This document discusses automating tasks in Microsoft Access 2013 using navigation forms, macros, and Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). The key points covered include: - Creating navigation forms to provide a user interface for a database and automating tasks using basic macros. - Creating advanced macros using macro groups, specifying conditions and events, and troubleshooting macros. - Assigning macros to object events like reports printing, validating data with macros using functions like DCount, and using message boxes in macros.

1. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Automating Database Processing
Chapter 6

2. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Chapter Introduction
• Design and implement user-friendly menu
– Called navigation form
• Macros
– Automate repetitive tasks
– Add functionality to reports and forms
2

3. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Tools Covered in This Chapter
• Access Options
• Action Catalog
• AutoExec macro
• AutoKeys
• Breakpoints
• Events
• Macros
3

4. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Tools Covered in This Chapter (cont’d.)
• Macro groups
• Macro security
• Navigation Forms
• Splash screen
• Trust Center
• Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)
4

5. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Level 1 Objectives: Automating Tasks
with Navigation Forms and Macros
• Create a well-designed navigation form to
provide a user interface for a database
• Automate tasks by creating basic macros
• Specify what happens when a database opens
5

6. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Understanding Navigation Forms
• Navigation Form
– Special kind of form
– Appears when database opened
– Makes database navigation similar to a web site
• Main navigation form and subform control
automatically built in
6

7. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Understanding Navigation Forms (cont’d.)
• Can add buttons to main navigation form to
work with
– Tables
– Forms
– Queries
– Reports
• Drag and drop object to form and create tab
– Selecting tab allows instant view of the objects
• Appear in hierarchical format
7

8. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013 8

9. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Designing Navigation Forms
• Main navigation form serves as menu for users
when database is opened
• Review objects, plan categories to organize
the objects on tabs
• Control user access to tables
• Sketch a design for the navigation form
9

10. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Creating Navigation Forms
• Create lower level of the hierarchy first
– Create tabs by drag and drop of object onto form
• Then create navigation form to be used as main menu
• Click Navigation button in Forms group of CREATE tab
– Select tab layout
– Change title and change format, if necessary
– Drag forms from Navigation Pane to the [Add New] tab
– Use Layout view and Form Selector button to change form
location or size
• Repeat until all needed forms are on the navigation
form
10

11. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Creating Navigation Forms (cont’d.)
• Preview all forms in Form View
– Test to ensure working correctly
• Create forms for reports as created for forms
– Preview and test all tabs to ensure working
correctly
• Create main form to provide easy navigation
through database
• Last item on main form should be a button to
close the database
11

12. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Formatting a Main Menu
• Steps to changing the format of a main menu
– Open the navigation form in Design view
– Change formatting elements
• Color
• Labels
• Images
• Lines
– To change size and position properties, double
click Form Selector button and change entries on
form’s Property Sheet
12

13. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Understanding Basic Macros
• Macro
– Action or series of actions
– Save time and ensure accuracy
– Automate repetitive tasks
– Composed of series of actions organized in
sequence in which they should be performed
• Create macro
– Using Macro window
13

14. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013 14

15. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Creating a Macro
• Create Access macro in Macro window
• Select the CREATE tab, and then click the
Macro button in the Macro & Code group
• Action catalog
– Select features wanted
– Actions to be performed
– Click the Add New Action list arrow in the Macro
Builder
– Scroll through list to action you want
15

16. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Creating a Macro (cont’d.)
• Action arguments
– Provide additional information for performing
macro action
– Arguments needed vary depending on selected
action chosen
• Save macro with descriptive name, using mcr
prefix
16

17. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Running a Macro
• Three ways to run a macro:
– In MACRO TOOLS DESIGN tab, click the Run
button in the Tools group
– On DATABASE TOOLS Tab, click the Run Macro
button in the Macro group
• Select the macro in the Run Macro dialog box, click OK
– In the Navigation Pane, click Macros, right-click
the macro name, and then click Run
17

18. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Editing a Macro
• Use Macro Builder to edit
• Rearrange order of actions
– Move up or Move down arrow or drag action line to
new position
• Insert new action between two existing actions
– Click Add New Action and select the action
– Move or drag the new action between the two other
actions
• Delete action
– Click action then click the Delete button
18

19. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Setting Start-up Options
• Start-up options
– Access performs when database opens
• Set options using Access Options feature
• Bypass Start-up Options
– Press and hold down Shift key when opening
database
19

20. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Specifying Current Database Options
• Options
– Display Form
– Display Navigation pane
– Allow Full Menus
20

21. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013 21
Figure 6.21: Access Options dialog box with options for the current database

22. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Creating a Splash Screen
• Splash screen
– Displays when database opens
– Contains
• Logo
• Text such as contact information
• Can only display splash screen or Navigation
form automatically
22

23. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Creating a Splash Screen (cont’d.)
• AutoExec
– Special macro
– Runs when database opens
– Before Access Options dialog box options
– Can use to display splash screen
• Create splash screen form in Design view
23

24. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Creating an AutoExec Macro
• Click the Macro button in the Macros & Code
group on the CREATE tab
• In the Macro Builder, select the actions you
want the macro to perform
• Select or enter the appropriate arguments
• Save the macro using the name AutoExec
24

25. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Level 1 Summary
• Navigation Form
– Special kind of form
– Appears when database opened
• Macro
– Use to automate repeated actions
• Access Options dialog box
• Splash screen
25

26. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Level 2 Objectives:
Creating Advanced Macros
• Consolidate automated tasks by creating a
macro group
• Specify conditions and events for macros
• Troubleshoot macros
26

27. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Understanding Macro Groups
• Macro group
– Two or more macros placed in same macro file
– Consolidate related macros
– Manage large numbers of macros
• Only group name displayed as macro object in
Navigation pane
27

28. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Creating a Macro Group
• Logical to organize similar macros within group
• To create:
– Click CREATE tab on the ribbon, click Macro button in the
Macros & Code group
– Click the Action Catalog button in the Show/Hide group on
the DESIGN tab
– Add the Submacro Action to the Macro Builder
– Enter unique name in the Submacro box
– Click Add New Action arrow and select an action, select or
enter the arguments
– Repeat for each macro you want in group
– Save the macro group using mcr prefix
28

29. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Running the Macros in a Macro Group
• Clicking Run Button on the DESIGN tab runs
only the first macro in the group
• Run particular macro within group
– Click the Run Macro button in the Macro group on
the DATABASE TOOLS tab
– Select the list arrow to choose the macro name
– Click the macro name
– Click OK
29

30. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Assigning AutoKeys to Macros in a Macro
Group
• AutoKeys macro group
– Assign macro to key or key combination
• Type key or key combination
• Use special notation
– ^ for CTRL
– + for Shift
• Uses subset of SendKeys command
– Built-in commands to send keystrokes to Access databases
• Save group as AutoKeys
30

31. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013 31

32. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Creating the Navigation Form to Run Macros
Using Command buttons
• Command button executes a series of actions
• Use a command button to run a macro
– Create the macro that specifies the actions you
want to perform
– Add a command button, assigning the macro
32

33. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Assigning a Macro to a Command Button
Control
• Click the Button control in the Controls group
on the DESIGN tab
• Click in form where button is to be placed
– Command Button Wizard starts
• Select Miscellaneous category and the Run Macro
action
• Select from available macros
– Repeat until all desired buttons are on form
– Save form
33

34. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Specifying Conditions
and Events for Macros
• Specify conditions for performing macro actions
• Associate macro with controls
• Event-driven programming
– Running macro when user interacts with object
• Event
– State, condition, or occurrence that Access recognizes
• Event property
– Specifies how object responds when event occurs
34

35. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Specifying Where Conditions in a Macro
• Where condition argument
• Refer to controls on form that are not
currently active
– Use control’s complete name
– Format
• [control]![objectName]![controlName]
35

36. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Troubleshooting Macros
• Macros containing arguments
– Especially error prone
• Error types
– Syntax error
– Logic error
– Run-time error
• Troubleshooting tools
– Print macro code
– Single stepping through execution of macro
– Use Visual Basic Editor
36

37. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Printing Macros
• On DATABASE TOOLS tab, click the Database
Documenter button
– The Documenter dialog box opens
– Click the Macros tab, select one or more macros
to print
– Click the Options button to select which details
you want to print
• Properties, actions and arguments, permissions
– Open report in Print Preview; print
37

38. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Single Stepping a Macro
• In the Macro design window, select MACRO
TOOLS DESIGN tab
– Click the Single Step button
– Click the Run button in the Tools group
– Macro Single Step dialog box opens; Access
performs the first action in the macro
– Click the Step button to execute the next action
• Click Continue to stop single stepping and resume
normal operation of the macro
• Click the Stop All Macros button to stop running
38

39. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Setting Breakpoints
• Breakpoint
– Code inserted in macro
– Signals where to stop macro
• Examine values of actions, controls, and
arguments macro using
• Open macro in the Microsoft Visual Basic for
Applications window
– Shows macro as it appears in VBA code
– Examine details of macro code in VBA window
39

40. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Setting Breakpoints (cont’d.)
• Immediate pane
– Displays current value of controls and arguments
– Display and evaluate using ? Operator
40

41. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Level 2 Summary
• Macro group
• Conditions for macros
• Assign macro to buttons
• Debug macros
41

42. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Level 3 Objectives:
Macro Conditions
• Assign a macro to an object event
• Run a macro when a form opens or a report
prints
• Use a macro to validate data
42

43. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Exploring Macro Conditions
• Macro conditions
– Logical expressions that result in true or false
answer
– Depending on outcome
• Macro can perform one set of actions or another
• Select a macro that contains an If condition
– Drag the program flow action to Macro Builder
• Set condition to test
43

44. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Exploring Macro Conditions (cont’d.)
• If condition true
– Use SetValue action
– Two arguments: Item and Expression
• If condition false
– Use Else If condition
– Provides alternate action to perform
44

45. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Assigning a Macro to
an Object Event
• Assign macro to object
– By specifying macro name in event property of
object
• Event categories
– Report
– Section
45

46. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013 46
Table 6.4: Report events
Table 6.5: Section events

47. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Using Message Boxes with Forms
• Form events can also trigger macros
• Use to
– Validate data
– Set values
– Navigate between forms
– Filter, find, and print records
47

48. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013 48

49. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Using Message Boxes with Forms (cont’d.)
• MessageBox command
• Opens message box
– Displays warning or informational message
– MessageBox(“Message”, Sum of button and icon
values, “Title”)
– Returns value depending on which button clicked
– Create condition that checks to see which button
users click
49

50. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Using Message Boxes with Reports
• When conditions in macro references name of
control from source
– Source must be open when condition tested
– Can hide window while macro tests condition
• MessageBox action
– Opens message box and displays warning or
informational message
– Similar to using MessageBox command
50

51. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Using Message Boxes with Reports (cont’d.)
• MessageBox action arguments
– Message
– Beep
– Type
– Title
51

52. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Validating Data with Macros
• Validation field properties have limits
• Validate data using more than one rule and
more than one validation message
– Create macro
• Domain aggregate functions
– Calculate statistics for set of records (recordset) or
domain, from table or query
• DCount function
– DCount(expression, table or query, condition)
52

53. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013 53

54. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Level 3 Summary
• Conditional expressions in macros
• Assign macros to events
• Message boxes
– MessageBox command
– MessageBox action
• Validate data with macros
54

55. Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2013
Chapter Summary
• Navigation Form
– Provides main menu for Access application
• Macro
– Automates repetitive tasks
– Can use conditional expressions
– Associate with command buttons or other controls
• Troubleshooting
– Find errors in macros by stepping though each
statement
55