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/en/access2003/using-a-wizard-to-create-the-contact-management-database/content/ IntroductionBy the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
Tables are created and maintained in the Tables tab of the Objects palette in Microsoft Access. The Contact Management database contains four tables: Calls, Contact Types, Contacts, and Switchboard Items. We will discuss the Contacts table in this lesson. A table opened in Datasheet view resembles a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. It is used to input records into the database and will be discussed in this lesson. To open an existing table (Contacts) from the Tables object:
The Datasheet view looks like an Excel spreadsheet. It consists of columns and rows. Field names—Contact ID, First Name, Last Name, Dear, Address, City, State, etc.—appear as column headings. Records represent rows with data input into the fields. The number of rows that appear in the table will equal the number of records that have been added to the table. One blank row always appears as the last row of the database. This blank row is used to add a new record the table. The status area in the bottom-left area of the window indicates the number of records in the table, as well as the record number displayed in the window. To navigate using the status area:
The vertical scroll bar is located along the right edge of the screen and can be used to move up or down the table if the total number of records exceeds the records shown on the screen. Similarly, the horizontal scroll bar located at the bottom of the screen can be used to move left or right across the window if the fields in a table exceed the number of fields displayed on the screen. Using the vertical scroll bar:
Using the horizontal scroll bar:
Another way to navigate records in a table is to scroll up and down one screen at a time using the PageUp and PageDown keys on the keyboard. Other keys provide shortcuts to move through fields and records, including:
The Record Selector, located to the left of each record in Datasheet view, identifies the operation being performed against a selected record at any given time. The Record Selector can display any of the following symbols:
Challenge!
/en/access2003/viewing-and-adding-table-records/content/
Learning Outcomes
A datasheet is a useful way of viewing data in Access. Most importantly, datasheet view allows a user to view many table records at the same time. In datasheet view, information is displayed in rows and columns—similar to a spreadsheet. Records are displayed as rows, so each row is an individual record. Within each row, columns represent fields within the record. Datasheet WindowsAt the top of the datasheet window are the title bar, the Quick Access toolbar, and the Ribbon. The bottom of the window has a status bar and on the right side of the window a scroll bar as you would expect. Many of the features that are common to spreadsheets are present in Access datasheet windows. A user can modify row height, column width, font size to change the amount of data that fits without scrolling. A user can also change the order of the rows or columns displayed in the window. Datasheet views are a common display tool for tables, queries, and forms in Access. There are some irregularities in the functionality of the datasheet windows for these depending on the underlying data sources. Contribute!Did you have an idea for improving this content? We’d love your input. Improve this pageLearn More |