Microsoft

Access
Ervin Ha
 Content
 What is Microsoft Access
 Why use Access
 Limitations
 Basic background information
 Conclusion
 MS Access
 Microsoft Program
 Part of the Microsoft Office suite
 Used to create relational database
management system (RDMS)
 consists of multiple tables, each storing specific
information
 relates information from one table to another
 One-to-many relationships are the power behind a
relational database
 Query the database to find information
 Enter information into forms
 Display results in reports
 Why use RDMS
 Facilitate information sharing
 data can be queried from multiple tables
joined and displayed in a subset of records
 Reduce data redundancy
 the same data is not stored over and over again
 Keep data accurate
 a change in data is made in one table but appears
updated in all queries and reports
 Why use MS Access
 Easy to use
 GUI, Looks good
 Stand-alone
 Do not require any other program to run or use
 Lots of support
 Help File, Message boards
 Relatively cheap
 Comes with MS Office Suite
 Integration
 Can be integrated with other MS Office
applications
 Limitations
 It’s a Microsoft product
 Bugs galore
 Overly user- friendly
 Tried too hard to predict what you what to do
 Not suited for large databases
 Takes up lots of computer resources
 Expensive
 Must buy from Microsoft. Not open source
 Complicated to use for connectivity to other
types of databases
 Basics of Access
 The key window in Access is known as
the ‘database window’.
 Seven objects can be launched from this
window:
 Tables
 Queries
 Forms
 Reports
 Pages
 Macros
 Modules
 These objects, in turn, become their own
windows.
 Basics of Access
 A relational database consists of a set of
related tables
 Customers and Orders and Products
 Basics of Access
 Primary Key
 A field used to uniquely identify each record
 Every table in a database must have a primary
key defined
 Basics of Access
 Composite Key
 More than one field used in combination to
uniquely identify each record
 Basics of Access
 Foreign Key
 A field (in one table) that is related to a primary
key in another table within the same database.
 Basics of Access
 Queries
 A subset of table information
 Similar to filter or find operation within table
 searches for records according to specified criteria
and displays these records
 Also like a sort operation
 can change the order of records
 Differs from filter and sort in that a query can be
run against several tables
 Basics of Access
 Forms
 Used to easily view, enter, and change data
directly in a table
 retrieves the data from one or more tables, and
displays it on the screen
 also display pictures and other objects
 can contain a button that prints, opens other
objects, or otherwise automates tasks
 Reports
 Used to analyze your data or present it a certain
way
 Conclusion
 Explained MS access
 Relational Database Management System
 Basics you need to know
 Keys, Tables, Queries, Forms, Reports
Questions