Access 2007 Fundamentals Training

Our Access training course takes you through all the ins and outs, from creating your first table all the way to producing a final summary report complete with a layout scheme that is sure to get you noticed. Our certified instructors offer an engaging, hands-on workshop packed with database fundamentals and insider tips to get your information management system up and running in no time.

Getting Started with Microsoft Access

In this section, we familiarize you with Office 2007's updated Ribbon interface, along with the main components of an Access database. Soon, you will be able to:

• Open a new or existing database file
• Navigate using the Navigation Pane and Access 2007's Ribbon toolbar
• Understand Access terminology for databases, tables, records, and fields
• Identify the uses of various objects in Access such as a Query or a Macro

Setting up Microsoft Access

Planning ahead in Access maximizes data storage efficiency and saves copious amounts of time and energy down the line. Understanding the purpose of your database, the type of information you want to store, and the types of queries you will want to perform are all key factors in how you design your tables. Our expert instructors will guide you through how to:

• Identify the key pieces of information (fields) you need to set up your database
• Distinguish between stored and calculated fields
• Implement best-practice naming conventions
• Take existing templates and make them your own
• Designate a primary or composite key to create unique identifiers for each entry
• Add new records three different ways

Access: Fields and Records

Access offers flexibility. Once your tables are created, you can always go back and change the scheme or modify your fields to add more information. Every field can be renamed or rearranged to accommodate data viewing in a way that makes sense to your users. You can even attach other files such as an Excel spreadsheet or a Photoshop image to provide more information. You will learn how to:

• Select, delete, insert and modify fields
• Clarify ambiguous field names with captions
• Apply a Totals row to statistically summarize data
• Easily make global changes with the Find and Replace feature
• Quickly find information with wildcard searches
• Associate fields with external data sources

Access: Sorting and Filtering

Another major advantage of Access is the ability to sort and filter through all your records at once. This precursor to the query tool makes searching for and organizing specific datasets a breeze. In this unit, you will learn the skills to:

• Easily sort, filter, and delete records
• Organize records based on more than one field for added precision
• Simplify your work by using filters to view subsets of your information
• Use advanced filtering and sorting techniques to satisfy multiple criteria

Access: Data Entry Rules

Controlling how data is stored and displayed is the quickest avenue to streamlining the data entry process for the data administrator. By having rules in place for what type of value, character length, and text format can be entered into a field (for example, numbers vs. letters), you reduce errors and save time, for example, when keying in a new list of contacts and sales orders. In this section, we will cover how to:

• Specify required fields to ensure no cell is left blank
• Lock values to prevent unintentional deletion or revision
• Assign a maximum character length to a field
• Track the history of all changes made to an entry using the Append Only property
• Create an input mask to quickly organize input into a desired format
• Write your own alert messages for when users violate validation rules

Microsoft Access: Basic Queries

Getting information out of your database is just as important, if not more important, than getting your data into the database for storage purposes. In Access, you retrieve and display selective data from one or more tables using queries. Queries allow you to collect vital information through a focused lens, and let you do in-depth information analysis to support the business decision-making process. We will show you how to:

• Take advantage of the Query Wizard to simplify the query process
• Append additional criteria to trim results even further
• Perform comparison operations and calculations
• Scan and find empty null fields for database pruning
• Save and restore previous query results

Access: Designing Forms

Reduce the tediousness of having to enter endless numbers and records by creating forms that interact with the database so you don't have to. By taking the time to design a simple, front-end user-friendly form, new records can be added, edited, sorted and filtered with no trouble at all. In this section of the course, you will practice how to:

• Create and modify forms with the Form Wizard and in Design view
• Anchor text box and label controls to establish visual consistency in your layout
• Format section properties to toggle style and display settings
• Save time and improve readability with conditional formatting for font color and style

Prerequisites for Access training:

• A solid understanding of Windows’ file management, the concepts of right-clicking and selecting object properties

Access training offered at four locations::

• Access training San Francisco
  
• Access training Los Angeles
  
• Access training San Jose
• Access training Sacramento