How To Use Microsoft Access?

Before learning how to use Microsoft Access, it will be best if you are aware of its benefits. There are a few benefits that come with using Microsoft Access. One, you get to access your data from anywhere and anytime. Here, you don't need an internet connection to work on your database and information. You can simply work on it offline! Two, you get to enjoy easy storage of documents since it is easy to store your documents in a well-organized database environment. You don't have to spend money buying additional software which can easily be accessed via licensing MS Access. Three, you are able to retrieve information without any problems or delays. This is done by the speediness of the application in fetching data for users and developers alike. And lastly, there is a lot of flexibility when it comes to working on Microsoft Access' databases.

Some of you may have been familiar with Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, and Excel. But, are you familiar with Microsoft Access? It is one of the programs included in the Microsoft Office pack. With Microsoft Access, you can effectively create, edit, and organize your data.

To understand more about what Microsoft Access is, we will demonstrate some of the basic things you can do with it. If you are already familiar with using Microsoft Excel, then it won’t be hard for you to understand how Microsoft Access works.

Before you start doing anything inside the program, you will first have to identify what information you need and plan on how will you label them. This is important because later inside the program, you will have to use tables to organize your data.

Thus, having a clear separation between different types of information will be very helpful. It will help you in deciding where should you input certain kinds of information and to avoid getting them mixed up.

Steps to follow

Microsoft Access comes with many different types of database templates. But for the sake of this tutorial, we will try to make a database from scratch here. Make sure to follow the instructions carefully:

1. Run your Microsoft Access app.
2. Click on New. You can see that there are many database templates provided here. Just ignore them and go for the Blank database option.
   
3. Now you have created a blank database. Notice that it has nothing on it: no label, no number, just nothing.
   We will now make a table so you can input your data. You can just directly add new columns and new data to the table. However, it is recommended that you make the table using the Design View tool.
   
4. Look at the upper left part of the screen and you will find a drop-down button on the View section. Click the button and then select Design View.
   
5. It will then ask you to give the table a name. Type the name inside the given space and click OK.
6. After you click OK, it will change into the Design View mode. It should look like the picture below.
   
7. You can then start adding new labels for your table. You see there are three different columns, field name, data type, and description. Please fill them accordingly to meet your needs.
   Note: If you look closely at the picture above, there is a small column on the left of the Field Name column with a small key symbol on it. That one is called as Primary Key. A Primary Key is used to give unique identification to your data.
   It must be filled with distinctive data. Therefore, we use ID Number as the Primary Key in this table.
8. Now that you have made the design for your table, we can now go back to the Datasheet View mode
9. Don’t forget to click Yes when it asks you to save the table design. 
10. Then, you can see whether your table works properly or not by typing the data in. If not, go back to the Design View and revise the table design from there.

There are still many other tools and features from Microsoft Access out there you need to know. But even only by knowing how to make a simple database like the example above, you will be able to make a more effective data organization method for your home, business, and education needs.

We hope the steps above can guide you through the basics of using the Microsoft Access app. There’s plenty of features out there to discover.

Summary: How to Use Microsoft Access?

• Open Access by selecting the Microsoft button ( ) and pointing to All Programs.
• Before you dive into the program, take a moment to familiarize yourself with the Access 2007 interface.
• The Ribbon is an important Access feature because it shows you what tools are available at any given time.
• The Ribbon commands are organized into groups that perform related functions.
• When you point to a command on the Ribbon, a ScreenTip appears with more information about that command.
• Clicking a command on the Ribbon is the same as clicking its corresponding command in a menu or toolbar from previous versions of Access.
• Access has added functionality for creating and using graphics in your database solutions.
• Use AutoCorrect to correct mistakes as you type
• Word-processing features such as spell check, grammar check, and research tools make your work easier.
• Database objects, such as tables, forms, macros, reports, queries, and modules are created by using wizards or design tools that lead you through the process step-by-step.
• The Ribbon makes it easy to find commands and design tools in Access 2007.