I get asked this all the time... at least 2 or 3 times a week. So much so that I decided to just write an article about it because I always have the same answer. People want to know "what course should I take to build XXX database?" OK, so here's my answer which fits 90% of people...

I suggest that you start with my Access Beginner 1 course and work your way up. By the time you finish the Beginner series and the first few Expert classes, you should be able to build most simple databases. I have a specific way of teaching. A lot of people that have some Access experience think they don't need my Beginner lessons, but I cover a lot of database fundamentals, naming conventions, and my unique way of database development.

And no, I'm not just trying to sell you more courses. Beginner 1 is free. Beginner 2 is only $1. The rest of the Beginner levels are very inexpensive.

Since you're not one of my current students, I don't know how much knowledge and experience you have with Access to make a good recommendation for you. That's like when a stranger asks me if they would like a particular restaurant or travel destination that I've been to. I don't know you. I don't know what you like and what your tastes are. Similarly, I don't know how much computer knowledge you have, and what your experience level is with Access, Excel, and VBA programming. So that we're all on the same page, I say start with the Beginner courses.

I also strongly suggest you don't skip levels. My lessons are designed to be taken one after the other. The lessons in Level 3, build on those from Level 2 and Level 1, and so on. Lots of times people look at the course outlines and see that a particular level covers a topic they might not need (like creating invoices). But what they don't realize is that I use those lessons to cover specific topics (like report formatting). So while you might not be making invoices, you will likely need to know the report topics. See Skipping Levels for more information on this topic. 

Also, I use a retail business for my sample database. Why? This is because everyone can relate to a retail business. Whether it's shopping at Walmart or a lemonade stand in your front yard as a kid. We all have some experience with retail. So this is the business model I chose for my database. Building databases with Access is like playing with Legos. I can only show you the various parts, how they work, and a few different ways to put them together. You then need to just rearrange them for your own needs. So whether you're building a database to run a service business, a membership club, or a lawfirm, the Legos are all the same.

My Beginner courses cover all of the fundamentals, including setting up your database, working with all of the basic objects (tables, queries, forms, reports, etc.) and their properties. My Expert series focuses on relationships (very important for a database), working with different functions, and SQL (Structured Query Language). My Advanced series covers events and macros. Finally my Developer series covers advanced VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) programming. There are hundreds of hours of videos for you to watch. You may not need all of them. Most people can build great databases after finishing just the Beginner and Expert series. The choice is yours. 

In addition to my regular courses, I also have a series of Seminars and Templates on a wide variety of subjects. So if you're looking for something specific, like setting up a database for a service company, or securing your database, or connecting your Access database to a website, I may have something for you there as well.

Start here: Access Beginner 1 class. Even if you think you don't need it, spend some time watching it. Play it on fast speed if you want. But don't skip it. It's free. If you don't pick up at least one new thing, I'll be surprised. 

When you're finished with that, you can sign up for Access Beginner Level 2 for only one dollar. If you want to continue past that, you can either order classes from my main order page or you can sign up for my Learning Connection membership which gives you a new class each week (or at whatever interval you prefer) and you get a 50% discount.

OK, now that you have read that, if you have any additional specific questions, feel free to post them in the comments section below (scroll down), or you can contact me directly. I generally recommend you post questions in my Forums or on the web site. I've got a fantastic group of Admins and Forum Moderators that help me out. They usually answer questions a whole lot faster than I do because my inbox is always overflowing. Plus, you'll get the opinions of other people too; not just me.