Nursing Informatics
An introduction to Microsoft Access
Microsoft Access
Database Management System (DBMS)
Microsoft Access
Access is an easy-to-use tool for creating business applications, from templates or
from scratch. With its rich and intuitive design tools, Access can help you create
appealing and highly functional applications in a minimal amount of time.
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Objects
Microsoft Access Basics
4 Primary Objects
Table Query Form Report Others
Table
Table is an object that is used to define and store data. When you
create a new table, Access asks you to define fields which is also
known as column headings.
Table Example
Query
Provides a custom view of data from one or more tables. Queries are a way of
searching for and compiling data from one or more tables.
Query Example
Form
An object in a desktop database designed
primarily for data input or display or for
control of application execution. You use
forms to customize the presentation of data
that your application extracts from queries or
tables.
Form Example
Report
An object in desktop databases designed for formatting,
calculating, printing, and summarizing selected data.
Report Example
Data Types
What are these records?
Microsoft Access
Type of Data Description Size
Text or combinations of text and numbers, including numbers that do
Short Text Up to 255 characters.
not require calculating (e.g., phone numbers).
Long Text Lengthy text or combinations of text and numbers. Up to 63, 999 characters.
1, 2, 4, or 8 bytes (16 bytes
Number Numeric data used in mathematical calculations.
if set to Replication ID).
Microsoft Access
Type of Data Description Size
Date/Time Date and time values for the years 100 through 9999. 8 bytes
Currency values and numeric data used in mathematical calculations
Currency 8 bytes
involving data with one to four decimal places.
A unique sequential (incremented by 1) number or random number
4 bytes (16 bytes if set to
AutoNumber assigned by Microsoft Access whenever a new record is added to a
Replication ID).
table.
Microsoft Access
Type of Data Description Size
Yes and No values and fields that contain only one of two values
Yes/No 1 bit.
(Yes/No, True/False, or On/Off).
Files, such as digital photos. Multiple files can be attached per
Attachment Up to about 2 GB.
record. This data type is not available in earlier versions of Access.
OLE objects can store pictures, audio, video, or other BLOBs
OLE objects Up to about 2 GB.
(Binary Large Objects)
Microsoft Access
Type of Data Description Size
Text or combinations of text and numbers stored as text and used as a Up to 8,192 (each part of a
hyperlink address. Hyperlink data type can
Hyperlink contain up to 2048
characters).
You can create an
expression that uses data
You can create an expression that uses data from one or more fields. from one or more fields.
Calculated
You can designate different result data types from the expression. You can designate different
result data types from the
expression.
Microsoft Access
Type of Data Description Size
The Lookup Wizard entry in the Data Type column in the Design Dependent on the data type
view is not actually a data type. When you choose this entry, a of the lookup field.
wizard starts to help you define either a simple or complex lookup
field.
Lookup Wizard
A simple lookup field uses the contents of another table or a value
list to validate the contents of a single value per row. A complex
lookup field allows you to store multiple values of the same data
type in each row.
Creating Tables (Demo)
Preparing for data entry
Creating Tables
• Each field must have a unique name, and data type.
• Tables contain fields or columns that store different kinds of data, such as a name or
an address, and records or rows that collect all the information about a particular
instance of the subject, such as all the information about a customer or employee etc.
• You can define a primary key, one or more fields that have a unique value for each
record, and one or more indexes on each table to help retrieve your data more quickly.
