How to setup microsoft access database

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On the right-side tab,. Did you notice how Access automatically sorts the data in increasing order of amount? If you want to change this, you can right-click on the Amount field and change the sort order. Access automatically generates a unique number for the first column ID , as you are sure to have observed, as this treats this as the default primary key. This is the column that is typically used to retrieve unique rows of data from the table.

But this value may be difficult for us to remember as it has no relevance to our data. Also, we have already identified our unique primary keys and should capture this in the table design. The next step will show you how to re-design the table to take care of this.

Now our table looks good. You can similarly edit the other 2 tables in Design view to alter their primary key, set currency data type and add additional data into all the tables so we can play with it in successive steps. This can be cumbersome to do in Excel but is effortless in Access. The key is in defining table relationships. You will see a dialog box that lists all tables. Double click on each table until they are seen in the background relationships view.

But right now, there is nothing special about this view. Our tables are simply listed, disconnected. Expense Name field. You can also select multiple contiguous columns and then drag them to a new location all at once. To select multiple contiguous columns, click the column header of the first column, and then, while holding down SHIFT, click the column header of the last column. Create a table, starting in Design view In Design view, you first create the table structure.

You then switch to Datasheet view to enter data, or enter data by using some other method, such as pasting, or importing. On the Create tab, in the Tables group, click Table Design. For each field in your table, type a name in the Field Name column, and then select a data type from the Data Type list.

If you want, you can type a description for each field in the Description column. The description is then displayed on the status bar when the cursor is located in that field in Datasheet view. The description is also used as the status bar text for any controls in a form or report that you create by dragging the field from the Field List pane, and for any controls that are created for that field when you use the Form Wizard or Report Wizard.

You can begin typing data in the table at any time by switching to Datasheet view and clicking in the first empty cell. You can also paste data from another source, as described in the section Copy data from another source into an Access table.

Set field properties in Design view Regardless of how you created your table, it is a good idea to examine and set field properties. While some properties are available in Datasheet view, some properties can only be set in Design view. To see a field's properties, click the field in the design grid. The properties are displayed below the design grid, under Field Properties. To see a description of each field property, click the property and read the description in the box next to the property list under Field Properties.

You can get more detailed information by clicking the Help button. For Text fields, this property sets the maximum number of characters that can be stored in the field. The maximum is For Number fields, this property sets the type of number that will be stored Long Integer, Double, and so on. For the most efficient data storage, it is recommended that you allocate the least amount of space that you think you will need for the data. You can adjust the value upwards later, if your needs change.

This property sets how the data is displayed. It does not affect the actual data as it is stored in the field. You can select a predefined format or enter a custom format. Use this property to specify a pattern for all data that will be entered in this field.

This helps ensure that all data is entered correctly, and that it contains the required number of characters. For help about building an input mask, click at the right side of the property box. Use this property to specify the default value that will appear in this field each time that a new record is added.

This property sets whether a value is required in this field. If you set this property to Yes , Access does not allow you to add a new record unless a value is entered for this field. If your data is currently stored in another program, such as Excel, you can copy and paste it into an Access table. In general, this works best if your data is already separated into columns, as they are in an Excel worksheet.

If your data is in a word processing program, it is best to separate the columns of data by using tabs, or to convert the data into a table in the word processing program before you copy the data. If your data needs any editing or manipulation for example, separating full names into first and last names , you might want to do this before you copy the data, especially if you are not familiar with Access. When you paste data into an empty table, Access sets the data type of each field according to what kind of data it finds there.

Access names the fields depending on what it finds in the first row of pasted data. If the first row of pasted data is similar in type to the rows that follow, Access determines that the first row is part of the data and assigns the fields generic names F1, F2, etc.

If the first row of pasted data is not similar to the rows that follow, Access determines that the first row consists of field names.

Access names the fields accordingly and does not include the first row in the data. If Access assigns generic field names, you should rename the fields as soon as possible to avoid confusion. Use the following procedure:. In Datasheet view, double-click each column heading, and then type a descriptive field name for each column.

Note: You can also rename the fields by switching to Design view and editing the field names there. To switch back to Datasheet view, double-click the table in the Navigation Pane. You might have data that is stored in another program, and you want to import that data into a new table or append it to an existing table in Access. Or you might work with people who keep their data in other programs, and you want to work with it in Access by linking to it. Either way, Access makes it easy to work with data from other sources.

You can import data from an Excel worksheet, from a table in another Access database, from a SharePoint list, or from a variety of other sources. The process you use differs slightly, depending on your source, but the following procedure will get you started. For example, if you are importing data from an Excel worksheet, click Excel.

If you don't see the program type that you need, click More. In the Get External Data dialog box, click Browse to find the source data file, or type the full path of the source data file in the File name box. Click the option that you want all programs let you import, and some let you append or link under Specify how and where you want to store the data in the current database.

You can create a new table that uses the imported data or with some programs you can append the data to an existing table or create a linked table that maintains a link to the data in the source program. If a wizard starts, follow the instructions on the next few pages of the wizard. On the last page of the wizard, click Finish. If you import objects or link tables from an Access database, either the Import Objects or Link Tables dialog box appears.

Choose the items that you want and then click OK. Access prompts you about whether you want to save the details of the import operation that you just completed. If you think that you will be performing this same import operation again in the future, click Save import steps , and then enter the details. If you don't want to save the details of the operation, click Close.

If you chose to import a table, Access imports the data into a new table and then displays the table under the Tables group in the Navigation Pane.

If you chose to append data to an existing table, the data is added to that table. Here are the external sources that you can import data or link from:. For more information, see Import or link to data in another Access database.

You can use the Table Analyzer Wizard to quickly identify redundant data. The wizard then provides a simple way to organize the data into separate tables. Access preserves the original table as a backup. The first two pages of the wizard contain a short tutorial with examples. If you see a check box labeled Show introductory pages?

If you don't want to see the introductory pages again, uncheck Show introductory pages? The rest of the design process varies depending on what you want to do, but you probably want to consider creating queries, forms, reports, and macros. These articles can help:. Introduction to tables. Introduction to queries. Create an Access form. Introduction to reports in Access. Protect your data with backup and restore processes. Get started. Basic tasks for an Access desktop database. Need more help?

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