N5 Admin & IT Intro to Databases

• identify the features of databases

• create database tables and amend, add, and delete fields and records

you will know that you have begun to use this new learning when you can ...

learn about database systems.

The purpose of this lesson is to...

• Employee details

• Customer details

• Orders

There are many different types of database that can be used in a business, such as:

A database is a system for organising, storing and retrieving data.

Microsoft Access is a popular database package but

there are alternatives such as OpenOffice Base.

• Databases are made up of one or more tables

• Each table is a col lection of records, and records are made up of fields

• Each column in a database represents a field

• Each row in a database represents a record

• Each record in a database is uniquely identified by a primary key

• Databases with linked tables are called relational databases

The primary key is a field that contains data that is UNIQUE for each record.

You are going to continually need to switch between Design View and Datasheet View.

Access will automatically choose a field's data type based on the data entered. For example, if a phone number is entered into a field its data type will be automatically set to 'Number'.

Other data types include:
text - writing
date/time - date or time
currency - euro, pound, dollar, etc
autonumber - number increases by one each time
yes/no - only yes or no can be entered

1. Double click on each table

2. Click on VIEW and change to DESIGN VIEW

3. Follow the instructions to change the data type

4. Change format here (e.g. field size, decimal places etc)

1. To create a table in Microsoft Access, use Design View. Start by writing in the field names and selecting the data type.

2. Change to Datasheet View and add in the data.

​HINT: Use Short Text for a mixture of letters and numbers such as ID (rather than autonumber)

1. Select the Home Tab

2. Select Datasheet View from the View menu

3. Click the record selector next to the record to be deleted

4. Click Delete from the Records section on the ribbon, or hit the delete key on the keyboard

1. Select the Home Tab

2. Select Datasheet View from the View menu

3. A new record can be added at the bottom row of the table

1. Select the Home Tab

2. Select Design View from the View menu

3. Enter the field name in the first blank Field Name box

4. Select the Data Type of the new field

5. Select Save from the File menu

1. Select the Home Tab

2. Select Design View from the View menu

3. Select the field to be deleted from the database.

4. Click Delete Rows from the Tools section oin the ribbon