This document provides an overview of Microsoft Access, including how to start Access, the main elements of the Access program window, and how to navigate and manage objects within an Access database. It describes Access as a software application used to create and manage computerized databases. It explains that the main elements of the Access program window are the quick access toolbar, ribbon, navigation pane, and status bar. The navigation pane displays all database objects organized into groups, and allows users to open, rename and delete objects.

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LESSON
UNDERSTANDING
MICROSOFT ACCESS

2. MICROSOFT ACCESS:
• Is a software application used to create and
manage computerized databases on a single
computer or on a network.
• You could open it by clicking the Start button
then select All Programs then Microsoft
Office, and finally Microsoft Office Access
2010.

3. Why use Microsoft Access?
Microsoft Access is a relational database
program that it is usually used to create and
maintain tables, queries, forms and reports.
Starting Microsoft Access:
When you start Access 2010 without opening a
specific file, the Backstage view opens, prompting
you to create a new database or open an existing
database.

4. To start Access from the Start menu:
1. Click the Start button, then All Programs,
choose Microsoft Office, and then click
Microsoft Access 2010.
2. Under Available template, click Blank
database.
3. Click the Create button. A blank database
opens in the program window and a blank
table named Table 1 opens in Datasheet view.

5. The Backstage view contains the following
options.
• Save, Open and Close – Offers the save,
open and close commands.

6. • Recently Opened – Displays the last four database
recently opened.
• Info – Contains information about the database.
• Recent – Displays a more complete list of recently
opened databases.
• New – Creates a new database from scratch or from
a selection of available templates.
• Print – Contains options for printing quick print,
normal print, preview – the current object in the
database.
• Save and Publish – Provides advanced options to
save the database.
• Help – Provides access to Microsoft Office Help.
• Options – Provides various Access options.

7. Elements of Microsoft Access 2010
Program Window
• Title Bar – Displays the name of the database and the
program. The buttons on the right side of the Title bar are
used to minimize, maximize, restore, and close the program
window.
• Quick Access Toolbar – Contains the frequently used
commands that are independent of the tab displayed on the
Ribbon.
• Ribbon – Consist of a set of tabs, each of which contains
groups of related command.
• Navigation Pane – Displays a list of all objects in a database.
• Object Window – Displays open database objects.
• Status Bar – Displays information about the database and
provides certain program functions.

8. Elements of Microsoft Access 2010
Program Window

9.  The Quick Access Toolbar
The Quick Access Toolbar by default shows Save,
Undo, and Redo commands.
You can customize the Quick Access Toolbar by
adding more commands on the Ribbon, right click the
command that you want to add or remove, and then click
Add to Quick Access Toolbar or Remove from Quick
Access Toolbar on the shortcut menu.

10.  The Ribbon
Ribbon which contains the multiple tabs with several
groups of commands needed in order to do common
tasks. These tabs may appear only when you are
working with certain objects that belong to it. These tabs
are called contextual tabs.
To maximize the Ribbon, click the arrow again.

11. • File – Displays the Backstage view which contains
commands related to managing files and customizing the
program. The File tab replaces the Microsoft Office button
and File menu found in earlier versions of Microsoft Office.
• Home – Contains the most frequently used commands. The
home tab is active by default.
• Create – Contains commands used to create new database
objects (tables, forms, queries, reports, macros, modules).
Each group on this tab arranges its specific functions by
database object type.
• External Data – Contains commands used to import from or
link to data in external sources or export data to external
sources..
• Object Window – Displays open database objects.
• Database Tools – Provides access to miscellaneous tools
and wizards.

12.  The Navigation Pane
The Navigation Pane is a list containing
every object in your database. For easier
viewing, the objects are organized into groups by
type. You can open, rename and delete objects
using the Navigation Pane.
The full list are:
• Tables – hold the raw data.
• Queries – extract part of the raw data to
produce dynamic sets of data which can
change each time the query is run (to reflect
any changes to the data in the tables).
• Forms – User-friendly layouts to display data
on the screen.

13. • Macros – list of commands to perform
particular functions.
• Modules – programs which expert users write
in a programming language called Access
Basic to perform tailor-made functions not
generally available.
The Pane is designed to help you manage all
of the objects in your database.

14. The objects in the database are sorted by type. This means that the
tables are in one group, the forms in another, and so on. But, if you wish,
you can sort the objects in navigation Pane into groups of your preference.
1. Click the drop-down menu to the right of the words All Access Objects.
2. Select the desired sort in the drop-down menu.
1. Select Custom to create a custom group for sorting the objects.
Simply drag the desired objects to the new group after applying the
sort.
2. Select Object Type to group the objects by type. This is the
default setting.
3. Select Tables and Related Views to group forms, queries, and
reports together with the tables they refer to.
4. Select Create Date or Modified Date to sort the objects from most
to least recently created or modified.
5. The objects in Navigation Pane will now be sorted to reflect your
preference.

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