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Intro

In lesson 313, we will learn how to create a product category form in Microsoft Access to help organize large numbers of products, filter product lists based on category selection, and set up combo boxes for categories and products on the order form. We will also cover how to zoom into notes fields using VBA code, hide specific items on invoices for cost tracking, and discuss the basics of splitting your Access database. This lesson builds on concepts from previous classes and introduces several new programming techniques.

Transcript

Welcome to Microsoft Access 313, brought to you by accesslearningzone.com. I am your instructor, Richard Rost.

In today's class, we are going to cover several different and varied topics. We are going to start by making a product category form where we will have categories for our products, because over time we are going to have hundreds, perhaps thousands of products. So, we are going to have thousands of products that we are going to break up into categories, like keyboards, mice, and so on.

I want to make it so that I can pick a category and then have my product list filtered by the category that I picked. On the order form, I will have two combo boxes: a category first, then the product itself.

We will do some other things like zooming in on notes fields. I will teach you how to do that in VB code. I will show you how to hide items on invoices. The reason to do that is so we can put cost-only items in there, such as materials that we do not want to show on the invoice, but we still want to calculate in our costs.

Then we will talk about splitting the database. These are the general overall themes for today's class. We are going to learn all kinds of new concepts and programming topics. So, there is a lot of new material in today's class.

This class follows Microsoft Access 312. I strongly recommend you take that one before this one. If you have skipped the 100 and 200 series, that is okay if you already know Access, but I do strongly recommend that you take 301 through 312 before taking this one.

I am still using Microsoft Access XP in this class. This class should work fine with every version of Access from 97 up through 2003. I have not tested this material with 2007 yet, but from what I have seen, it should not be a problem to adapt this to 2007.

Of course, I recommend you sit back, relax, and watch the lesson the first time through, then watch it again a second time following along with the examples. The database files can be found at accesslearningzone.com/students. The direct link to the discussion for this class is accesslearningzone.com?GOAC313.

If you are running the Immacron video player, the discussion forum will pop up right next to the video if you are online while you are watching the class.

As I always strongly recommend, you should build the database yourself. Do not just download the file off the website and look at it. Actually, get in there, work with the files, and make this stuff yourself. You will get the most out of the class if you build the database on your own.

Quiz

Q1. What is the main purpose of creating a product category form as discussed in the class?
A. To make data entry faster for customer records
B. To organize products into groups for easier filtering and selection
C. To make invoices look more professional
D. To add security to the product table

Q2. On the order form, what feature is introduced to help select products?
A. A search bar for product names
B. A switchboard menu
C. Two combo boxes: one for category, one for product
D. A single dropdown for all products

Q3. What programming topic is mentioned regarding notes fields?
A. Encrypting the notes field for security
B. Zooming in on notes fields using VB code
C. Translating notes fields into other languages
D. Sorting notes fields alphabetically

Q4. Why would someone want to hide items on invoices, according to the video?
A. To decrease the printing cost
B. To avoid showing out-of-stock products
C. To include cost-only items like materials not intended for the customer to see
D. To make the invoice look less cluttered

Q5. What major database concept is covered in this lesson?
A. Advanced report design
B. Splitting the database
C. Migrating data to Excel
D. Adding password protection

Q6. What does the instructor recommend about taking previous courses?
A. Skip all previous courses and start here
B. Only take course 301 before this one
C. Complete at least courses 301 through 312 before taking this one
D. Only take the 100 series before this one

Q7. Which versions of Microsoft Access is this course intended to work with?
A. Only Access XP
B. Access 2010 and later
C. Access 97 up through 2003, and should adapt to 2007
D. Only Access 2007 and up

Q8. What is strongly recommended for students to get the most from the class?
A. Read the transcript instead of watching the video
B. Download and review the example files without recreating them
C. Build the database themselves while following the lessons
D. Skip the exercises and only take the quiz

Answers: 1-B; 2-C; 3-B; 4-C; 5-B; 6-C; 7-C; 8-C

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 covers several important topics in Microsoft Access 313. We begin by creating a product category form that will help us manage our growing inventory. As the number of products increases into the hundreds or even thousands, organizing them into categories such as keyboards or mice becomes essential. With this setup, you will be able to select a category and see your product list filtered accordingly. On the order form, you will use two combo boxes: the first for choosing the category, and the second for selecting the product within that category.

Beyond categories, we will also look at how to zoom in on notes fields using some simple VBA code, making it easier to read or edit longer notes. I will demonstrate how to hide specific items on invoices, which can be useful if you need to include cost-only entries, such as materials, that should affect your cost calculations but not appear on the customer invoice.

We will also discuss how to split the database, an important step as your database grows and more users need to access it. These general areas set the stage for a class that is filled with new concepts and programming ideas, so there is plenty of material to expand your skills in Access.

This course is a continuation from Microsoft Access 312. If you have not already completed the previous classes, particularly the 301 through 312 series, I highly encourage you to do so first. However, if you are already familiar with Access and have skipped the basic series, you should be able to follow along.

I am still using Microsoft Access XP for demonstration, and the lessons should be compatible with versions from Access 97 through 2003. While I haven't formally tested everything in Access 2007, you should be able to adapt the instructions without much trouble.

I recommend watching the lesson first without interruption to get a clear overview. Then, watch it again while following along with the provided examples. You can find the necessary database files on my website, accesslearningzone.com, under the students section. For direct discussion and questions about this class, visit accesslearningzone.com and enter GOAC313.

If you use the Immacron video player, you will see the discussion forum appear right next to your video feed whenever you are online and watching.

As always, I advise you to build the database yourself rather than simply downloading a completed version. Engaging with the files and working through the examples by hand will deepen your understanding and ensure you get the maximum benefit from this class.

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

Creating a product category form

Filtering product list by selected category

Setting up combo boxes for category and product selection

Zooming in on notes fields using VBA code

Hiding items on invoices with VBA

Adding cost-only items to invoices without displaying them

Introduction to database splitting in Access