Microsoft Access 2000 is an application of the Microsoft Office 2000 suite. Many of its functions, its layout and navigational aspects are similar to the other Microsoft Access applications.

Microsoft Access is a database and more specifically a relational database. This will be explained in more detail later.

All the objects (tables, queries, reports etc) and the data is stored in a single .mdb file, although the objects can be split from the data if required.

Access has a .mdb extension by default. Whereas Microsoft Word has the .doc extension.

The Microsoft Access Database is made up of 7 major components:

Tables
The tables are the backbone and the storage container of the data entered into the database. If the tables are not set up correctly, with the correct relationships (see below), then the database maybe slow, give you the wrong results or not react the way you expect, so take a bit of time when setting up your tables.

All actions i.e. queries, forms etc. must be based on or contained in a table.

The tables when opened look a bit like a table in Microsoft Word or a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet. They have columns and rows. Each of the columns will have a field name at the top, and each of the rows will represent a record.

Relationships
Relationships are the bonds you build between the tables. They join tables that have associated elements. To do this there is a field in each table, which is linked to each other, and have the same values.

Queries
Are the means of manipulating the data, to display in a form or a report. Queries can sort, calculate, group, filter, join tables, update data, delete data etc. Their power is immense. The Microsoft Access database query language is SQL (Structured Query Language). The need to know SQL is not required in the early stages of learning Access. Microsoft Access writes the SQL for you, after you tell it what you want, in the design view of the queries window.

Forms

Forms are the primary interface through which the users of the database enter data. The person who enters the data will interact with forms regularly. The programmer can set the forms to show only the data required, by the use of queries, properties, macros and VBA (Visual Basic for Applications). The ability to add, edit and delete data can also be set. Forms can be set up very individually to reflect the use they are required for.

Reports
Reports are the results of the manipulation of the data you have entered into the database. Unlike forms they cannot be edited. Reports are intended to be used to output data to another device or application i.e. printer, fax, Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel.

Macros
Macros are an automatic way for Access to carry out a series of actions for the database. Access gives you a selection of actions which are carried out in the order you enter. Macros can open forms, run queries, change values of a field, run other Macros etc. the list is almost endless.

Modules
Is the window where you can write and store Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). Advanced users of Microsoft Access tend to use VBA instead of Macros.

All of the above components are persistent; this means that changes are saved when you move from one component to another, not when the database is closed as in a Microsoft Word Document.


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