Microsoft ® Office Access ® 2007 Training Easy Access with templates I: Create a database susanguggenheim-is.com presents:

Microsoft® Office Access®

2007 Training

Easy Access with templates I: Create a database

susanguggenheim-is.com presents:


Course contents

• Overview: You, too, can create a database

• Lesson: Create a database with a template

The lesson includes a list of suggested tasks and a set of test questions.


Overview: You, too, can create a database

You have lots of information that you want to store in a database, but you don’t know how to design one.

With Access 2007, all you need to know about databases is that you can use a template. Database templates include all that you need to get started and allow you to concentrate on entering data — immediately.

This course explains how to create a database using a template.


Course goals

• Find the best database template for what you are trying to do.

• Use a database template to create a new Access database quickly and easily.

Lesson

Create a database with a template


Create a database with a template

Do you have a lot of information that you need to capture? Are you trying to decide whether you need to use a database?

Access 2007 has made it easier for you.

In the past, you had to design a database and create tables to store the data before you could even enter data. Then, to enter data easily, you’d need to create a form. Then, to use the data that you entered, you’d need to design reports. Daunting, and time consuming!

Now that Access has database templates, all you need to do is choose a template that works for you.


Templates for all users

Access 2007 includes lots of free database templates.

The one you choose depends on what you want to do.

Imagine that you’re working with an owner of a small stationery store.

You want a database that all employees can use to store information about customers, such as names, addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses.


Templates for all users

Access 2007 includes lots of free database templates.

The one you choose depends on what you want to do.

The first thing to do is find a database template that you can use to store customer type information.

So let’s start by finding out where database templates are located.


Where are the database templates?

You can find database templates from the Getting Started with Microsoft Access window in Access 2007.

As soon as you open Access, you see this window.

Templates are categorized under Local Templates and From Microsoft Office Online.

Local templates are included with Access 2007 and are stored on your computer. Online templates are located at the Microsoft Office Online Web site, from where you can download them.


Where are the database templates?

You can find database templates from the Getting Started with Microsoft Access window in Access 2007.

As soon as you open Access, you see this window.

Online templates are divided into categories such as Business, Education, and Personal.

Because you are looking for a business-related template, you’d click the Business category.


No guessing needed

The Business category has plenty of database templates to choose from, and Access makes it easy for you to find the right template.

First, each template is depicted by a picture that gives you a clue about what the template is designed to do.

Most importantly, as you move your pointer over the picture, a template description appears.


No guessing needed

The Business category has plenty of database templates to choose from, and Access makes it easy for you to find the right template.

For example, when you rest your pointer across the Contacts picture, you can read the database template description. The description looks like it might work for the stationery store.

When you’re ready to continue, click the Contacts picture to select it.


Select a database template

After you’ve selected the Contacts database template, look to the right side of the screen to see the task pane.

As shown in the picture, this pane lists the template’s category, the template’s name, and the template’s description.

It also displays a suggested file name and location for the new database that you’ll create with the database template.



The file name and location are only suggestions; you can change both.

For instance, the suggested file name, Contacts, is not very descriptive, and you might end up with more than one contact database. So might want to change the name to better reflect the database’s purpose.

Let’s go with Stationery Customer Contacts.




The location is equally important — you may have a specific area where you want to store the information, such as a shared directory that all employees could access.

Click the folder to the right of the file location, and browse to where you want to store the database.




Once you are happy with the location and file name, click the Download button.


Download a database template

After you click Download, a few things need to happen before you can use the template.

First, the Microsoft Office Genuine Advantage dialog box pops up on your screen.

Access 2007 database templates can be downloaded only to computers running genuine Microsoft Office software.


Download a database template

After you click Download, a few things need to happen before you can use the template.

After the validation is complete, the database template is downloaded to your computer. This is when the template becomes your database.

Software validation occurs every time you download a template from Microsoft Office Online.


Help is available

You may see a small Access Help window on top of the database that was just created for you.

This help article describes the function of the database template and provides some database instruction.


Help is available

You may see a small Access Help window on top of the database that was just created for you.

When you are working on a new project, you may want to have this help available.

As shown in the picture, you can click on the title bar and drag the window to another location, or you can close the window by clicking the Close button in the window’s right corner.


Security alert

In your new database, you’ll most likely see the security shield and a security warning in the Message Bar, the area between the Ribbon and the database.

Access disables content that could be dangerous to your computer, such as macros. Most Access database templates contain at least one macro.

Click Options in the Message Bar and then click Enable this content each time you open the template. Or, you can set up a trusted location.


Ready, set, add!

Now that you’ve enabled the content, you can concentrate on what you see.

Your new Contacts database opens to a form so that you can start adding your contacts.

You don’t need to do anything else. Access has created all the fields and even given them names.


Ready, set, add!

You can click anywhere in the row that has New as its ID to start adding data.

Then start by adding a first and last name and other contact information in the fields provided.

As soon as you begin typing, Access creates an ID number and then adds another new row with “New” as its ID.


One last thing

A database has lots of different parts. You don’t have to know what they are, but you can start exploring these different parts with the navigation pane.

When you click the Shutter Bar Open/Close button, this opens the navigation pane. The pane lists all of the different database parts.

You can view each part by clicking on the different database parts (in Access speak, these parts are called objects).


Suggestions for practice

1. View the Getting Started page.

2. Explore online database templates.

3. Download a template.

4. Add data to the database.

5. Navigate to reports and forms.

Online practice (requires Access 2007)

http://office.microsoft.com/training/training.aspx?AssetID=RP102671251033&CTT=6&Origin=RP102671451033


Test question 1

What’s the most efficient way of determining which database template is right for what you want to do? (Pick one answer.)

1. Open each template and decide when you see the database.

2. The template icons provide a hint as to what the template is designed to do. Plus, if you allow your mouse to rest on the template icon, you can see a description. Or, if you click on the icon, you see a description in the right.

3. Explore the help files looking for ideas on which template to use.


Test question 1: Answer

The template icons provide a hint as to what the template is designed to do. Plus, if you allow your mouse to rest on the template icon, you can see a description. Or, if you click on the icon, you see a description in the right.

Access 2007 provides descriptions of the templates when your mouse rests over the template. If you click the template, you see a description on the right pane.


Test question 2

What happens if you don’t name a database when you first create it from a template? (Pick one answer.)

1. Access saves the database with a default name, generally the name of the template. If you’ve opened a template more than once, Access adds a number to the template name.

2. Your database is not saved and you’ll have to download the template again.

3. You will not be able to open that database.



Access saves the database with a default name, generally the name of the template. If you’ve opened a template more than once, Access adds a number to the template name.

So while Access saves the database, the name won’t be specific to your project. It’s a good idea to give your database a specific name.


Test question 3

To save the data in your database file, you must click Save on the Ribbon. (Pick one answer.)

1. True.

2. False.



False.

Access saves your data whenever you move your cursor from one row to another.


Quick Reference Card

For a summary of the tasks covered in this course, view the Quick Reference Card.

http://office.microsoft.com/training/Training.aspx?AssetID=RP102671351033&CTT=6&Origin=RC102671221033

Documents

Microsoft ® Office Access ® 2007 Training Easy Access with templates I: Create a database susanguggenheim-is.com presents: