Student Objectives: Understand databases.; Start access and open a database.; Identify the parts of the Access screen.; Identify the database objects.; Understand database terminology.; Create a new database and a new table.; Design, modify, name, and save a table.; Navigate a database and enter records.; Print a table and exit Access.

What is Microsoft Access?
1) Access is software or a program that stores information in a data bank.
2) It is called a Database Management System.

What is a database management system?
1) It is software that allows you to store, retrieve, analyze, and print information.
2) It is more efficient than paper filing.  It can keep such information as names, addresses, phone numbers, social security numbers of your friends, relatives, students, etc.

What are the Access screen elements?
1) Like other Office 2000 applications, Access contains a title bar, menu bar, toolbar, and status bar.
2) New elements are the database window and the database objects window.

When a database is saved, a database file is created.  The database file.....
1) Contains a collection of database objects. 
2) These database objects are:
Tables: Tables store data in a format similar to a worksheet. All database info. is stored here.
Queries:  Queries search for and retrieve data from tables based on certain criteria. It asks a question you ask the database.
Forms:  Forms allow you to display data in a custom format like a paper form or application.
Reports:  Reports display data in a custom format, but they are designed for printing a summarizing data.
Macros:  Macros automate database operations by allowing you to use a single command to perform a series of operations.
Modules:  Like macros, but allow much more complex programming of database operations.

What is a Table?
1) A database object.  It stores data in a format similar to a spreadsheet/worksheet.  All database information is stored here.
2) It is the 1st step to creating and designing a database.

What is a record?
1) A complete set of data.
2) An example is your school record.

What is a field?
1) One data item.
2) For example: Your first name on an application is a field.
3) **Fields make a record, and several records make a database file.

In order to identify a field, databases must have.....
1) A field name
2) An example of a field name is: Phone Number

When data is entered into a field, it is called a....
1) an entry

How are tables designed?
1) They are designed by pressing the Design button of the database.
2) The fieldnames that go into the table must be broken up into the following data types: Text, Memo, Number, Date/Time, Currency, Counter, Yes/No; OLE Object; Hyperlink; Lookup Wizard.

What are the field name data types and the descriptions.
Data Type
Text: Allows the user to type in text or numbers, providing the numbers don't have to be calculated. (Social Security #'s can fit in this field).  Text fields hold up to 255 characters.
Memo: A data type that can contain thousands of alphanumeric data..
Number: A data type that holds numeric data that is able to calculate.
Date/Time: A data type that holds dates and times.
Currency: A data type that is formatted for currency (Dollars and cents)
AutoNumber:  The AutoNumber data type is automatically incremented by Access for each new record added.
Yes/No: A data type that holds logical values.  It also means True/False or On/Off.
OLE Object: The data type used for more advanced features and if the user wants to store graphics, sound, and even objects (like spreadsheets) in a field.
Hyperlink:  Data type used to store a hyperlink as a UNC path or URL.
Lookup Wizard: Creates a field that allows you to choose a value form another table or from a list of values.

What is Datasheet View?
1) A view where you can enter records into the table.  It looks like a spreadsheet.  This is opposite from design view.

What is Design View?
1) A view where the user actually designs a table, form, query or report.  Press the Design button in order to design.
2) Just like an architect designs buildings, a user must design their database before using. 
3) This is opposite from Datasheet view.
4) Design view can be used to design Tables, Forms, Queries, or Reports.

What is field size?
1) When designing a database table, the user must determine how many characters a field will be able to hold.
2) This is field size.  (Ex. Name field: 35 characters).  This means that names cannot be over 35 characters.

What is the primary key?
1) A special field that assigns a unique identifier to each record.  (Ex. An ID number or a Social Security #)
2) You can either have Access to set the primary key, OR you can designate a field such as (SS#) to be your primary key.  (Note: Primary keys may not have duplicate data)