This document discusses developing effective reports in Microsoft Access 2013. It covers creating basic reports using the report button and report wizard. More advanced topics include modifying reports in design view, adding grouping and sorting, conditional formatting, and including subreports and charts in reports. The goal is to organize and format data into informative printed reports for analysis and decision making.

1. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Developing Effective Reports

2. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Chapter Introduction
• Reports
– Reflect the information in the database
– Summarize business activities
– Provide details about your data
– Use reports to format data in an attractive and
informative layout for printing
– Often based on data in multiple tables
2

3. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Tools Covered In This Chapter
• Conditional formatting
• Label Wizard
• Page breaks
• Queries
• Report button
• Report Wizard
• Sorting and Grouping
• Subreports
3

4. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Level 1 Objectives:
Creating Simple Reports and Labels
• Create and modify basic reports
• Improve the information content of reports by
sorting and summarizing
• Create labels using Label Wizard
4

5. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Understanding Reports
• Report
– Presents information from one or more database
tables
– Printed format
– Provides most options and advantages for printing
database content
• Organize and format information to create professional
presentation
• Include numeric and textual data
• Maintain flexibility when displaying summary information
5

6. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Understanding Reports (cont'd.)
• Accomplish goals with reports
– Create printed copy of information used regularly
– Distribute information to others
– Customize organization and appearance of printed
information
– Group or summarize information for
• Reporting to others
• Calculating running totals
• Group totals
• Grand totals
• Percentages of totals
6

7. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013 7
Table 5.1: Comparing forms and reports

8. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Choosing the Appropriate Type of Report
• Determine report purpose and audience
– Before developing
• Report types
– Detailed
– Grouped
– Summary
– Mailing labels
– Multiple-column
• Types of reports can contain other reports
– Called subreports
8

9. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013 9
Table 5.2: Types of reports available in Access

10. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013 10
Table 5.2: Types of reports available in Access (cont’d.)

11. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Planning Basic Reports
• Start by creating reports for various functions
within pharmacy
– Managers of areas can review reports
– Comment on usefulness and appearance
11

12. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Creating and Modifying
Basic Reports
• Report button
– Create report that displays all fields and records in
single table or query
• Report Wizard
– Guides you through steps of creating report
– Based on one or more tables or queries
– Asks questions about
• Record sources
• Fields
• Layout
• Format
12

13. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Creating a Report Using the Report Button
• In the Navigation Pane, click the table on which
you want to base the report
• Click the CREATE tab, click the Report button in
the Reports group. Access creates a report that
includes all the fields from the record source
• Save the report
• Naming reports
– Use rpt prefix
– Choose meaningful name
13

14. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013 14

15. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Creating a Report Using the Report Wizard
• Provides quick way to select only fields you
want to display in report
– Based on one or more tables or queries
• Select one of several layouts and styles for
report
• Create report with Report Wizard
– Customize report in Design view
• Provides options for selecting fields
15

16. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Creating a Report Using the Report Wizard
(cont'd.)
• Pages
– Fields
– Grouping
– Sorting
– Layout and orientation
16

17. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Modifying a Report in Design View
• Can create reports from scratch in Design view
• Control
– Small object such as text box
– Displays data or line to separate records
• Modify report in Layout and Design view
– Switch to Print Preview to see effects of changes
17

18. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013 18

19. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013 19

20. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Modifying a Report in Design View (cont'd.)
• Report sections:
– Report header
– Page header
– Group header
– Detail
– Group footer
– Page footer
– Report footer
20

21. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Modifying a Report in Design View (cont'd.)
• View property sheet for section
– Double-click section bar
• Report caption
– Name of report in title bar
• Report design checklist:
– Is the same format applied to all reports?
– Does title label caption need to be modified?
– Have I changed report caption?
– Can I read complete column headings or are they
truncated?
21

22. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Modifying a Report in Design View (cont'd.)
• Report design checklist:
– Does all data in detail area appear or is some
truncated?
– Is report so wide that it should use landscape
orientation?
– Is vertical spacing too spread out or too close?
– If report has many numbers does it use gridlines
to make reading it easier?
– Do any extra items on report detract from its
appearance?
22

23. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Modifying a Report in Design View (cont'd.)
• Report design checklist:
– Do any errors or blank pages appear when report
printed?
– Would data have more information content if
grouped?
– Would summary data add to information content
of report?
23

24. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013 24

25. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013 25

26. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Moving Detail Fields to Multiple Lines on a
Report
• Increase length of detail section to make room
for second row of text by
– Dragging page footer section bar down
• Move fields
• Add logos or other graphics
– Using Logo button on the DESIGN tab
26

27. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Applying Themes to Reports
• Can use themes in forms
– Add theme colors
– Add font colors
– Access will apply to the proper section
27

28. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Creating a Grouped Report Using a Single Table
• Grouped report
– Groups records based on values in one or more fields
– Makes report more informative
– Calculate totals and other values for each group
• Create using Report Wizard
– Only allows four grouping levels
• Create using Design view
– Up to 10 grouping levels allowed
• Group level determines how groups nested
28

29. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013 29

30. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Creating Labels Using the Label Wizard
• Store name and address information in Access
database
– Create simple report formatted to look like mailing
label
– Report extracts address data from table or query
• Organizes it to print label for each address in record source
• Use Label Wizard
– Specify record source for mailing label report
– Select type of label
• Customize mailing labels using Design view
30

31. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Creating Labels Using the Label Wizard (cont'd.)
• Build prototype of label
– By selecting necessary fields one at a time
– Press enter key to move to next line
• Specify sort order for labels
31

32. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Level 1 Summary
• Report
– Printed version of data
• Create using
– Report button
– Report Wizard
• Use Design view to customize appearance and
data
• Save design as Theme
32

33. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Level 2 Objectives: Developing Management
Reports to Support Decision Making
• Create a custom report
• Add calculations to a report
• Look at Design view and properties
33

34. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Creating Custom Reports
• Custom reports
– Require data from more than one table
– Have calculated fields
– Use summary statistics
– Require parameter input at time report run
34

35. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Creating a Report Using Fields
from Multiple Tables
• Limit records included in report or use
parameter values
– Base report on query
• Resolving error messages in mailing labels
– May see error message when previewing or
printing mailing labels
– Before modifying column widths
• Check to see if data in labels all printing
– Modify column widths to eliminate errors
35

36. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Creating a Report Using Fields
from Multiple Tables (cont'd.)
• Parameter queries allow user input
– Dialog box requesting information to be used as
criteria for retrieving records
• Enter parameter [Prompt?]
36

37. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Adding or Modifying Grouping Levels to a
Report
• Add grouping level after creating original report
• Sort fields can serve as grouping fields
• Group header
– Includes name of group
• Group footer
– Includes count or subtotal for records in group
• Use Group & Sort button
• Each report can have up to 10 sort fields
– Any sort field can also be grouping field
37

38. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013 38

39. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Improving the Information Content of Grouped
Reports
• Group header
– Area on report used to indicate start of new group
– Text or controls located in group header shown
once for group
• Group footer section
– Shown only once at end of any group detail
– Most often used to contain summary data such as
subtotals for data in group
39

40. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Improving the Information Content of Grouped
Reports (cont'd.)
• Tabular reports that have large amounts of data
– Can contain more information if report uses grouping
• Organize data into smaller segments
• Easier to comprehend
• Calculated fields
– General format
• Use equal sign followed by calculation
– Most developers recommend creating calculation in
query
• Use query as basis for report
40

41. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Grouping on Date and Time
• Accounting reports
– Usually prepared for monthly, quarterly, and
annual time periods
• Report Wizard has built-in grouping options
for date/time fields
– Use same date field for multiple time periods
• Create query that shows only last refill for any
customer within household
– Use totals button
41

42. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Grouping on Date and Time (cont'd.)
• Last function
– Returns value for last row encountered for each
group
42

43. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Changing the Record Source
and Adding Fields
• Report designers often need to change source
of data for report after it is created
– Change Record Source Property in report’s
Property Sheet
– Copy object such as query form, label, or macro
• Modify it for another use
– May need to remove fields not included in new
record source
• Add field from underlying table or query to
report
43

44. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Forcing a Page Break After Each Group
• Print data for one person only
– Insert page break control to force page break
– Use Insert Page Break button
– Insert page break in group footer
• Keep Together setting in Properties Sheet
– Keep heading and at least part of detail together
44

45. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Level 2 Summary
• Custom reports
• Grouping organizes information
– Group on any sort field
– Group header/footer
• Modify report in Design view
– Change data source
– Add fields
45

46. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Level 3 Objectives:
Designing Reports for Data Analysis
• Define conditional formatting rules in a report
• Develop reports with subreports
• Develop graphs
46

47. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Creating Advanced Reports in Design View
• Create report in Design view
– Click Create tab on the Ribbon
– Click Report Design button in the Reports Group
– Click the Property Sheet button in the Tools group
– Click the Data tab in the Property Sheet to choose
a record source
• Can also specify record source later
– Add report header and footer if desired
– Create a report title, if desired
47

48. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Creating Advanced Reports in Design View
(cont’d.)
• Create report in Design view (cont’d.)
– Display the list of fields for the table or query
– Click the DESIGN tab and click the Add Existing
Fields button in the Tools group
– Drag fields to Detail Section from Field List
– Create page or group headers and column
headings from label controls as needed
– Add grouping and/or sorting
48

49. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Exporting Access Data to Microsoft Excel
• Select the query you want to export
• Click the External Data tab
• Click the desired button in the Export group
• Select the destination
• Open the query in Excel
49

50. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Beyond Calculated Fields
• To use summary options from Report Wizard
– Must have numeric field
– Base report on query that includes numeric field
50

51. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Advanced Label Formatting
• Create query with the needed fields
• Use Label Wizard to get started
• Modify label layout created by Label Wizard
51

52. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Modifying Labels in Design View
• Use properties of controls to modify label
precisely
• Use color to highlight items of interest
• Use properties in the Property sheets for the
label and its controls
52

53. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Including Additional Data for Analysis
• Subreport
– Provides information similar to subform
• Apply conditional formatting to report
– Display some information in certain color
• Specify conditions for color changes
53

54. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Adding a Subreport to a Report
• Access supports grouping
– Arrange data in hierarchical way by nesting groups
• Subreports or subforms in report
– Including charts or unrelated data
• Create report to use as subreport first
– Add it to main report in Design view
54

55. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Conditional Formatting for Report Values
• Conditional formatting
– Add formatting features such as color, bold, or
larger fonts
– Based on values in report
– Specify up to three conditions for field
55

56. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013 56

57. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013 57

58. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Adding a Chart to a Report
• Create a report or open an existing report
– Switch to Design View
• Increase the size of the report section where
you want to place chart
• Click the Chart button in the Controls Group
• Hold mouse button and draw from upper left
to lower right an outline for the chart
• Chart Wizard select the table or query for the
chart and the fields to be used
58

59. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Adding a Chart to a Report (cont’d.)
• Choose the chart type in the Wizard
• Drag and drop the fields where you want
them to appear in the chart
• Select report fields and chart fields to change
from record to record
• Enter a title for the chart, then click Finish
59

60. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Level 3 Summary
• Create report in design view
• Insert components into report
– Chart
– Subreport
– Subform
• Export to Excel
– Crosstab query
• Apply conditional formatting
60

61. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Chapter Summary
• Report
– Printed version of data
• Use Design view to customize appearance and
data
• Grouping organizes information
• Insert components into report
– Chart
– Subreport
– Subform
• Export to Excel
61