Lessons

Resources

Questions?

Please feel free to post your questions or comments below. If you have questions about a specific lesson, please specify the lesson number and the time index in the lesson where the issue occurs. Thank you!

Subscribe for Updates

If you would like to be notified whenever changes are made to this page, new lessons are posted, or comments are made, click on the subscribe button.

Subscribe to Access 222
Get notifications when this page is updated

Intro

In lesson 222 you will learn about action queries in Microsoft Access, including update, append, make table, and delete queries. We will talk about how these queries differ from select queries and how they can be used to change data in your tables based on specific criteria. I'll also show you how to automate action queries using macros. This lesson builds on the material from Microsoft Access 220 and 221 and uses the same sample database.

Transcript

Welcome to Microsoft Access 222 Advanced Queries Part 3 Action Queries, brought to you by AccessLearningZone.com. I am your instructor, Richard Rost. In today's class, we are learning all about action queries.

Action queries are queries that actually change data. So far, all the queries that we have learned about have been select queries where we select the group of records to display on the screen. Action queries allow us to change the data in our tables based on whatever criteria we specify.

There are different kinds of action queries: update queries, append queries, make table queries, and delete queries. We will talk about the differences between them in just a few minutes. Then we will learn how to automate all these different queries in a macro. There is lots of cool stuff coming up in today's class.

While you can take this class by itself, I strongly recommend that you take Microsoft Access 221 and 220 before taking this class. Those are the first two classes in our Advanced Queries series. Try saying that ten times fast: Advanced Queries series.

The database for Access 222 builds on the database at the end of Access 221. We are using Access XP 2002 along with Windows XP, but the version of Access and the version of Windows you have should not matter for these lessons. These lessons go all the way back to Access 97, and even 95 should have all the same features.

Sit back and watch the lesson one time through, and then try doing it yourself. Sometimes, these action queries can seem a little weird because they are not queries in the normal sense and are not like anything we have looked at so far. Again, watch the lesson through one time, and then try doing the example that I do. You will really get it the second time. The first time you watch it, you might go, huh? But the second time, trust me, you will get it.

There are some database files. If you have been building the database with us since Access 101, and I hope you have been, please use your database file. If you feel that your database is not up to par or you have been cheating and copying mine along the way, there is a location for the database file if you want to grab it off the website.

AccessLearningZone.com/access/222 - that is today's class. You will also find a copy of it in the help folder if you installed this course from one of our CD-ROMs or downloaded it off the website. If you are watching the class online on the website, you will need to go to the website to get the database file.

If this is your first class with us, then the database that I use in class is the one file on the website. You will not be able to just build it yourself; you have to get a copy of it.

Please do the examples. You really will benefit most from my class if you actually sit down and do the examples. I have had customers email me and say that they were watching some of my videos and really weren't getting it. But then they went back and actually did the examples in class, and then it just clicked. So trust me, the bells will ring if you do the examples.

Do not just try to apply what you are learning to your database that you have been working on for 15 years. Do my examples first, then take what you learned and apply it to your own projects.

Above all else, have fun. Don't just use Access for work. Find a hobby that you enjoy, whether it is baseball card collecting or whatever you have a database for, and apply these lessons to something fun.

Quiz

Q1. What is the main topic covered in this video?
A. Creating reports in Microsoft Access
B. Action queries in Microsoft Access
C. Using forms for data entry
D. Importing data from Excel

Q2. How do action queries differ from select queries?
A. Action queries only sort the data
B. Action queries display data in charts
C. Action queries change data in tables
D. Action queries format the text in tables

Q3. Which of the following is NOT a type of action query mentioned in the video?
A. Update query
B. Append query
C. Delete query
D. Cross-tab query

Q4. What should you do before applying what you learn to your own databases?
A. Watch other unrelated tutorials
B. Skip the provided examples
C. Do the examples from the lesson first
D. Only read the textbook

Q5. What advice does the instructor give regarding previous courses?
A. Skip to this course directly
B. Only take this course if you are an Excel expert
C. Take Access 221 and 220 before this course
D. Only take Access 101 before this course

Q6. What benefit is mentioned for doing the examples in the class?
A. You will memorize the commands
B. You will better understand the lessons and concepts
C. You can skip watching the videos
D. You will get a certificate immediately

Q7. What is suggested if your database is not up to date with the lessons?
A. Reinstall Access from scratch
B. Use the database file provided on the website
C. Contact technical support for a new computer
D. Ignore the differences and proceed

Q8. What version of Access does the instructor state should work with these lessons?
A. Only Access 2016 and later
B. Only Microsoft Access XP 2002
C. All versions from Access 95 and up
D. Only Access 97

Q9. What is one way the instructor suggests making Access more enjoyable?
A. Only use Access for work tasks
B. Apply lessons to a hobby you enjoy
C. Avoid using macros
D. Never update the database

Answers: 1-B; 2-C; 3-D; 4-C; 5-C; 6-B; 7-B; 8-C; 9-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 Advanced Queries in Microsoft Access, specifically focusing on Action Queries. I'm Richard Rost, your instructor, and in this lesson, we'll explore what sets Action Queries apart from the select queries we've discussed previously.

Unlike select queries, which simply retrieve and display data, Action Queries actually change the data within your tables according to the criteria you set. There are several types of Action Queries available in Access: update queries, append queries, make table queries, and delete queries. We'll go through each type, explain their differences, and then learn how to automate them using macros. This lesson should be packed with useful techniques that you can add to your Access toolkit.

If you're jumping into this topic, I strongly suggest you take Microsoft Access 220 and 221 first, as these two classes make up the beginning of the Advanced Queries series and will provide you with a solid foundation. The database we use in Access 222 is a continuation of what we built in Access 221. While I'm working with Access XP 2002 and Windows XP for these courses, the information and techniques are compatible with most versions of Access, going back to Access 97 and even 95.

I recommend watching this lesson at least once all the way through before trying it yourself. Action Queries might seem a bit unusual if you've only worked with select queries, but once you see them in action and then practice with the provided examples, things will start to make much more sense. Many students have found that it really clicks after practicing the examples I demonstrate in class.

If you've been following along from Access 101 onward and have your own in-progress database, continue using that. However, if you feel you might have gotten off track or would prefer to use the exact file I work with, you can find the database for Access 222 on the website. You'll also find a copy in the help folder if you installed the course from CD-ROM or downloaded it.

For those of you taking this as your first class, you'll need to download the database file from the website, because you won't be able to simply build it from scratch without working through the earlier lessons.

Doing the examples will make this material much more meaningful. I've received plenty of feedback from students who struggled to grasp the concepts just from watching, but found that things began to make sense once they actually walked through the exercises themselves. So, be sure to work through my examples before you try applying these ideas to your own long-standing projects.

Most importantly, try to enjoy yourself with these lessons. Don't limit Access just to your work needs. Apply these concepts to a hobby you enjoy, whether it's managing a baseball card collection or any other interest, and make your learning process more enjoyable.

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

Topic List

This is an introduction and overview message for an advanced Microsoft Access tutorial video focused on action queries.