Microsoft Access The Basics – What is Access

What is Access? 

Microsoft Access is a relational database.  All data that is related is stored in one place. Different items are called objects, and the objects fall into four key categories.   

The different categories are: 

Tables 

Tables are where the data is stored and is the backbone of a database. The tables are related in some way, such as lists of customers, the orders they have placed and the items they have requested on each order can be stored in one place. 

Queries 

Queries are where the tables can be analysed, whether by a criteria, by categorising the data or over time.  Queries can be based on a single table, multiple related tables or another query. 

Forms 

Forms are for screen presentation of the data.  They are designed to make it easier to view the data for presentation purposes or to make it easier to input or amend data by the user. 

They can be based on a table, multiple tables or a query. 

There are design considerations that have to be taken depending on how the form is going to be used. 

Reports 

Reports are for static presentation of the data, whether on paper or on screen. 

As the data is not going to be manipulated, the design considerations are only going to be in relation to the presentation of the data.