Microsoft Access 2003, Intermediate

A new section of each course starts monthly. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure to space the start date for each course at least two months apart.

All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You do not have to be present when lessons are released. You will have access to all lessons until the course ends. However, the interactive discussion area that accompanies each lesson will automatically close two weeks after the lesson is released. As such, we strongly recommend that you complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.

The final exam will be released on the same day as the last lesson. Once the final exam has been released, you will have two weeks to complete all of your course work, including the final exam.

Lesson 1
Microsoft Access is a more than just a tool for managing data. It's a tool for building custom database applications, just like those used in virtually all businesses, large and small. In our first lesson, you'll learn what creating database applications is all about. We'll review some basics, such as how you design tables and why you separate your data into multiple tables. Then we'll talk about techniques you can use to make the computer?not people?do all the hard work in managing large amounts of data.

Lesson 2
There's an old saying in the database world that says "garbage in, garbage out." In other words, whatever you put into a database is exactly what you'll get back out. If the data you put in is no good, neither is the data you'll retrieve. In this lesson, we'll look at ways to make sure only "good" data gets into your database. Plus, you'll learn how to make data entry fast and painless by replacing the need to type information with simple point-and-click data entry.

Lesson 3
Forms are a key ingredient in quick, error-free data entry. Like a fill-in-the-blanks paper form, Access forms provide a clear, organized method of describing the information that the user needs to enter. But unlike a paper form, Access can verify data and reject bad data before it even gets into the database. In this lesson, we'll explore all the tools and techniques you'll need to create forms that not only look good, but also minimize the work required to get data into the database, all while keeping the garbage out of your database.

Lesson 4
If you have any experience with Windows at all, you're probably familiar with tabbed dialog boxes. These tabs divide all the information and options available in the dialog box into distinct sections so you're not overwhelmed by dozens of options the moment the dialog box opens. In this lesson, you'll learn how to create your own custom Access dialog boxes with tabs. Doing so will let you create custom database applications that have the same look and feel that everyday Windows dialog boxes offer.

Lesson 5
In the real world, there are countless examples of one-to-many relationships among data. For example, any one product in a business may be sold to many different customers. Any one student in a school might enroll in many different courses. In today's lesson, you'll learn how to define these relationships and how to use Access subforms to display the many items of data that are related to any one item of data in a table.

Lesson 6
When it comes to doing any form of math, nothing in the world is as quick or as accurate as a computer. Regardless of what kind of data you're managing, Access quickly and accurately does the math required to calculate totals, subtotals, percentages, and so forth. To get Access to do the math correctly, you'll use expressions. So in today's lesson, you'll learn what expressions are all about, how to create them, and how to make sure they always provide exactly the results you want.

Lesson 7
Sometimes just having Access do the math in a database isn't enough. Sometimes you'll want Access to make decisions about how to do the math. For example, before Access can calculate the sales tax on an order, it needs to decide if sales tax is even applicable to the product being sold, which could depend on where the order is being sent. To tell Access how to make such decisions, you'll need to use logical expressions. So in today's lesson, we'll explore how logical expressions work and how to create them.

Lesson 8
When you're dealing with data where there's a natural one-to-many relationship among bits of information, sometimes you'll need to do calculations on whole chunks of records. For example, in an order form, you may need to multiply the quantities of products purchased by the unit price of each product and come up with a total. In this lesson, we'll talk about Access functions that allow you to do just that?total up values from multiple database records to come up with a single subtotal or total number.

Lesson 9
Typing the same information (such as a customer's name and address) into a database over and over again isn't just a big waste of time, it could also lead to an error. Wouldn't it be better to ask Access to bring that information up onto the screen when you need it? In today's lesson, we'll go over exactly how to use records from multiple related tables within a database.

Lesson 10
If you ever find yourself performing the same task repeatedly in a database, chances are you can automate that task using a macro. A macro is a series of steps that you can define and run with a simple click of a button. Today you'll learn how to create such macros, as well as the buttons that make them work their magic.

Lesson 11
Everyone needs to print data from their database from time to time. In this lesson, you'll learn how to create professional-looking reports for printing mailing labels, invoices, receipts, and just about anything else you might want to put on paper. You'll also learn some shortcuts for using any existing form as the basis for a report so you don't have to create all of your printed reports from scratch.

Lesson 12
An Access database can contain many different types of objects?tables, queries, forms, reports, and macros, to name a few. Trying to use these objects through the database window can be confusing and time-consuming. In our final lesson, you'll learn to simplify your database by creating a switchboard. A switchboard will allow you, or anyone else who uses the database, to take advantage of all that your database has to offer just by clicking a button on the screen!