Video Rewind
By Richard Rost
3 years ago
Video Rewind for January 14, 2023
It's time for another Video Rewind, which is a quick recap of all the videos I released recently. If you are interested in any of the topics listed, just click on the links below.
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Intro In this video, I give a quick recap of all the Microsoft Access, Excel, and general computer videos released in the past month. Highlights include tutorials on calculating US Federal Income Tax brackets in both Excel and Access, using text to speech in Microsoft Access, handling future dates, using check boxes in calculated fields, split forms, working with subforms, building transaction tables, importing leads, compacting databases, and answering common questions about the future of Microsoft Access. I also mention new series, special template releases, and other useful resources for Access users.Transcript Hey everybody, it's Richard Rost with Computer Learning Zone. Just time for a quick recap of all the videos I've released since the last rewind, which is about a month ago, so it's January 14, 2023. Let's see what I've covered recently.
I showed you how to calculate your US Federal Income Tax bracket using the progressive tax brackets. We did this both in Excel and in Microsoft Access. Check both of those out.
I did a video on text to speech in Microsoft Access, so if you want your computer to yell at you for any reason, this one's for you.
I did a video on why I prefer double, double quotes instead of single quotes inside of your quotes when making text strings.
Showed you how to display check boxes for calculated fields. How to force dates to be future dates only. For example, let's say it's currently December and you want to type in someone's upcoming appointment. You type in 2-1 for February 1st, and Access will make it 2-1 of the current year. This will force those kinds of dates to be next year.
Did a video on split forms and why I don't like them. A couple of Access MVPs started a new blog about Access called accessforever.org. Be sure to check that out.
Showed you how to get a value from a subform. Did a six-part series on how to add follow-ups to our TechHelp free template database. Follow-ups being that you've got to contact someone back, so that's the follow-up.
Showed you how to build transaction tables and talked about using two fields for credit and debit or just one field.
Added some fun with this new thing called ChatGPT. I had it generate a list of 15 fictitious names for me and then had it format them in a whole bunch of different ways. So, really cool. Check that out. If you haven't played with ChatGPT yet, go do it.
I released a new template called the Access Compactor. What this does is compact all of your back end database files in one shot. Put this in your nightly event and it just compacts and backs up everything.
We went from 2022 to 2023, so happy new year, everyone.
Showed you how to open a form and select a specific record in a subform. For example, you can open up a customer's record and select a specific contact in the subform on that form. Really cool.
Showed you how to delete sample data. If you've got a test database and you've got all kinds of sample data in it and you want to just one click delete all that stuff before you give it up to your people, this video is for you.
Showed you how to import new leads or customers, for example, and then make a follow up record in the follow-ups table. If you have a bunch of new leads or you get them from a trade show or whatever, you import them into your database and you immediately put a follow up record in the contact table form.
Showed you how to compact and repair your database with VBA. This covers how to do it with one back end file. The compactor template does a bunch of them.
Talked about resetting your database for the new year and why this shouldn't really be an issue. People always ask me, "How do I set my database up for the next year?" If you built it right, you won't have to watch this video. I have to revise this video every couple of years. I lasted it in 2020.
Everyone always asks me, "Isn't Microsoft canceling Access? Are they retooling it? Are they replacing it with something else?" No. No, they're not. Access is very much alive and well in 2023. Watch this video. If anybody tells you otherwise, send them to me.
As always, be sure to check out Mike Wolf's Week in Review over at nolongerset. He does one every week. I try to do these every week, but I can't. I just don't have time. Once a month maybe.
Carol Dada Bauer did a really cool video for more advanced Access tips and tricks in this month's Access User Groups session. Go check this one out.
Go check the video on collecting signatures in your Access database using the ink picture control.
We're starting another new multi-part series. This one's on making an association database. What's an association? It could be a homeowners association, a golf club, a church, or any kind of association that has people in it. So check this out. We just get inside of it with this one.
Did a video on the visible property - how to make controls visible or not.
Did a video on the caption property - how to change the caption of a label, a button, or a form.
Yesterday's video was about the dirty property. What are dirty records? What does that mean? Check this one out.
These next two videos aren't released to the public yet, but they're available on my website for members. Monday's video is going to be how to download and display images from the web. So, any picture on a website, you can display it in your form and optionally download it and save it on your computer.
On Tuesday, I'll be showing you how to display zodiac signs based on someone's birthday.
That's it. That's your rewind for January 14, 2023. You'll find links to all these videos on my website at computerlearningzone.com or 599CD.com.
We'll see you next time. Thanks for watching.
I hope you enjoyed this video. If you're watching on YouTube, make sure you subscribe to my channel and click the little bell icon so you get notified any time I release a new video.
Make sure you like and share this video with your friends. Make sure you stop by my website for lots of free lessons on all kinds of different topics - Microsoft Access, Excel, Word, Windows, and lots more. It's computerlearningzone.com.
I've also got a shorter URL, 599CD.com. That's a long story, but stop by anyway. We hope to see you soon.Quiz Q1. What topic did Richard cover to help you calculate your US Federal Income Tax bracket?
A. Using progressive tax brackets in Excel and Access
B. Using flat tax rates in Word
C. Using graphing features in PowerPoint
D. Using pivot tables in Excel
Q2. Which feature allows your computer to verbally communicate messages in Microsoft Access?
A. Text to speech
B. Spell checker
C. AutoFormat
D. Mail Merge
Q3. What did Richard say about using double quotes inside text strings?
A. He prefers using double, double quotes instead of single quotes
B. He prefers using only single quotes
C. He recommends using no quotes at all
D. He suggests using triple quotes
Q4. How did Richard address the issue of entering future dates in Access?
A. Forced dates to be in the future only
B. Allowed any date entry without validation
C. Automatically deleted past dates
D. Turned off date fields
Q5. Which form type did Richard say he dislikes in Access?
A. Split forms
B. Continuous forms
C. Datasheet forms
D. Tabular forms
Q6. What is the main function of the Access Compactor template Richard released?
A. Compacts and backs up all back-end database files at once
B. Migrates databases to SQL Server
C. Exports all data to Excel
D. Secures the database with a password
Q7. According to Richard, what action can be performed after importing new leads into Access?
A. Automatically create follow-up records for each lead
B. Delete all old contacts
C. Change the database theme
D. Merge duplicate records automatically
Q8. What method did Richard show for maintaining a database at year-end?
A. If built properly, no reset is needed for the new year
B. Always delete all records every year
C. Export everything to CSV and start over
D. Rename all forms with the new year
Q9. What is Richard's answer to whether Microsoft is canceling Access?
A. Access is alive and well in 2023
B. Access will be replaced by Excel
C. Access will merge with Word
D. Access will be discontinued soon
Q10. What did Richard mention about signatures in Access?
A. You can collect signatures using the ink picture control
B. Word must be used to collect signatures
C. Signatures cannot be collected in Access
D. Only Excel supports signature collection
Q11. What property in Access defines whether a control is visible on forms?
A. Visible property
B. Caption property
C. Dirty property
D. Enabled property
Q12. What is the Caption property used for in Access?
A. Changing the text on labels, buttons, or forms
B. Setting a control's border style
C. Defining font color
D. Changing the database password
Q13. What did Richard say about the Dirty property in Access?
A. It relates to records that have unsaved changes
B. It encrypts the database
C. It manages deleted records
D. It formats monetary values
Q14. What upcoming tutorial did Richard mention for members about images?
A. How to download and display images from the web in forms
B. How to edit photos directly in Access
C. How to remove backgrounds from images
D. How to create GIF animations in Access
Q15. What kind of database project series did Richard start recently?
A. An association database for groups like homeowners associations or clubs
B. A payroll database for employees
C. An invoice tracking system
D. A school management system
Answers: 1-A; 2-A; 3-A; 4-A; 5-A; 6-A; 7-A; 8-A; 9-A; 10-A; 11-A; 12-A; 13-A; 14-A; 15-A
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 Computer Learning Zone is a recap of all the tutorials and lessons I've released over the past month, up until January 14, 2023. Here is a summary of what I have covered recently.
First, I showed how to figure out your US Federal Income Tax bracket using progressive tax brackets, and I demonstrated how to do this in both Excel and Access. This can make calculating your taxes a lot easier.
I put together a tutorial on using text-to-speech in Microsoft Access. This can be handy if you want your computer to provide you with audio feedback for any purpose.
I talked about the advantages of using double, double quotes instead of single quotes when you are working with text strings in your code. This approach helps avoid certain common issues in Access and VBA.
For calculated fields, I showed you how to display check boxes, which can make your forms more intuitive. I also explained how to restrict date entries to future dates only. For example, if you are entering an appointment that should fall in the upcoming year, but Access tries to assign it to the current year, I demonstrated how to ensure those dates fall correctly in the future.
I created a video sharing my thoughts on split forms in Access and why I generally avoid using them. I also mentioned the launch of a new blog by a couple of Access MVPs called accessforever.org, which you might find useful for additional resources.
Next, I walked through the process of retrieving a value from a subform, which is a common scenario when working with related data. I also released a detailed, six-part series on how to add follow-ups to our TechHelp free template database. Follow-ups are essential for tracking when you need to contact someone again.
When covering transaction tables, I discussed whether you should use two fields to separately track credits and debits or just one field for all transactions.
I explored ChatGPT, demonstrating how to generate lists of fictitious names and how to format them in various styles. This can be a creative way to speed up data entry or testing.
A new tool I released is the Access Compactor template. It allows you to compact all your back-end database files at once. You can schedule this to run automatically during the night, which helps maintain your database's performance.
With the start of 2023, I wished everyone a happy new year.
I provided a guide on how to open a form and select a specific record in its subform. This is useful when you need to quickly zero in on a particular contact within a customer's record.
For those with test databases filled with sample data, I made a video showing how to quickly delete all that test information with a single click before handing the database over to others.
I explained how to import new leads or customers into your database and then automatically create follow-up records for them. This streamlines your workflow, especially if you collect leads from events like trade shows.
Another lesson covered how to compact and repair your database using VBA. This tutorial focuses on managing a single back-end file, whereas the Access Compactor template handles multiple files at once.
I discussed how to prepare your database for the new year and why, if you built your database correctly, this should not be a recurring concern.
There is often confusion and concern about whether Microsoft is discontinuing Access, so I addressed this question and reassured viewers that Access is still going strong in 2023.
I also highlighted Mike Wolf's regular Week in Review articles at nolongerset, which are valuable summaries of what's happening in the Access community. I try to put these recap videos together each month myself.
I mentioned that Carol Dada Bauer contributed an advanced lesson in this month's Access User Group meeting, which is full of useful tips and tricks for more experienced users.
You can also find a tutorial on how to collect electronic signatures using the ink picture control in Access.
I started a new multi-part series on building an association database. This type of database can be useful for managing a homeowners association, golf club, church, or any type of organization with members. The series begins with foundational concepts to help you get started.
Other tutorials covered the visible property, which controls whether certain form controls are displayed, as well as the caption property, which allows you to change the labels on forms, buttons, and other controls.
My most recent video explained the dirty property and what it means for a record to be "dirty" in Access.
There are two upcoming videos available exclusively to members on my website. On Monday, I'll show how to download and display images from the web in your forms, with the option to also save them locally. On Tuesday, I'll demonstrate how to display zodiac signs based on a person's birthday.
That wraps up the January 14, 2023, rewind. You can find links to all these videos on my website at computerlearningzone.com or by visiting 599CD.com.
For a complete video tutorial with step-by-step instructions on all these topics, visit my website at the link below.
Live long and prosper, my friends.Topic List Calculating US Federal Income Tax brackets in Excel
Calculating US Federal Income Tax brackets in Access
Implementing text to speech in Microsoft Access
Using double quotes inside text strings
Displaying check boxes for calculated fields
Forcing dates to future dates only
Evaluating split forms in Access
Getting a value from a subform
Adding follow-ups to the TechHelp template
Building transaction tables for credits and debits
Generating and formatting fictitious names with ChatGPT
Using the Access Compactor template for backend files
Opening a form and selecting a specific subform record
Deleting all sample data from a test database
Importing new leads and creating follow-up records
Compacting and repairing a database with VBA
Resetting a database for the new year
Addressing rumors about Microsoft Access being canceled
Collecting signatures using the ink picture control
Creating an association database
Using the visible property to control control visibility
Using the caption property to change labels and buttons
Understanding and using the dirty property |
