Microsoft Access

Advanced
The Instructors
 Allyson Mower, Digital Initiatives,
581-5263, amower@lib.med.utah.edu
 Alice Weber, Collection Development,
587-9247, aweber@lib.med.utah.edu
 Joan Gregory, Technical Services,
581-5269, joang@lib.med.utah.edu
Your Expectations/Experience?
Class Objectives
 Overview of some basic database design
principles
 Create a sample MS Access database from
scratch
 Modify database objects

 Learn how to import data from other

programs
Definitions
 MS Access - software used for
creating databases
 Data are just information

 Database

• Collection of data/information
• Related to a particular topic or project
Basic
Database Design Principles
 Avoid Duplication
• Tables, fields, records
 Enforce Data Integrity
• Data are referenced throughout the entire
database so that changes made in one table
affect other tables
 Ensure Data Accuracy
• Formats (mm-dd-yyyy), pick lists, controlled
vocabulary
Main Parts of Database Design
 Mission Statement
 Tables

 Fields

 IdentifyingRelationships
 Enforcing Integrity
Sample Database Scenario

A VERY simple example

A small business owner with three staff

members needs to contact customers by
phone.
Mission Statement
A mission statement clearly explains
the purpose of the database
 Sample mission statement:

The contact management database will

keep track of customers, the calls made,
and by whom.
Mission Statement >>Tables
 Themission statement is used to
develop a list of tables.
“The contact management database will keep
track of customers, the calls made, and by whom.”
 Each table represents a single subject,
object or event.
 Avoid duplication
Tables
 Customers

• “Keep track of customers”

 Calls

• “the calls made”

 Employees

• “and by whom”
Tables >>Fields
 Tables are made up of fields that
represent a characteristic of the
subject, object or event
 For example, each person has:

• First name
• Last name
• Phone number
 Avoid duplication by specific naming
Fields in the Calls Table
 These fields represent characteristics of the
Calls:
• Call ID
• Customer ID
• Employee ID
• Call Date
• Call Time
• Call Subject
• Call Notes
Required Fields
 Each table must have a Primary Key field
• to uniquely identify a record
• to establish relationships between tables
• Typically, it is an auto-generated number
 Foreign Key fields are required only:
• to facilitate relationships between tables
• to enforce data integrity
Fields in the Calls Table:
Primary Key
 These fields represent characteristics of the
Calls:
►Call ID
• Customer ID
• Employee ID
• Call Date
• Call Time
• Call Subject
• Call Notes
Fields in the Calls Table:
Foreign Keys
 These fields represent characteristics of the
Calls Table:
• Call ID
►Customer ID
►Employee ID
• Call Date
• Call Time
• Call Subject
• Call Notes
Main Parts of Database Design
 Mission Statement
 Tables

 Fields

 IdentifyingRelationships
 Enforcing Integrity
What You Don’t Know –
Can Cause You Problems
 Database design requires:
• Thinking through what you want and
need out of your database
• Assessing whether or not you have
the skills to create that database
• Recognizing when you need
database programming expertise
MS Access and its Templates
Can Help You
 Test your database design ideas
 Determine if your database is simple or complex
 Create a simple database from scratch
 Create a more complex database using templates
 Identify when you need a database programmer
 Help you explain what you want to a database
programmer, so the results meet your needs
Questions
Now for the Hands-On Practice!

MS Access Tutorial