Introduction

Welcome! Bar & Pie Charts, Dashboards

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Welcome to Microsoft Access Expert Level 31. In this course we will focus on charting in Microsoft Access, including how to create bar charts, pie charts, and 3D chart options, as well as tips for formatting and building a dashboard form to display multiple charts with your data. We will discuss prerequisites, recommended prior courses, explain how these lessons fit into the overall curriculum, and review how to access the sample database and seek help in the support forums if needed. The class is suitable for all Access versions from 2007 to 2016.

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Next: Lesson 01

Keywords

Access Expert, charting, making charts, charts in Access, bar charts, pie charts, 3D chart options, dashboard, sales charts, chart formatting, PC resale database, forms with charts, database dashboard, sample database, Excel chart comparison, chart parts

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Intro

Transcript

Welcome to Microsoft Access Expert Level 31, brought to you by AccessLearningZone.com. I am your instructor, Richard Rost.

Today's class is all about charting in Microsoft Access. You might have done some charting in Excel, but you can build charts right into your Access database to make it so that you can click one button and then automatically see all the information that you want to see.

We will build a couple of different types of charts. We will do some sales charts. We will build some bar charts, some pie charts. We will cover 3D options and formatting. Then we will build a dashboard toward the end of class where you can see all the relevant information from your database on one big form with lots of different charts on it.

Before taking this class, I strongly recommend you take Access Expert Level 30 and all the classes before that. We will be building some things in our PC resale database, so it would be helpful if you have built that database yourself and understand how it is put together.

It would also be helpful, but not required, if you have taken my Excel Beginner Level 4 class. That is where I cover how to do charts in Excel. Sometimes it is easier to learn things in Excel first. Then, when you try to do them in Access, it makes much more sense. For example, building tables is easier if you understand how a spreadsheet is put together. Charting in Excel is actually really easy, and there is a tiny bit of a learning curve to move over to Access, but not much. If you know the Excel stuff first, everything in today's class will seem very simple.

This class was recorded using Access 2016. Yes, this is the first class that I personally have recorded since I upgraded my machines from Office 2013 to Office 2016. There is not that much that is different. You can use this class with every version of Access all the way back to 2007. So whether you have 2007, 10, 13, or 16, everything in today's class will be pretty much exactly the same. If you do come across any differences, please let me know.

I will be putting together a separate class to go over the few minor differences and the little upgrades they put in from 2013 to 2016. However, for today's class, you do not need to worry about those.

Now let's take a look at the topics that we are going to cover in today's class.

In lesson one, we are going to learn what a chart is. We are going to learn why charts are useful. We will learn about the different parts of a chart.

In lesson two, we are going to learn about different types of chart formatting techniques.

In lesson three, we are continuing with chart formatting, and we will learn about 3D column charts.

Lesson four covers everyone's favorite charting topic, pie charts.

In lesson five, we are going to go back to our old PC resale database, and we are going to start setting up a dashboard where we can see lots of different charts on one big form.

In lesson six, we will continue building the dashboard that we started in lesson five.

For those of you who are new to my courses, they are broken up into four different series. There is Beginner, Expert, Advanced, and Developer. Each series is made up of multiple levels. Expert, for example, has, as of right now, 31 levels. This is Expert Level 31. Beginner had nine different levels. My courses are designed to be followed one after the other, so you should take Level 1, then Level 2, then Level 3, all the Beginner classes, then the Expert classes. Soon we will have the Advanced and Developer series.

In addition to my normal Access classes, I also have lots of different seminars designed to teach specific topics. Some of my seminars include building web-based databases, creating forms and reports that look like calendars, securing your database, working with images and attachments, writing work orders, running a service business, tracking accounts payable, learning the SQL programming language, creating loan amortization schedules, and lots more. You can find details on all of these seminars and more on my website at AccessLearningZone.com.

If you need help, there are forums on my website where you can post your questions. You can find that at AccessLearningZone.com/forums. We do not guarantee support, but we do our best to try and help you with questions if you post them in the forums.

We will be using a sample database in today's class. AccessLearningZone.com/databases is where you can download the sample database that I will be using later on in today's class. You will need your password for this class, which you can get on your account on the website.

Now sit back and relax. Watch the video as many times as you want and follow along with me. Build the database yourself if you can. Rewatch the video if you have to and, of course, keep an open mind. Anyone can do this. Access is not hard.

Quiz

Q1. What is the main topic of Access Expert Level 31?
A. Charting in Microsoft Access
B. Data import and export in Access
C. User security management
D. SQL programming basics

Q2. Which type of dashboard will you build in this class?
A. An Excel spreadsheet dashboard
B. A form in Access containing multiple charts
C. A PowerPoint presentation dashboard
D. An Outlook email dashboard

Q3. Which types of charts will be covered in the class?
A. Bar charts, Pie charts, 3D column charts
B. Scatter plots and line charts only
C. Flowcharts and Gantt charts
D. Network and organizational charts

Q4. What prior knowledge is strongly recommended before taking this class?
A. Access Expert Level 30 and all previous levels
B. Power BI skills
C. Advanced SQL knowledge
D. No prior Access knowledge required

Q5. Which sample database will you be working with in this course?
A. PC resale database
B. Employee payroll database
C. Customer orders database
D. Inventory control database

Q6. According to the video, why might taking Excel Beginner Level 4 be helpful before this Access class?
A. It covers automation with macros
B. It explains how to create charts in Excel, making charting in Access easier to understand
C. It teaches advanced SQL programming
D. It focuses solely on database relationships

Q7. Which versions of Access is this class compatible with?
A. Only Access 2016 and later
B. Only Access 2013
C. Access 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016
D. Access 2003 and earlier

Q8. If you see differences between Access 2013 and 2016 in the course, what should you do?
A. Ignore them, they are not important
B. Report them to the instructor
C. Downgrade your Access version
D. Skip those lessons

Q9. What is the recommended sequence for following Richard Rost's Access courses?
A. Take levels at random according to your interests
B. Complete all Beginner levels, then Expert, then Advanced, then Developer
C. Skip Beginner and Advanced, only take Expert courses
D. Only take the most recent levels

Q10. Where can you find forums to ask questions about the course?
A. AccessLearningZone.com/forums
B. On Microsoft's website
C. In the Access software help menu
D. On Facebook pages

Q11. What should you do to get the sample database for this class?
A. Download it from AccessLearningZone.com/databases with your class password
B. Search for it on Google
C. Request it by phone
D. Create it from scratch without instructions

Q12. What is the best approach to learning in this course as suggested by the instructor?
A. Take notes and memorize every word
B. Watch the video multiple times and build the database yourself
C. Only read the course transcript
D. Skip the video and just do the exercises

Answers: 1-A; 2-B; 3-A; 4-A; 5-A; 6-B; 7-C; 8-B; 9-B; 10-A; 11-A; 12-B

DISCLAIMER: Quiz questions are AI generated. If you find any that are wrong, don't make sense, or aren't related to the video topic at hand, then please post a comment and let me know. Thanks.

Summary

Today's video from Access Learning Zone is all about charting in Microsoft Access. If you have experience with charting in Excel, you'll find that you can create similar charts directly in Access. This makes it possible to view important information in your database with just a click of a button.

In this lesson, I will show you how to create various types of charts, including sales charts, bar charts, and pie charts. We will look at both 2D and 3D charting options and how to format them to your liking. Towards the end of the class, we will build a dashboard that lets you see all your key database information on one large form filled with different charts.

Before starting, I highly recommend that you complete Access Expert Level 30 and all previous lessons. We will continue working with the PC resale database, so having that built and understanding its structure will be helpful.

It is also useful, though not essential, if you have taken my Excel Beginner Level 4 class. Charting is generally easier to learn first in Excel. Understanding how tables and spreadsheets work will make charting in Access more straightforward. Once you are comfortable with charting in Excel, transitioning to Access is much simpler, as the underlying concepts are similar.

This class was recorded using Access 2016, and it is the first one I have completed since upgrading from Office 2013 to Office 2016. There are only minor changes between these versions, so you can use this class with Access 2007, 2010, 2013, or 2016. If you happen to notice any differences while following along, please let me know. I am also planning a separate class to address those few small changes, but for today's course, you will not need to worry about them.

Here is an overview of what we will cover today:

Lesson one will explain what a chart is, why charts are useful, and the parts that make up a chart.

In lesson two, you will learn about various chart formatting techniques.

Lesson three will continue the discussion on formatting, focusing specifically on 3D column charts.

Lesson four addresses pie charts, which are always a popular topic.

In lesson five, we will go back to the PC resale database and set up a dashboard, combining multiple charts into one large form for easy viewing.

Lesson six will build upon the dashboard started in lesson five.

For those new to my classes, the course structure is divided into four main series: Beginner, Expert, Advanced, and Developer. Each series contains multiple levels. For example, the Expert series currently has 31 levels, with this class being Expert Level 31. The Beginner series includes nine levels. The best way to work through my course materials is to follow them in sequence, starting at Level 1 and progressing upward. The Advanced and Developer series will be available soon.

Besides the regular Access classes, I also offer several seminars on specific topics. These include creating web-based databases, building calendar-style forms and reports, securing your database, handling images and attachments, managing work orders, running a service business, tracking accounts payable, learning the SQL programming language, creating loan amortization schedules, and more. You can find details on all these seminars at my website, AccessLearningZone.com.

If you run into questions or need assistance, check out the forums on my website at AccessLearningZone.com/forums. While I cannot guarantee support, I do my best to answer questions that are posted there.

For today's class, we will work with a sample database. You can download this from AccessLearningZone.com/databases. You will need your class password, which is available on your account on the website.

As you follow along, take your time and watch the video as often as needed. Try to build the database yourself so that you get hands-on experience. If necessary, you can rewatch sections for better understanding. The important thing is to keep an open mind. Access is not difficult once you become familiar with it.

You can find a complete video tutorial with step-by-step instructions on everything discussed here on my website at the link below. Live long and prosper, my friends.

Topic List

What is a chart in Microsoft Access
Why charts are useful in Access
Parts of a chart
Types of chart formatting techniques
Creating 3D column charts in Access
Building pie charts in Access
Setting up a dashboard with multiple charts
Adding charts to a form
Formatting and customizing chart appearance
Viewing sales data with charts in Access

Article

Welcome to this tutorial on charting in Microsoft Access. If you have used Excel before, you may be familiar with creating charts to visualize your data. What many people do not realize is that you can also create powerful charts directly within your Access database. This allows you to quickly see important information with just a click, making your databases much more interactive and informative.

In this article, we will be working with a sample PC resale database to demonstrate how to create different types of charts, including bar charts, pie charts, and 3D column charts. We will walk through formatting options and, by the end, you will learn how to build a dashboard where several charts can be displayed together on a single form for a comprehensive overview of your data.

Before you get started, it is recommended that you have a basic understanding of Access, especially table and form design. If you are familiar with Excel charts, that will help you grasp the concepts more easily, but it is not strictly necessary. Learning how Excel handles charts often makes it clearer how Access approaches similar tasks, as many of the charting principles are the same.

The instructions provided here are based on Access 2016, but everything covered will work in versions as far back as Access 2007. If you encounter any significant differences, they are likely to be minor, and the essential steps remain the same.

To begin, it is important to understand what a chart is in the context of Access. A chart is a visual representation of your data, capturing trends and patterns that might be hard to notice in raw tables. Charts help you answer important questions at a glance. For example, you might want to know which product categories generate the most sales, see monthly trends, or display proportions in a pie chart.

The foundation for any chart is the data you are pulling from your tables or queries. Let us say you have a table of sales records, with fields like SaleDate, Product, Category, Quantity, and Price. If you want a bar chart showing total sales by category, you would first create a query that groups your data by Category and sums the sales.

Once your data is organized using a query, you can add a chart to a form or report. To insert a chart, open your form or report in Design View. In the Controls group, look for the Chart control (the exact name and appearance will vary by version). Place the chart where you want it, and the Chart Wizard will appear. The wizard steps you through selecting the data source, choosing the fields for your categories (for example, Product Category) and values (for example, Total Sales), and picking a chart type, such as a bar or column chart.

After the basic chart is created, you can switch back to Design View and adjust formatting. You can double-click the chart to open its property sheet, where you can refine the chart type, change colors, modify labels, and adjust other formatting options. For example, you might want to add data labels, change the legend position, or turn on 3D effects for more visual impact.

Pie charts work very similarly. After preparing your query to sum values by a category, you choose Pie from the chart types. Pie charts are perfect for showing proportions, such as the percentage of sales each category represents.

Once you have created the charts you want, you can build a dashboard by adding several charts to a single form. For instance, you might have one chart showing sales by month, another by sales rep, and a pie chart by category, all in one place. This dashboard form allows you to quickly see an overview of the most important information from your database.

It is helpful to experiment with different formatting options to make your charts clearer and more visually appealing. You can adjust colors to match your company branding, resize the charts, or remove unnecessary chart elements that distract from the message. 3D chart options can make your visuals stand out, but be cautious not to sacrifice readability for aesthetics.

Throughout the process, remember that the key to effective charting in Access is having well-organized source data. Use queries to group, filter, and calculate your values as needed before building your charts. If you prefer, you can always return to your query to change what is displayed. For example, if you switch from total sales to average order value, simply update your query, and your chart will reflect the change.

To get hands-on practice, download the sample PC resale database and follow along by creating your own charts, trying various settings, and building your own dashboard form. As you become comfortable, you will see how easy it is to interpret your data visually and share your findings with others.

If you ever need to extend the basic functionality, you can use VBA to control charts programmatically. For example, you can refresh the chart or update its source dynamically based on user input:

Me.YourChartName.Requery

This line of code refreshes the chart named YourChartName on your form after the underlying data changes.

Access provides built-in charting tools that are a great way to enhance your databases. With a little planning and creativity, you can transform your tables and queries into interactive, informative dashboards that add real value to your work. Remember that the more familiar you are with your own data and what you want to display, the easier it becomes to design charts that help users get the insights they need quickly and effectively.