Review & What's Next

Lesson 14: Beginner Level 1 Review & Next Steps

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In this lesson we will review the key concepts covered in Access Beginner Level 1, including Access database terminology, the benefits and parts of a database, and how to plan your database structure. We will discuss building tables, entering and editing data, using sorting and filtering, creating queries, and designing forms and reports. We will also talk about what is coming up in future lessons, such as expanded form design, working with tables and queries, adding combo boxes, and tracking contact history. Finally, we will cover where to access the next course, student support, and opportunities for feedback.

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Keywords

Access Beginner, AccessLearningZone, Richard Rost, database terminology, tables, queries, forms, reports, data types, customer table, sorting, filtering, Design View, mailing labels, form formatting, themes, fonts, layout view, field sizes, input masks, v

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Intro

Transcript

Thank you for watching Microsoft Access Beginner Level 1 brought to you by AccessLearningZone.com. Again, I am your instructor Richard Rost.

Let's take a few minutes and review the concepts covered in today's class. We learned about Access database terminology, what is a database, why you should use a database, the benefits of Access, and the parts of a database: tables, queries, forms, reports, and more.

We learned about planning our database, planning it out on paper, what kind of tables you should have, the different fields for each table, and so on.

We learned about the Access interface, creating a blank database, and how to turn on overlapping windows. We learned how to build a customer table, including different data types and fields.

We learned how to enter and edit that data. We learned about the different kinds of sorting and filtering options. We built a few different customer queries to display the data from our tables in different ways.

We built a customer form using Design View so that our user has a nice friendly interface for entering and editing data. We are going to do a lot more with this in Level 2.

We built a few different customer reports, including some mailing labels.

What's next? The next course in the series is Access Beginner Level 2, and you can find it on my website for just $1.

Level 2 is over an hour and 20 minutes long, where we spend a lot more time building forms in Design View. You will learn a lot more about manipulating form objects, form formatting, using themes, fonts, and colors, working in Layout and Design View, and lots more.

Today is June of 2021, as I am recording this video. I am shortly going to begin re-recording Beginner Level 2 as well. The version that is on my website right now is for Access 2010-2013, but all the stuff in that lesson is just fine whether you are using 2016-2019, or you have a Microsoft 365 subscription. However, when the new Beginner Level 2 is finished, you will of course get a free upgrade. That is the rule for all of my lessons.

If you buy Expert Level 1 or Expert Level 15, whenever I record the next version of that class, you get a free upgrade. But pretty much all of the stuff that I cover in Beginner Level 2 is the same. They have not really changed the beginner stuff much.

I will give you a more in-depth look at what is coming up toward the end of this video.

Once again, if you have any questions, please feel free to post them on the Student Forum, which is right at the bottom of the website that you are on now, if you are on my website. If you are watching on YouTube, go ahead and post your questions there as well in the comments section. I check those about once a week whereas I check my website daily. And of course, feel free to post your questions in my Access forum.

Do not forget to stop by the TechHelp page and check out those videos too. I try to put out at least three or four new ones every week and there is lots and lots of stuff that I have already covered.

Now the only way I can make my courses better is with your feedback. So please, please, please visit my website at that page there, the survey page, and fill out the survey for this course. How did you like it? Did I go too fast? Did I go too slow? Did I cover enough material? Let me know what you thought about today's class.

Please be sure to subscribe to my blog, follow me on Twitter, and of course, find me on YouTube.

Now as a quick preview of what is coming up, I have got lots and lots and lots more Access classes available. I am currently in the process of re-recording all of these, just like I am recording Level One that you are watching right now. This is probably the fourth time I have re-recorded this class. You have got to do it every couple of years because minor things change. But all of these classes are just fine from Access 2007 all the way up to now. It is 2021. The rest of these classes are just fine.

In Beginner Level Two, we do a lot more with form design, working with the different properties of the form control elements.

Beginner Level Three, we go back to tables and we do a lot more work with tables. Learning about the different field sizes, number types, data formats, input masks, default values, validation rules, and lots more.

Level Four covers things like indexing, backing up your database, compact, and repair.

Level Five covers lots more with queries, including multiple criteria, parameter queries. That is where we can have Access pop up a little box that says, what state do you want this query to run for? Type in New York and then, boom, you get New York.

Level Six, we get into working with pictures.

Level Seven, we build that custom main menu form. We get something that looks like this. We can click on different buttons to open up different tables and queries and forms and reports. We will learn how to build a continuous form and then make a button so you can scroll down through the different customers, click the button and open up that customer.

Level Eight, we get into combo boxes. A combo box is where you can pick a value from a list of options like pick the state from a list.

In Lesson Nine, we start tracking contact history. So you have customers. Every time you talk to a customer, you might want to track that contact history. So we will make a second table and we will start tracking that stuff. Then we can build a contact history for each of our customers.

And that is just the beginner series. Then we have got the expert series, which goes into a whole lot more stuff.

The expert series starts off teaching about relational database concepts, relating multiple tables together. For example, it is where you have a list of drivers and a list of cars and each of these drivers is associated with each of those cars. That is one example. You can do customers to contacts, customers to orders, vendors to products, all kinds of different stuff.

I will show you how to make queries that relate multiple tables together. Customers, lead sources, shipping information, lots more.

So that is a little preview of what is coming up in the next couple of classes. I have got hundreds of hours of different Access classes and seminars and templates and all kinds of things on my website. But what is next for you is Access Beginner Level Two. Now you can find Level Two on my website. It is just one dollar. I will put a link down below that you can click on. You can get that and you can continue learning.

Thanks for watching Access Beginner Level One brought to you by AccessLearningZone.com. Once again, my name is Richard Rost. I hope you learned something today and I look forward to seeing you again in Level Two.

Quiz

Q1. What are the main parts of a Microsoft Access database discussed in the video?
A. Tables, queries, forms, and reports
B. Worksheets, macros, fields, and formulas
C. Folders, files, cells, and graphics
D. Slides, animations, themes, and fonts

Q2. What is the recommended first step when building an Access database according to the video?
A. Importing data from Excel
B. Planning your database on paper
C. Creating mailing labels
D. Designing reports

Q3. What is the benefit of creating a customer form in Design View?
A. It provides a user-friendly interface for entering and editing data
B. It automatically creates charts and graphs
C. It exports data to Word documents
D. It improves database speed

Q4. Which of the following is NOT a topic covered in Access Beginner Level Two according to the video?
A. Manipulating form objects and formatting
B. Advanced SQL programming
C. Working in Layout and Design View
D. Using themes, fonts, and colors

Q5. How are free upgrades handled for Richard Rost's Access courses?
A. Upgrades are free for only the first six months
B. Free upgrades are given for any version purchased
C. No upgrades are available
D. Upgrades must be purchased at a discount

Q6. What can you do if you have questions after taking the course?
A. Post on the Student Forum on the website
B. Contact Microsoft support directly
C. Wait for the next video to be released
D. Email other course students

Q7. What feature allows Access queries to prompt users for input, such as specifying a state?
A. Lookup wizard
B. Parameter queries
C. Form reports
D. AutoFilter option

Q8. Which lesson introduces tracking a customer's contact history by creating a second table?
A. Beginner Level Four
B. Beginner Level Seven
C. Beginner Level Nine
D. Beginner Level Two

Q9. Which version(s) of Access do the beginner lessons apply to, according to the video?
A. Only Access 2019 and later
B. Only Access 2013 and earlier
C. From Access 2007 to Microsoft 365
D. Only Access for Mac

Q10. What type of database concept is covered at the start of the Expert Series?
A. Relational database concepts
B. Spreadsheet formatting
C. Advanced mail merges
D. Macro automation exclusively

Answers: 1-A; 2-B; 3-A; 4-B; 5-B; 6-A; 7-B; 8-C; 9-C; 10-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 Access Learning Zone wraps up Access Beginner Level 1, where I covered the foundational topics necessary to start working with Microsoft Access databases. Let me give you a summary of everything we discussed and a look ahead at what you can expect in the upcoming courses.

First, we went over essential Access terminology. I explained what a database is, the reasons for using one, and the many benefits Access provides. You now know about the core components of a database, including tables, queries, forms, reports, and several other key elements.

We then talked about the importance of planning your database before you build it. I showed you how to map out your tables and decide which fields you need for each. Getting organized at this early stage saves a lot of trouble down the road.

Next, you learned about the Access interface itself. I demonstrated how to start a new blank database and change settings such as enabling overlapping windows. We designed a customer table step by step, exploring data types and field setup along the way.

You practiced entering and editing data, and I introduced different sorting and filtering options to make finding information easier. We constructed several customer queries so you could see your data in a variety of ways, depending on your needs.

Forms were a major focus as well. I taught you how to create a user-friendly customer form using Design View, which makes data entry and editing much simpler for end users. This is just the beginning - we will take forms much further in the next level.

I also walked you through building customer reports, including generating mailing labels from your data, so you can quickly produce professional-looking output for printing or sharing.

So what comes next? The next course I recommend is Access Beginner Level 2, available on my website for just one dollar. In Level 2, which runs for over an hour and twenty minutes, I go much deeper into form design. You will learn more about working with form objects, customizing the appearance of your forms using themes, adjusting fonts and colors, and the differences between Layout and Design Views.

As of June 2021 when I'm recording this, I am planning to re-record Beginner Level 2 soon. The current version on my site covers Access 2010 and 2013, but everything in those lessons applies to Access 2016, 2019, and Microsoft 365 as well. When the new version is finished, you'll receive an upgrade at no additional cost. I stand by this policy for every course I offer - whether it is Expert Level 1 or Level 15, you always get the latest version for free after purchasing.

If you have questions as you move through the course, feel free to post on the Student Forum at the bottom of my website or, if you are watching on YouTube, leave a comment there. I check my website daily and look in on YouTube about once a week. The Access forum is also a good place to get additional support.

I encourage you to check out my TechHelp page as well. I publish several new videos there every week that answer common Access questions and show you even more tips and techniques.

Your feedback is extremely valuable to me. After finishing the class, please visit my website and fill out the survey for this course. Tell me what you liked and what could be improved, whether it was too fast or too slow, and if there was enough material. Your input directly influences future lessons.

If you want regular updates, be sure to subscribe to my blog, follow me on Twitter, and visit my YouTube channel.

Looking ahead, I have a full series of Access classes, and I am currently in the process of re-recording all of them to make sure they are up to date. These lessons have generally stayed the same since Access 2007, with only minor updates needed now and then.

In Level 2, we will spend more time refining form design and exploring the properties of form controls. Level 3 brings us back to tables for more advanced work, including changing field sizes, understanding number types and data formats, setting up input masks, applying default values, adding validation rules, and more.

Level 4 focuses on database maintenance like indexing, backup, and using the compact and repair tools. In Level 5, I cover more advanced queries, introducing multiple criteria and parameter queries that let you prompt users for criteria, such as selecting a specific state like New York.

Level 6 introduces working with images in your database. Level 7 is about creating a custom main menu form with clickable buttons to open different objects, as well as working with continuous forms that let you browse through your records with ease.

Level 8 teaches you about combo boxes, which let users select from a list, such as picking a state from a dropdown. By Level 9, I show you how to track detailed contact history for your customers using related tables and providing a record of every interaction.

These are just the beginner levels. The expert series that follows teaches more about relational database design, joining tables such as drivers to cars, customers to orders, and so on. You will learn how to build complex queries that pull together information from multiple tables, including handling lead sources and shipping information.

So, as you can see, there is a structured path to guide you all the way from the basics through advanced Access techniques. For now, your next step should be Access Beginner Level 2, which you can get for just one dollar from my site.

Thank you for joining me for Access Beginner Level 1 from Access Learning Zone. I hope you learned a lot, and I look forward to seeing you in Level 2.

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

Access database terminology
What is a database
Why use a database
Benefits of Microsoft Access
Parts of a database: tables, queries, forms, reports
Planning your database on paper
Determining tables and fields
Access interface overview
Creating a blank database
Enabling overlapping windows
Building a customer table
Using different data types and fields
Entering and editing data
Sorting and filtering data
Building customer queries
Displaying table data with queries
Creating a customer form in Design View
Form interface for data entry and editing
Building customer reports
Creating mailing labels

Article

Thank you for taking the time to learn with this tutorial on Microsoft Access. In this article, I will guide you through the essential concepts introduced at the beginner level, explaining not just how to perform key tasks, but why each step matters as you start using Access to manage your data effectively.

Let us begin by understanding what a database is and why Microsoft Access can be a great choice. A database is simply a way to store, organize, and manage data. You might be tempted to use spreadsheets for this, but as your needs become more complex, Access can help you handle larger quantities of information, reduce data entry errors, and create powerful ways to retrieve and present your data.

Access uses a few basic building blocks. Tables are where your raw data lives. Each table contains records, which are the rows, and fields, which are the columns. For example, if you are tracking customers, each customer is a record and the fields might include first name, last name, address, phone number, and email. Queries let you search and filter that data, to answer questions like "Which customers live in New York?" Forms provide user-friendly windows for entering and editing your data, while Reports help you print your data in organized layouts, like mailing labels or sales summaries.

Before you jump into building your database, it is important to plan it out carefully. Think about what information you need to track and sketch out your tables and fields on paper first. For instance, do you need just a customer table, or do you also want to track orders or contacts? Each separate group of information usually gets its own table. Plan the field types as well. Text fields handle names and addresses, number fields are for amounts and quantities, and date/time fields are obviously for dates.

Once you are ready, you can create a blank database in Access. Familiarize yourself with the Access interface, paying attention to how to turn on overlapping windows, which makes it easier to work with multiple objects at once. Start by building a simple customer table. Choose appropriate data types for each field. For example, use Short Text for names and addresses, Number for customer IDs, and Date/Time for birthdates or registration dates.

As you begin entering data into your table, you will find sorting and filtering options helpful. You can sort customers alphabetically by last name or filter them by state or city to see only the information you need at any moment.

Queries are where you start to gain real power with your data. For example, you might want to see all customers who joined this year, or who live in a specific city. You can create a query, select your criteria, and let Access display just those records that match.

For improved data entry, you can build a form using Design View. Drag and drop fields onto the form, arrange them as you like, and you instantly create a much more user-friendly experience for yourself or anyone else entering data. Forms can include labels, images, buttons, and other controls to guide users and prevent mistakes.

Next, you will likely want to print information for your business, like mailing labels or reports showing customer lists. Access reports help you organize your data, add grouping and totals, and present the information clearly. Creating mailing labels, for example, is as simple as using the Report Wizard, selecting your format, and placing your address fields correctly.

As you progress, there are many other skills you will want to learn. In further lessons, you will dig deeper into working with form properties like resizing, colors, themes, and setting up buttons to enhance navigation. You will continue to expand on table design, learning about field sizes, number types, formatting, default values, and validation rules, which help keep your data accurate and consistent.

Maintaining your database is another important step. You will learn how to use indexing for faster searches, and how to back up and repair your database to avoid losing information. More advanced concepts, like parameter queries, will let you create prompts for custom searches, such as asking the user which state they want to see in a report.

As you become more comfortable, you will start working with images, adding photos to customer records, for example. You will design more advanced forms, such as a custom main menu that lets you open tables, forms, queries, or reports with just the click of a button. Combo boxes, which allow users to pick from a list instead of typing, help streamline data entry and reduce mistakes.

Sooner or later, you will want to track customer interactions or contact history. You can set up related tables, so each customer has its own list of contacts or notes, providing a complete interaction history.

For those who want to go further, learning about relational databases is the next step. This is how you relate multiple tables together, such as linking customers to orders, or drivers to vehicles. You create relationships by using unique IDs in each table and telling Access how those tables go together. This unlocks powerful analysis and reporting options.

Throughout your learning, remember to experiment and practice. Try building sample tables, forms, queries, and reports for your own needs. If you get stuck, use resources like forums, help pages, and community websites to ask your questions or see examples.

Your journey with Access can be as simple or advanced as you need, and the skills you build here will help you manage data more efficiently, whether for your business, personal use, or future projects. Stay curious and keep exploring new Access features as you get comfortable with the basics.