Week 10: Clear

MS Access

Probably everyone has seen MS Access in the MS Office package, but not everyone has a clue about its purpose and functions.

In the following I will give some basic insights into the usage of MS Office Access.

Graphic 1: Layout of Access

MS Office offers Access as an easily-usable program to store and administer data. Generally, a MS Access-database consists of four different basic elements: Tables, Forms, Queries and Reports. As can be seen from Graphic 1, all four elements serve different purposes, but are linked with each other. Following I will explain the purpose of each basic element.

Tables

Tables save the data and hence, represent some kind of data collection. They can be seen as the backbone of the database.

Forms

Forms make the entry of data into tables and the modification of data in tables easier.

Queries

Queries access the data in tables, can display chosen data next to each other and it is even possible to do calculations within queries, e.g. add one variable to another as functions can be used.

Reports

Reports are based on queries and serve the purpose of displaying data and providing a basis for nice print-outs.

By providing the possibility to store, modify, administrate and print data in an easy and convenient way, MS Access is a great program not only for large companies and organizations, but also for small or medium sized enterprises. Even individual people, like you and me, can use it in our everyday-lives e.g. for the management of a DVD collection.

Graphic 1 by Nina Maria Scherl.