.

Each row in the database is called a record. The entry for John Smith is called a record. The entry for Martha Tompkins is also a
record. Each row or record is made up of columns or fields -- L.Name, F.Name, Phone, Address, City, State, Zip -- which contain a
particular piece of information.
L.Name
Smith
Tompkins

F.Name
John
Martha

Phone
919.555.6320
919.555.6427

Address
100 Paramount Parkway
97 Hummingbird Court

City
Morrisville
Cary

State
NC
NC

Zip
27560
27513

In a Contact Management database, a list of names -- those contacts to whom you have sent resumes or have met through your
personal network -- might be maintained in a table, along with address, phone number, and other personal information.

Page 3

Field Properties
Every table contains a number of columns called fields or datatypes. Fields are unique pieces of information that make up the
information in a table. Tables usually contain multiple fields.

In a previous example we mentioned that a table might consist of the fields: Last Name, First Name, Phone, Address, City, State, and
Zip. Each field has unique properties. Some contain characters. Others contain numbers. These Field Properties are defined when
the table is created.

Page 4

Understanding Table Relationships

Databases can be simple -- consisting of a single table -- or made up of many different tables. If you were to convert your resume
into a database, for example, you might have a table that contains your name and personal mailing address. We might call this the
Contact_Information table.

Your work experience is a different kind of information. Instead of identifying who you are or where you live, it identifies the
companies you worked for, their addresses, your job title, and responsibilities. Because this set of information is independent from
the contact information, we might instead create a second table called the Work_Experience table.
The same is true of your educational background. It has no direct bearing on your contact information or the companies where you
worked. A third table might be created called the Education table to save this kind of data.
The database contains three tables, each independent of the other, and all containing different types of information. The database
needs a way to connect these three tables.

Page 5

Primary Keys
Every table in Microsoft Access must have at least one field that uniquely identifies each record in the table. This field is known as a
primary key. This primary key essentially opens the door to the table and allows you to retrieve information from the table.

The primary key is the mechanism by which you relate different tables and combine information for viewing (query) or printing
(report).

Page 6

Challenge!
Let us pretend that you are going to start your own home business. You are going to need to prepare a database for your business
and the first step is to design a table that will contain a list of all your contacts that may one day be your clients or suppliers.
Let us assume that a database table called Business Contacts contains all the fields listed in the first column of the following chart.
The chart also contains four other columns:
Text, Numbers or Both -- should the field accept data entry input in the form of text, numbers, or both?
Field Size -- the number of spaces you think the field should have.
Required Entry -- should the field be required entry (the record cannot be added to the database without the information) or
optional entry (a record can be added without entry in the field)
Allow Duplicates -- should the database allow duplicate entries for the field (e.g., can several people in the database share
the same zip code)?
Practice designing fields by filling out the following table.
Text,
Field Size
Numbers, or
Both?
First Name
Last Name
Company
Company
Type
Address
City
State
Zip Code
Contact Id
Title
Work phone
Fax Number

Required
Entry?

Allow
Duplicates?