Understanding Databases and Planning an Access Project

Learn what a relational database does and plan a small Access database before building it.

What you will learn

• Distinguish a database from a spreadsheet
• Identify tables queries forms and reports
• Plan entities fields and business rules

Before you begin

Use a practice database containing non-sensitive sample information. Access versions can place commands differently, so use the ribbon search box when a named command is not immediately visible. Back up the file before structural changes.

Why use a database

A spreadsheet is excellent for calculations and flexible analysis. A relational database is better when structured records must be stored consistently, connected and retrieved in many ways.

Access desktop databases commonly use tables to store data, queries to retrieve it, forms to enter it and reports to present or print it.

Plan the information

List the real-world subjects to track, such as customers, products and orders. Each subject normally becomes its own table.

Write the facts needed for each subject and the rules that make a record valid. Keep sensitive information out unless it is genuinely required and properly protected.

Choose a practice project

This course uses a small customer-and-orders example. Customers are stored once and connected to many orders through identifying fields.

Sketch the desired outputs before building. Knowing what users need to enter, search and report helps reveal missing fields and relationships.

Guided practice

1. Write one sentence describing the purpose of your database.
2. List two or three subjects the database must track.
3. List five fields for one subject and identify its unique field.

Knowledge check

1. What are the four main Access objects?
2. Why should each subject normally have its own table?
3. What should be planned before building forms and reports?

Completion standard

Continue when you can complete the guided practice safely and explain the knowledge-check answers in your own words.