Access 97: Level 2

Course length: 1 day(s)

Course description

Overview: Students will build upon the skills gained in Access 97: Level 1, learning how to enhance their database designs by using the principles of normalization and table relationships. Students also learn how to query multiple tables for data that is used in customized forms and reports.

Prerequisites: To ensure your continued success, students must first complete the Software Training class, Access 97: Level 1 or have equivalent knowledge, and have a basic understanding of your computer's operating system, and the Internet. For example, you should know how to launch an application, create and save files, and copy files from CDs and other media. The classes, Windows 98: Introduction, and Internet Explorer 5.x are designed to teach these skills, though they are not required.

Delivery method: Instructor-led, group-paced, classroom-delivery learning model with structured hands-on activities.

Benefits: Students will learn how to take the guesswork out of creating databases by using data-normalization techniques. They will learn how to take advantage of relational database efficiency to maintain data. In addition, students will be able to save time by controlling data entry and automating tasks. Students will also benefit by becoming familiar with Access features that will enable them to customize forms and reports.

Target student: Students enrolling in this course should understand the basics of creating and using database objects, including tables, queries, forms, and reports.

What's next: Students who want to learn advanced features can take the third course in this Software Training series, Access 97: Advanced. In that course, students learn to create advanced queries, create more efficient forms and reports, and work with macros. The final course in this series, Access 97: Introduction to Application Design, teaches students to create custom applications. 

Performance-based objectives

Lesson objectives help students become comfortable with the course, and also provide a means to evaluate learning. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Normalize sample tables by identifying design problems.
• Establish relationships between tables by analyzing table relationships and enforcing referential integrity.
• Customize table designs by setting field properties to maintain data integrity and creating indexes.
• Design select queries by using multiple tables to calculate, group, average, and concatenate values and to show top values.
• Customize form designs by creating calculated fields, combo boxes, and unbound controls.
• Display table information that has a one-to-many relationship by creating forms that contain subforms.
• Customize report designs by grouping, sorting, and summarizing data, and by adding subreports.

Course content

Lesson 1: Principles of table design

Normalizing data

Normalizing data for fourth and fifth normal forms

Lesson 2: Principles of table relationships

Analyzing table relationships

Establishing and testing referential integrity

Lesson 3: Table design techniques

Data validation techniques

Indexing techniques

Lesson 4: Designing select queries

Working with calculations

Creating advanced select queries

Lesson 5: Enhanced form design

Modifying the form design

Adding calculations to a form

Adding combo boxes to a form

Adding unbound controls

Lesson 6: Subform design

Creating a form that contains a subform

Using the Form Wizard to create a form that contains a subform

Lesson 7: Customizing reports

Customizing a report created by the Report Wizard

Subreports

Appendix A: Using the Chart Wizard

Appendix B: Mailing labels