ACADEMIC TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT
Microsoft Access
2013
ats@etsu.edu | 439-8611
www.etsu.edu/ats
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Getting Started .......................................................................................................... 1
Navigation Pane................................................................................................... 7
Data Types............................................................................................................ 2
Table ...................................................................................................................... 3
Table Editing ........................................................................................................ 3
Quick Forms ............................................................................................................. 4
Navigation Form ................................................................................................. 8
Report Creation ........................................................................................................ 4
Filtering and Sorting............................................................................................ 6
MS Access Forms ..................................................................................................... 7
Form Creation Methods ..................................................................................... 8
Using a Form for Navigation........................................................................... 13
Creation of Reports ........................................................................................... 14
Creations of Queries ......................................................................................... 14
Relationships ........................................................................................................... 16
Overview
Microsoft Access Part I is an instructor lead, hands-on, small group, interactive workshop. Templates,
support material, and an opportunity to ‘See and Try’ is the guiding methodology of this workshop.
Participant experiences and Objectives will include how to:
 Create a database table
 Open and Edit database objects
 Assign data types
 Edit a Table
 Add Navigation Form
 Create a quick form
 Create a report
Participants will successfully create and produce five out of seven of the Objectives with verbal guidance in
the last 20 minutes of the workshop.
Microsoft Office Access II is an instructor lead, hands-on, small group, interactive workshop. Templates,
support material, and an opportunity to ‘See and Try’ is the guiding methodology of this workshop.
Participant experiences will include:
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Creation of Access Forms
Using a Form for Navigation
Creation of Reports
Relationships in Access
This session is devoted to Best Practices in Collecting Data and in Sharing Data in Access.
Microsoft Access Part III is an instructor lead, hands-on, small group, interactive workshop. Templates,
support material, and an opportunity to ‘See and Try’ is the guiding methodology of this workshop.
Participant experiences will include:
Objectives:
1. Participants will take a look at the justification for creating a relationship in Access.
2. Participants will learn to create a Many to One and Many to Many relationship.
3. Participants will learn to create inner and outer JOINS.
This session is devoted to advanced Relationships in Access, Review of Tables and Reports from Queries and
to the ways they make Access a better application to collect data.
Support Contact: Barbara Chamberlain (knightb@etsu.edu; 439-8611)
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Part I
Getting Started
Information from Microsoft
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access-help/basic-tasks-for-an-access-2013-desktop-databaseHA102809525.aspx
Working with a Database can be intimidating. Databases expect Strict Rules and predesigned Structure. Most
folk’s experience with an Access Database is from the data entry side. An advanced skilled person creates the
Access Database and Users enter the data in form fields.
Why use a Database instead of a Spreadsheet?
1. You have too many separate files or too much data in individual files.
2. You have multiple uses for the data that you are collecting.
3. You need to share the data with others or need to quickly sort the data.
4. You must control the data and make sure it is correct in all places throughout the data collection objects.
A Database is a collection of persons, places, and things. It may contain numbers and other figures. Access
Databases contain objects such as Tables, Queries, Forms, and Reports. This session will focus on a basic
database and simple form.
Creating a Table
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Select Blank Desktop Database
Type a File Name (I suggest no spaces between words)
Select where it will be stored and make a mental note of where it will be located
Click the CREATE button
Support Contact: Barbara Chamberlain (knightb@etsu.edu; 439-8611)
1
Tables
Tables are the foundation of all databases. Tables are created by using a working view called Design View.
Each column fieldname will be entered vertically in design view.
Under the Field Name heading, insert a simple Field Name without spaces. Select a data type: text, number,
hyperlink, etc. Enter a short description related to the field name. Remember the Fields are the column titles.
Each Table is given an ID. Think of it as a reference number. The ID is not used to keep track of the number
of records collected. The database collects characteristics about this item, person, place, or thing. The
collector will need to know name, price, when, what, where, color, condition etc.
A table can be edited in Design View (best practice) and now in Access 2010 and 2013 in Datasheet View.
HAVING said this, the newest way to create a Table is as follows in Datasheet View: Open a Database, Go
to Create Table or begin with the new Table that appears when the Database opens.
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First Column is the ID
Next “Click to Add”
Type in Name
Click to Add
Type in XXX
Continue
To move from column to column use the TAB.
Edit the Column Names by clicking Field1 and enter the field name. Try to keep it short and no spaces. Save
the table by Ctrl+S or you can save by Alt, F, S.
Data Types
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access-help/introduction-to-tablesHA102749616.aspx?CTT=5&origin=HA102809525
The basic Data Types are Text, Numbers, and Dates. Data type numbers are anything that can be added,
subtracted etc. Numbers can also be identifying IDs. Fields of all types can be moved. New fields can be
added at the end of the columns or in the middle. Fields are by clicking in the gray square at the top of the
column and dragging to a new location. Once a field has been selected, it turns gray and can be moved or
deleted. A Field data type change or deletion loses all its data. To be safe, it might be better to leave a data
field as is and create a new one to take its place should needs change. The old Field can be hidden and in the
description area with a detailed justification on why it is no longer used.
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Complete List of Data Types
Short Text: The default for text is a field size of 255.
Long Text: Long Text is a collection of a large amount of text in a field.
Number: Number can be used for a 'Foreign Key' - that is when two tables are being linked - there must be a
field that connect them and of course number type is used when the entry is contains numbers that can be
added or used in a formula.
Date/Time: Access recognizes date and time as such. It makes it helpful when setting up queries.
Currency: Formats as currency that allows for adding and formulas in queries and keeps the decimal to two
positions.
AutoNumber: Auto Number is the primary key field. Auto Number input assures that no two records will
have the same ID Number.
Yes/No: This data type shows as a check box on a form or datasheet.
Ole/Object: Can be almost anything you want to collect. This object can be images, pictures, spreadsheets,
or documents.
Hyperlink: Data entered is a URL or Email address. It will take on the format of an active link.
Attachment: The attachment feature allows documents, spreadsheets etc. be attached for download and
storage.
Calculated: Data used for entering formulas and number values.
Lookup Wizard: Data type can be an associated table or a list of items. This can ensure that only items listed
can be selected or you can modify properties so an item can be entered that is not on the list.
Table
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access-help/introduction-to-tablesHA102749616.aspx?CTT=5&origin=HA102809525
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Open Access 2013
Go to File > Backstage
Blank database
Give the Table that appears a name (change it from Table 1 – try to keep it simple)
Save the database
To add a Table…..Open the database OR if it is still open go to…
Create
Table
Name the Table
To add a Table by Importing or Linking
Go to the External Data Top
Import & Link Group
Follow the prompts
Table Editing
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access-help/introduction-to-tablesHA102749616.aspx?CTT=5&origin=HA102809525
Support Contact: Barbara Chamberlain (knightb@etsu.edu; 439-8611)
3
Did you name the table? If not, name the table by right clicking on it and selecting rename. Congratulations
for successfully making an Access Database. Editing a value is simple, tab to the field/cell and change the
data. Add a new row/record by moving to bottom of data and start typing. Delete a row by right clicking in
the margin and selecting delete. Keep in mind, ACCESS does NOT have an UNDO.
Handy ShortCut Keystrokes. http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access-help/keyboard-shortcutsHP003089886.aspx
Make Backups by going to File Tab and Saving Database as XXX… Also the User can go to File and
Backstage. The database can be copied and pasted with another name. It is most important to make a backup
often of the database. When an Access Database is Open, it creates a .laccdb file. This file locks the database
from others while it is edited. Saving as older file types can remove new features so beware. The New file
type is .aacdb; the older file type was .mdb
Databases can become large as time goes on. A Database can be tweaked so it becomes more compact and
actually works more efficiently. The method to reduce a bloated database is to compact it. Compacting can be
automated or manual. To automatically compact Choose File, Options and Select the Current Database. Turn
on Compact on Close and check OK.
Tip: An Access Database can be transferred from location to location using Skydrive. A user cannot use an
Access Database from Skydrive. You would have to use the Web Based Access Database in order to keep it
on SkyDrive AND it requires SharePoint. For more information about SkyDrive go to
http://tinyurl.com/skydr
Quick Forms
An added feature to make it easier to enter data is to add a form. Forms will be discussed in the next Access
Session Part II, but to make a simple quick form, select the table that needs a form and Go to the Create Tab.
Select Form and magically a form appears. The form is connected to the Table as a means to enter data. Note
that the form can be deleted without deleting data in the Table. The Table(s) is the main Object in the
Database.
Query
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Open Access
Create, Other, Query Wizard
Simple Query Wizard
Add fields that will be needed
Next
Details
Next
Summary – IF numbers were included
Finish and Run the Query
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access-help/introduction-to-queriesHA010209892.aspx?CTT=5&origin=HA010285100
A query can be saved, modified in Access Query Design View, and modified with a different name.
Support Contact: Barbara Chamberlain (knightb@etsu.edu; 439-8611)
5
Report Creation
Create a Report in the same method for creating a Form. Select the Table with data and go to Create Report.
Edit the look of the Report by going to Design View.
An Access Database need not be intimidating. Start small with things you already know and then expand. I
hope to see you in the Part II Session.
Filtering and Sorting
Steps to a Quick Filter
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Select the Column with data
Click the dropdown at the column’s head
Clear all the checkmarks and recheck the items you want
OK
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Quick Filters will select Equals, Does Not Equal etc. IF the column contains numbers, the filter
options will include Custom Filter Options.
Filter by Form enables filtering by more than one field.
In the Sort and Filter group select Advanced and by Form
A blank datasheet appears
Enter search criteria in one or more fields
Select the Toggle Filter command
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Click the Toggle Filter again it will display all records that meet the criteria (if any is entered in the
fields)
Remove the Filter by clicking on the field heading and select Clear Filter From….
Filters are a momentary function. When the same or similar question is asked often of an Access
Database, instead create a Query.
Navigation Pane
The Navigation Pane is located on the left side of the screen. It can be collapsed. It can be arranged to meet
your needs. Objects can be hidden or shown. Objects can be arranged in several ways.
 To Change the width of the Navigation Pane, hover the mouse pointer over the right edge and when
the mouse pointer turns to a double-sided arrow, click and drag the edge
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To Expand or Collapse the Navation Pane use the ‘Shutter Bar”
Go to Tables and Related View to sorts all objects by type
Go to Created Date and Modified Date to show objects from a selected date
Go to the top of the Navigation Pane ‘View By’ Details, Icons, or List
Users can Create and Modify Custom Categories and Groups, great for quick access of select objects
or for hiding objects
Support Contact: Barbara Chamberlain (knightb@etsu.edu; 439-8611)
7
Navigation Form
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access-help/create-a-navigation-formHA102749225.aspx?CTT=1#_Toc257200042
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Go to the Create Tab
Go to the Forms group and select Navigation and Style
Go to View and change the View type to Layout
Add objects to the Navigation by dragging to the Add New Tab
Part II
MS Access Forms
A form in Access is a softer, less intimidating object in Access. It has the purpose of collecting data or
viewing data in a way that is user friendly and safe. An Access form can be modified and deleted without
damaging or removing data from the collection Tables. The data collected will be fed into Tables that look
and act much like an Excel Spreadsheet. You can create several forms, with various fields, all feeding into one
database table. You can use forms to control user input to selected fields that might have confidential data. In
this way the creator can provide input users or data collectors with a form that contains selected fields.
Form Creation Methods
(Prerequisite - What comes first the form or the table? The correct answer is a Table to collect the form data.
Select the Create Tab. Select a Table in your database. Select the Form icon to create a simple form. If you
have a table selected and select the Form Icon, a form will magically appear. Sometimes the fields are not
positioned to your liking. If you want more control, select Form Design under the Create Tab/Forms Group.
You can create a Form by starting with Form Design. Under the Create Tab/Forms Group select Form
Design. A Form in Design View will appear on the screen. It looks like the image below.
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Go to the Forms Design Tools on the Ribbon and the Tools Group and select Add Existing Fields. The
Field List displays all Tables and Fields. If you see a plus to the left of a Table name, select the plus to expand
the list of Table Fields. Select a Field and drag it to the form.
After the fields are placed in the Design Form, align and space them. Start at the top of the form just above
the first field and insert your cursor. Drag to surround all the fields or just the fields you want to align.
Support Contact: Barbara Chamberlain (knightb@etsu.edu; 439-8611)
9
Release the mouse. If you were able to select all the fields, each field will display orange borders. Go to the
Arrange Tab. In the Sizing & Ordering Group select Size/Space. Make all Fields the same size if desired.
Go to the Align Command. Select Fields or Field Names and the appropriate Button to align perfectly to the
left or to the right.
If you want to control the form by inserting only the fields you want but allowing Access to align them, try
the Form Wizard also found under the Create Tab/Form Group and select Form Wizard. A dialog box
appears. Look for the drop down called Tables/Queries. Locate the Table to associate with the form. The
bottom left column will be the available fields. Use the Greater-Than icons in the center to move fields from
the left side to the right side. Follow the prompts until you come to Finish. Select Finish to see your form.
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If you use the Blank Form Command a Blank White empty form appears. Fields can be added to the Blank
Form from the 'Add Existing Fields' found on the Create Tab in the upper right corner. The Blank Form
option behaves like the Design Form but may be less intimidating because Access attempts to align and
group for you as you drag fields to the Blank Form. Notice the Controls that become available when using
the Blank Form. You can also drag from the Controls Group to add Text Labels, Buttons, Links, Images and
other Advanced Controls such as ComboBoxes and Pages. Use the Text Box (ab|) by selecting it and
dragging a box on the form. Select the Text Box and type a title. In the Design Tab look for the Header /
Footer Group. In the Header / Footer Group the Title Command is available. Other options are Logo, Title
and Date and Time. Select a Command and double click or Click and Drag a Command while in Design View
or while in Blank Form View. Try adding a Title from the Header/Footer Group. Double click the Title icon.
Type inside the Text Box. Select the Logo Command to add a Logo by using an image on your computer.
Add Page Numbers, Date and Time if desired.
Other Tools under the Arrange Tab
Support Contact: Barbara Chamberlain (knightb@etsu.edu; 439-8611)
11
Under the Arrange Tab look for the Table Group. Select some Fields and Change the layout to Tabular.
Watch the change in position/layout. Tabular changes the layout vertically.
Stacked produces the typical Horizontal look we generally think of on a form.
Under the Arrange Tab/Position Group look for Control Padding. This inserts more or less space between
labels and fields.
Control Margins push the label and field against or away from the box holding the data and the Anchoring
Command modifies the position of the Field and its associated label (name).
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Test the New Form
I always test a new form but it is annoying to tab back and forth to make sure data is really being submitted to
the table. Instead, go to the Forms Group and select More Forms and Split. Now you can see the form and
the table in the same window. Add some data to the form and watch the table. DO NOT forget to Refresh or
the data will not show. Test to make sure the form is really feeding to the table.
Add Form Fields to an Established Form First, you must add a new Field to a Table in your database (we
covered that in the Tables Guide). Now go to your Established Form. Open in Design View by Going the
Create Tab/Forms Group and Design View. In the upper right of your screen, select Add Existing Fields.
Existing available Fields will display. Select and drag a Field to your form. Test your form to be sure it is still
working. Now that your form is functional and beautiful, we want this form to be the first thing that users
see.
Displaying the Form
Go to the upper left corner of the screen. Select the File Tab (in 2010 & 13 - instead use the Office Button in
2007). Next, open Access Options.
Give your application a title. Find an icon and select the form you want folks to see when they first open this
database.
Using a Form for Navigation
Once upon a time, we used something called a Switchboard to Navigate through all the objects in an Access
Database. Beginning in MS Access 2007 it was suggested that we use a Navigation Form. In MS Access 2013
it is suggested to use the Navigation Pane to navigate or create a Navigation Form.
Go to the Create Tab. In the Forms Group select Navigation Form. You have several template styles to pick
from. Select Vertical Navigation. Drag a Form from the "All Access Objects" column on the far left side of
the database window to the "Add New" button in the Navigation Form. This column shows objects in this
database.
Support Contact: Barbara Chamberlain (knightb@etsu.edu; 439-8611)
13
If you have several Forms or other objects, they can be added by dragging from the left side Navigation
Column to the Navigation Form Add New Button.
We can modify the look of Buttons by going into Design Mode. In the Form Design Tool Tab, go to the
Format option. You can change the Button to a picture, a Caption with a Picture or you can change the
Shape, Shape Effects, or Position of the Button. In the Form Design Tools you can truly make the form
unique. The Navigation Form behaves and are edited much like other Forms in the Database.
In Summary
We can make a simple table in Access, and create a snappy form with awesome navigation. Using the
Navigation Form to show off your database is much easier than the old switchboard that we all loved to use
but hated to create.
Creation of Reports
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access-help/introduction-to-reports-in-accessHA102749545.aspx?CTT=1
The source of a Report can be a table or query. Select the Report Tool based on the author’s expertise. Select
a Report, Report Design, Report Wizard or Labels. Create and Finish. Tweak and modify using the Design
View. Details related to modifying a Report can be found http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/accesshelp/introduction-to-reports-in-access-HA102749545.aspx?CTT=1
Creations of Queries
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access-help/course-summary-use-criteria-in-your-access-2013-queriesHA104102106.aspx
What is a query? We have already talked about sorting. Sorting is a temporary method to retrieve information
from a database. It is likely that a monthly report may be needed and therefore it is easier to say a query to be
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used over and over. Each time the query is run it will pull new and old information. It will pull out exactly
what you ask it to retrieve from the table or tables.
To create a query go to Create > Query Wizard > Select the Table that holds the information and drag from
left to right the necessary fields for this particular query.
Go to Design View and add the criteria to the Criteria Row. Some basic rules are to always surround text
criteria with double quotes. Don’t put anything around numbers. Surround Dates and Times with pound
signs. To retrieve AND information put it on the same line. To retrieve OR information put the criteria on a
different row. NOT, IN, LIKE, BETWEEN are so useful in that NOT returns all the data that is not in your
critieria. In returns all the data that IS in your criteria. Like returns data along with WildCards in case you do
not have the exact spelling etc. Between returns data between two dates and times.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access-help/apply-criteria-to-a-query-HA102836326.aspx
Examples of Criteria for Text Fields, Number, and Currency Fields http://office.microsoft.com/enus/access-help/examples-of-query-criteria-HA102815718.aspx?CTT=5&origin=HA102836326
The Query Type I have been talking about up to now is Select Queries. Another type of Query used often is
an Action Query. The Action Query can create a new Table, Add Data to a Table, Find and Replace Data,
Create Totals, Update to new Information and Scary as it may be, it can also Delete Information.
Parameter Query is type of query that can ask for the data each time it is run. For example, a query that is
created to pull all the names of students from Tennessee can be created as a Parameter Query so the user can
also ask for all the students from California. Go to Design View > In the Criteria row type the following [For
What State]. Next time the query is run it will ask for the state input.
A Totals Query might be something like this…Create > Query Design > Insert Column > Right Click the
Field Row > Select Zoom on the Menu and type in the Formula >Run.
Last Query in this handout is the Duplicate Records Query. Go to Create > Query Design > Show Table
and select the Table needed. Add the Fields that you will use to determine this is a duplicate, such as same
First Name and Last Name. Run the Query and click Delete. Make sure that the Delete row in the * columns
displays From and Where and that this is really what you want to do. Run and select Yes.
Support Contact: Barbara Chamberlain (knightb@etsu.edu; 439-8611)
15
Part III
Relationships
So far in Access we have created lonely tables that collect information. For example, our office needs to keep
a list of classes our students are taking. We need to monitor their progress. We need to make sure they have
completed X number of classes successfully within a predetermined time. In a well designed database we will
have many tables and each table will be manageable. A well designed database eliminates redundancy. In our
example, our tables will remain ‘pure’ to the specific content within them.
Tables needed to collect the data for this example:
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Students table
o StudentID (Primary
Key)
o StudentE
o First Name
o Last Name
o Address
o City
o State
o ZIP
o Phone
o Email
o Date Entered
Program
o Date Exited
Program
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Classes in Program
o ClassesID
o Class 1
o Class 2
o Class 3
o Class 4
o Class 5
o Class 6
o Class 7
o Class 8
o Class 9
o Class 10
o Class 11
o Class 12
o Exit Exam
Instructors
o InstructorsID
o Instructor 1
o Instructor 2
o Instructor 3
o Instructor 4
Linking Tables to create Relationships
In this example, the Student Table is the Parent Table because our focus is all about the students. We will
create a One Student to Many Classes. The same applies to the Instructor student relationship. We will have
One Student with more than one Instructor.
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Students table
o StudentID (Primary
Key)
o StudentE
o First Name
o Last Name
o Address
o City
o State
o ZIP
o Phone
o Email
o Date Entered
Program
o Date Exited
Program
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Classes in Program
o ClassesID
o Class 1
o Class 2
o Class 3
o Class 4
o Class 5
o Class 6
o Class 7
o Class 8
o Class 9
o Class 10
o Class 11
o Class 12
o Exit Exam
o StudentID (Foreign
Key)
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Instructors
o InstructorsID
o Instructor 1
o Instructor 2
o Instructor 3
o Instructor 4
o StudentID (Foreign
Key)
OR we could use a dropdown to achieve a similar relationship.
The Relationship for a dropdown looks like this:
Support Contact: Barbara Chamberlain (knightb@etsu.edu; 439-8611)
17
Points about relationships
A relationship links two fields that are in different tables. It POINTS to the two or more items that are
connected to each other. Another way to say it is that the Link connects a Parent to a Child. IF we Enforce
Referential Integrity, the Child MUST have a parent and they can not be orphaned. On the left side is the
Parent…on the right side is the Child.
SOMETIMES a database requires more tables and information. As a database grows, we may need to create
something called a many to many relationship. In our example, we were focused on the students in our
program. Now it is important to enter data related to our instructors also.
1) We need a table with all our students
2) We need a table with all our instructors
3) We need a table with all our classes
As you see we already had that before, but now our focus may be on our instructors or it may be on our
classes or it may be on our students.
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Students take classes. Instructors teach classes. We need a relationship between students and classes and a
relationship between instructors and classes. This would give us a one to many relationship between students
and classes and a one to many relationship between instructors and classes and to completely complicate
things…classes will have more than one student, instructors will have more than one student, students will
have more than one class and students will have more than one instructor and it goes on. To enable all these
relationships we can create JUNCTION Tables.
The junction table would be like this:
Currently we have the Details about each class contained in the Classes Table. Classes will the offered each
semester over and over. The details will remain the same. To remove the redundancy, we will create another
table for classes descriptions. It can the linked and used over and over even when the class CRN changes to
reflect the new course offering.
Support Contact: Barbara Chamberlain (knightb@etsu.edu; 439-8611)
19
A Database with junction tables are the most complete and useful for collecting detailed information.
Entering the information in each table is easy but adding the ID numbers in the Junction Table may be tricky.
In the real world, the creator and data input folks will have a lot of knowledge about their information. Data
will probably be entered from spreadsheets and reports. In this example I have shown one of the ways to use
a cheat sheet (dropdown) on the Junction Table. To add a dropdown of the classes and Instructors on the
Instructor_Classes Junction Table follow these steps:
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Create a form using the Instructor_Classes Table as the foundation
Go to Design View
Under the Design Tab add a Combo box
Follow the prompt to use the values from the Instructor Table
Create another Combo box using the values from the Class Table
Now we have a dropdown to remind us what the ID numbers are associated with each item
Otherwise, we could use a separate digital copy of the information and search for the appropriate ID
Running a query from the Junction Table
The number one reason for using a Database is to run reports and collect data. The steps for collecting data
by query from the Instructor_Classes Junction table would be as follows: This is an example of a
1)
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6)
Create
Simple Query Wizard
Select Classes and pick by sending from left side to right side any information needed
Select Instructor_Classes and send over everything
Select Instructor and pick by sending from left side to right side any information needed
Name the Query
Now the IDs have names associated with them for the report. Always test a database with real information
before making it the One and Only collection of data. No matter how many times it is tested with fake
information, it is very hard to catch errors. When the user sees that data does not correctly retrieve in a query
that is NOT the time to discover a mistake in the layout.
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Inner and Outer Joins – Access Database Example called
‘studentlocation.accdb’
An Access Database is a group of tables that have relationships to each other. For example, one table may
have the list of students attending a university in the fall. The Student Table has all the personal information
for just that student. Another table may have a list of all the High Schools along with their state location.
When a report or inquiry needs to be run, the user wants to see understandable information, rather than ID
numbers. An inner join will allow the creator to display names rather than code or ID numbers displayed in a
temporary table for extraction or reporting.
Types of Joins (Relationships)
Inner Joins: Table 1 has records that correspond to Table 2 Rows. Only the Records that have common
values in both tables will appear on the Report when a query is run. Most inner joins are automatically created
when a relationship is created between two tables.
Outer Joins: Table 1 has some records that correspond to Table 2 Rows. Alternatively, Table 2 has some
records that correspond to Table 1 Rows. Always start with an Inner Join and then change it to an Outer Join
if all the records need to be retrieved. In the Query Design view, double click the join and a Join Properties
dialog box will appear. See the Join Properties that are listed. Pick the one that meets the needs of this report.
If the report will show all rows that have corresponding data between two tables then use a full outer join,
which requires an Union Query.
Steps
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Create a query where the Table 1 (left outer join) has complete rows of information that should
correspond to Table 2, which does not necessary have complete information
Go to the Home Tab and select View and then SQL View
Copy the SQL code by using CTRL+C
Delete the semicolon at the end and press ENTER (return)
Type in the word UNION and Enter
Use the keystroke CTRL+V to paste the SQL code
Next in the code you just pasted, change the words LEFT JOIN to RIGHT JOIN
Delete the semicolon at the end of the FROM and press Enter
Add WHERE Clause that says the value may be NULL
Example below taken from http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access-help/join-tables-and-queriesHA010096320.aspx
Support Contact: Barbara Chamberlain (knightb@etsu.edu; 439-8611)
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For example, if the FROM clause is:
In our example our clause will be:
Select Student
FROM Student LEFT OUTER JOIN hslocation
ON student.stuID = hslocation.stuID
UNION ALL SELECT
FROM Student RIGHT OUTER JOIN hslocation
ON student.stuID = hslocation.stuID
You would add the following WHERE clause:
WHERE Products.ID IS NULL
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Now type in a semicolon at the end of the WHERE clause
Go back to the Design tab and in the Results grouping, click RUN
Union all select Clause would look like this:
SELECT Student.StuID, Student.StuName, HSLocation.StuHSLoc
FROM Student LEFT JOIN HSLocation ON Student.StuID = HSLocation.StuID
UNION SELECT Student.StuID, Student.StuName, HSLocation.StuHSLoc
FROM Student RIGHT JOIN HSLocation ON Student.StuID = HSLocation.StuID
WHERE NULL;
More about Joins with example:
Illustration for clarification with two tables. The table on the left is called Student; the table on the right is a
list of High Schools state locations.
StuID
14
19
6
20
31
Student
StuName
Susan
Jim
George
Sam
Helen
StuID
14
19
6
20
39
HSLocation
StuHSLoc
Tennessee
Florida
North Carolina
Texas
Virginia
The last row in the Student table does not appear in the High School Location Table.
Outer Joins
We have left outer joins, right outer joins and full outer joins.
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SQL for a left outer join
SELECT Student.StuID, Student.StuName, HSLocation.StuHSLoc
FROM Student LEFT JOIN HSLocation ON Student.StuID = HSLocation.StuID;
This mean we are joining on condition that the student’s IDs match the rows in the tables so we are
temporarily combining 2 tables into 1 based on that condition.
A left outer join keeps all the rows of the left table, and it does not matter whether there is data that matches
in the right table.
Therefore a left outer join would look like this:
StuID
14
19
6
20
31
Student
StuName
Susan
Jim
George
Sam
Helen
StuID
14
19
6
20
Null
HSLocation
StuHSLoc
Tennessee
Florida
North Carolina
Texas
Null
A right outer Join would be switched as follows:
SELECT Student.StuID, Student.StuName, HSLocation.StuHSLoc
FROM Student RIGHT JOIN HSLocation ON Student.StuID = HSLocation.StuID;
Therefore the following temporary table:
StuID
14
19
6
20
Null
Student
StuName
Susan
Jim
George
Sam
Null
StuID
14
19
6
20
39
HSLocation
StuHSLoc
Tennessee
Florida
North Carolina
Texas
Virginia
Inner Joins
Inner Joins return ONLY row that match. The SQL code for an Inter Join here would look like:
SELECT Student.StuID, Student.StuName, HSLocation.StuHSLoc
FROM Student INNER JOIN HSLocation ON Student.StuID = HSLocation.StuID;
Here is the result of the Inner Join
StuID
14
19
Student
StuName
Susan
Jim
StuID
14
19
Support Contact: Barbara Chamberlain (knightb@etsu.edu; 439-8611)
HSLocation
StuHSLoc
Tennessee
Florida
23
6
20
George
Sam
6
20
North Carolina
Texas
As you can see, now we retrieve only the rows that completely match. We have no orphan entries showing.
Inner or Outer Joins?
Use an inner join if you only want to see those entries where the information is complete. The Inner Join
displays all data where the Student’s exists and his or her data has been completed or in this example, when
his or her location information has been entered. If all the information should be retrieved, with no regard to
whether the location information has been entered, then use a left, right, or full outer join.
This concludes Part I, II, and III of Access. Access will never be completely understood or mastered by most
folks. The more it is used, the more skills are built on past knowledge. The more known about Access, the
more complicated it can become as we try to push limits. Therefore, do not be intimidated. Try it. Start
simple and built from there. Once you accomplish a few Queries, create a Form or two, and see how easy it is
to quickly pull Reports and information, you will love using Access as I do. As long as the basic tables are
maintained, the rest can be modified and changed. Thanks for participating in our eLearning workshops, and
sessions.
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