Sorting and Filtering Boolean Fields
A Boolean field is one that holds a true or false result and it is created as a Yes/No type. By default, and most of the time, a Boolean field displays a check box that can be checked (or marked) or cleared (or unchecked). By its Boolean interpretation, Microsoft Access considers that a check box that is checked is "selected" and a check box that is not checked in "cleared". You can use this logic to sort the records of a table, a query, or a form.

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Change the formatting of a field in a report when the field contains NULL
In Access 2003/XP/2000/97, I'm trying to create a report that will highlight a field that "Is Null". How can I do this?

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Include NULL values in query results
In Access 2003/XP/2000/97, I have a query that in which I try to exclude certain records based on an entry in a particular field (eg. something like "not C"). For some reason, Access also seems to strip out the NULL values as well. Do you know how I can also include the NULL values in the query results?

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Concatenate strings together
To concatenate multiple strings into a single string in Access, you need to use the "&" operator to separate the string values.

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Calculated fields
A calculated field is a "virtual field" in a query. The field is virtual in the sense that it is not stored anywhere in the database. Instead, it is calculated dynamically when the query is used. Learning objectives: create a calculated field; understand why ACCESS add square; brackets around field names; understand the use of the ampersand operator (&). (pdf file, install Acrobat Reader to read this tutorial)

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Rolling dates by pressing "+" or "-"
Code to increment or decrement a date by pressing the plus or minus key in a Microsoft Access database. Some commercial programs (Tracker, Quicken, etc) allow the user to press "+" or "-" to increment or decrement a date without the hassle of selecting the day part of the field and entering a new value. This is especially useful in fields where the default date offered could be a day or two different from the date desired. To provide this functionality in Access, attach this Event Procedure to the KeyPress event of your control.

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SQL Operators and Operands
In order to use a computer language, you usually give instructions to an internal program. An instruction can be formulated as a command. Examples are "give me food" or "touch your head". Another type of instruction can be formulated as a question. Examples are "what time is it?" or "Are you hungry?". The sentence or group of words that constitute an instruction is also called a statement.

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Sending Alerts to Workstations
MS-Access Applications A, B & C are linked to a common Table in a Back-End Database on the Network. Application B & C Users can update information in this Table and complete their side of the work only after the main records are introduced by Application A Users. All records are not very urgent in nature but some of them are and needs immediate action from B & C Users. There must be a way to inform Application A Users to give priority for certain Data for updating in the System. When they do, B & C Users must get Alerts on the updated status of those records, so that they can open their Applications and act upon their side of the work. It is not necessary to keep B & C Applications open to receive Alert Messages.

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Create a query that accepts "Start" date and "End" date as parameters
In Access 2003/XP/2000/97, I'm trying to run a query based on a date. When the query opens, I would like some type of window prompting for the user to enter a "start" date and an "end" date. How can I do this?

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Troubleshoot exporting in Access
I do not see any entries for MicrosoftOffice Excel 2003 in the Files of type box when I start the export operation. I exported data to an Excel spreadsheet, but now I see green triangles and strings that begin with "#" in the spreadsheet. When I export to Excel, the graph objects are missing in the worksheet. Data is in the wrong column in the resulting Excel worksheet. The worksheet is showing null values instead of date values. I see only "#" in an entire column in my Excel worksheet after the export operation is complete. I exported a form to Excel, but the subforms are not in the worksheet. I don't see any of the pictures that are in the original report int the resulting Excel worksheet. Memo fields are truncated during the export to Excel operation. Report totals are missing in the worksheet to which I exported an Access report. I get the message "Unable to read file" when I export to Excel. I get the message "Too many rows" when I export to Excel. File extensions don't show up beside the file names in the Save As Type dialog box. I'm not able to link my database objects to Microsoft IIS or Microsoft ASP files.

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Showing a Please Wait/Progress Macro
There maybe occasions where you will need to display a message to inform your user's that they must wait for an action or process to be completed. You may want to display the text "Database Loading" whilst Access initializes a large database, or display the text "Please Wait" whilst Access runs a long query.

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Need help on MS Access
I am creating a database using access 2003 for myself. Everything I key in a new record I have to manually type in the name in the first field, it is time consuming if the name is long. So I created a drop down list. I wanted to get the data on my "name" field, so during the list creation I choose the option: "I want the list box to look up the values in a table or query"

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Multiuser Databases
In order for multiple users to open a database at the same time, all of these users must have "Full Control" permissions on the directory where the file is located. If any one of the users doesn't have "Full Control" permissions on the directory, which includes read, write (create), modify, and delete permissions, then the locking database file (*.LDB), or lack thereof, will interfere with the users trying to open and use the database file, because one or more of these users cannot lock records in the database.

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Display a subtotal for each category within a report
In Access 2003/XP/2000/97, I'm trying to create a report that will display total hours at the end of each category. For instance, in my database I have the following fields titled: "computer" and "total hours". The values in "total hours" represent the number of hours that a technician has worked on a computer. I would like a total of hours for computer #1 displayed before the detail for computer #2 is displayed.

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Backing up a Microsoft Access 2007 Database
One of the rules of protecting your work and data is backing it up. We learned it from the first computer science class and we all do it, whether it's saving your vacation photos on a flash disk or burning a cd with the latest book you wrote. This also applies to databases: using a back-up easily protects against any data loss. Plus, by reverting to an older version you can "undo" actions that the command "undo" is not able to help you with.

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Create a Query in Microsoft Access Using the LIKE Operator
You can create a query to search data in a table by using the "LIKE" parameter. The "like" syntax allows you to perform wildcard searches against text strings.

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What is Database?
Before we begin delving into our Microsoft Access tutorials, we need to have a full understanding of what a database is. This site is geared towards people who are just starting out using Microsoft Access, so for some of you with a little more experience, this may seem a little dumbed down, and for that, I apologise in advance. That said, I feel that the first question we need to address is "what exactly is a database".

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Error accessing file - or - This action will reset the current code in break mode
When you try to view the code for a Visual Basic for Applications module, compile a database, create an MDE file, or execute code in an Access 2000 database, you may see one of the following messages: "Error accessing file. Network connection may have been lost." "This action will reset the current code in break mode."

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Turn on or off automatic correction of text and data
Use AutoCorrect to automatically correct text that you frequently mistype, and to automatically replace abbreviations with long names. For example, you can create an entry "esq" for "Martin R. Esquivel." Whenever you type esq followed by a space or punctuation mark, Microsoft Access automatically replaces "esq" with the name Martin R. Esquivel. AutoCorrect works with text in a datasheet and with text in a form in Form View.

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How to Limit Data in a Microsoft Access Field to Certain Values
Limiting data in a field prevents entry errors. For instance, suppose you are selling towels in three colors - red, blue, and yellow. Limiting the data values to "red," "blue" or "yellow" will prevent people from mistakenly ordering pink towels. These instructions apply to MS Access 97.

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Microsoft Access or Something Else?, I don't know which to use...
I'm a web tech, but my boss asked me to build what he calls a "database" for him. So basically I need a customer database and I have NO CLUE what I'm doing... I'm just tinkering with all kinds of programs and completely lost. What program am I supposed to be using to build this database... I have microsoft access, but I couldn't figure it out. I downloaded Python and pHpMyAdmin, although now that I have, I don't know why.... Could some one please give me a sense of direction??? Just let me know what I need to use, and where I can learn to use it!

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Require That Data Be Entered in a Field
You can make certain Access fields "required," which ensures that necessary information cannot be left out of the database, either accidentally or deliberately. For example, in a customer database, a first and last name and address might be required, while a phone number might be optional. These instructions apply to Microsoft Access 97.

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Using "Top Values" Criteria
Read this article and learn Use of "Top Values" Criteria in MS-Access queries. (video tutorial)

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What to do when you see -Package- instead of Bitmap Image in your database tables
When you use Datasheet view to add GIF, JPEG, and other common types of image files to an OLE Object (OLE object: An object supporting the OLE protocol for object linking and embedding. An OLE object from an OLE server (for example, a Windows Paint picture or a Microsoft Excel worksheet) can be linked or embedded in a field, form, or report.) field in a table, you see the word "Package" instead of the expected "Bitmap Image."

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How to create a Microsoft Access macro that opens/runs a query
hen creating databases for end users, the goal is to make the database user-friendly and intuitive. This can be done with the use of macros which are used to automate tasks within the database. This is handy for both the administrator(s) and the end-user(s). It allows the administrator the ability to "hand-off" the day-to-day operations of the database to others. The end-users do not need to be programmatically familiar with the database in order to use it. Macros and other features within Access allow this type of flexibility. This article provides step-by-step details regarding how to automate the opening and running of a query through the creation of a macro. By opening a query, it also runs it. At the conclusion of the "how-to" will be a macro that will open a query based upon the administrator’s desired outcome. Each time the macro is run, the query will run also.

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Introduction Structured Query Language
This page is a tutorial of the Structured Query Language (also known as SQL) and is a pioneering effort on the World Wide Web, as this is the first comprehensive SQL tutorial available on the Internet. SQL allows users to access data in relational database management systems, such as Oracle, Sybase, Informix, Microsoft SQL Server, Access, and others, by allowing users to describe the data the user wishes to see. SQL also allows users to define the data in a database, and manipulate that data. This page will describe how to use SQL, and give examples. The SQL used in this document is "ANSI", or standard SQL, and no SQL features of specific database management systems will be discussed until the "Nonstandard SQL" section.

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Introduction to Structured Query Language
This page is a introductory tutorial of the Structured Query Language (also known as SQL) and is a pioneering effort on the World Wide Web, as this is the first comprehensive SQL tutorial available on the Internet. SQL allows users to access data in relational database management systems, such as Oracle, Sybase, Informix, Microsoft SQL Server, Access, and others, by allowing users to describe the data the user wishes to see. SQL also allows users to define the data in a database, and manipulate that data. This page will describe how to use SQL, and give examples. The SQL used in this document is "ANSI", or standard SQL, and no SQL features of specific database management systems will be discussed until the "Nonstandard SQL" section.

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Filter help with MS Access
How do you get the "filter by form" and "filter" button to appear on your toolbar and how do you access it from the drop down menu's?

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Creating A Customized Login Screen For A Secured Database
"How do I change the appearance of the login screen that comes up when using a secured Access database? I would like to customize that form."

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Forms, Access Databases and ASP Code
I have been working on this site for a while now, and there are a few things that I will need to do that I am unsure of. The first is that I want the users instead of Registering, to take a survey, at the end of which they will have been registered. To do this I want to keep the Survey Data, and the User Data Separate. I have below the Form Page, and the Submission page, cutting out the name of the database for security reasons. I need the data from the form, on submission to go into 2 table fields, and it's giving me some trouble. Worst of all, I would like to reference the Users ID Number, userid, from the "Users" Table, into the "Survey" Tables field userid. Among the many errors, I'm thinking there is an easier way to do all this than what I have done. Help is greatly appreciated

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Remove personal or hidden information
Before you give others a copy of your database, project, or data access page, it's a good idea to review personal and hidden information, and decide whether it's appropriate to include. For example, if you entered personal information, such as your name or e-mail address, when you registered your software, some Microsoft Office documents store that information as part of the file. Information contained in file properties and any custom properties that you add to the file, such as an "author" or "owner" field, are also not automatically removed. You may want to remove personal information from the file and from the file properties before you share it with others.

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Defining Null Values
A Null represents an unknown or a missing value. It is important to understand that a null value does not mean a zero of a text string of one or more blank spaces.

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Restore a database
To restore a database, you must already have a backup copy of your database. A backup is commonly referred to as a "known good copy" of a database file — a copy in which you are confident of its data integrity and design. You should use the Back Up Database command in Microsoft Office Access to make backups, but you can use any known good copy to restore a database. For example, you can restore a database from a copy that is stored on a USB external backup device. You can restore an entire database, or you can selectively restore objects in a database. If you do not have a backup copy, you risk data loss and unwanted changes to or corruption of your database design. For this reason, you should make backups on a regular basis.

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Change the default file format
When you create a new, blank database in Microsoft Office Access 2007, you are prompted to provide a name for the database file. By default, the file is given the ".accdb" extension - it is created in the Office Access 2007 format and is not readable by earlier versions of Access. In some cases, you may prefer to create files in an earlier Access format. In Office Access 2007, you have the option of creating files in either the Access 2000 format or the Access 2002-2003 format (both with the extension ".mdb"). Then, when you create a new database file, the resulting file is created in the earlier Access format and can be shared with others who use that version of Access. This can be helpful if you have upgraded to Office Access 2007 but you share files with others who have not.

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Perform a stack rank in a query in Access 2003
Is there a way to write a formula in a query that would stack rank a group of numbers in a field? I have a table called "Data Table" with a field named "AHT" that contains whole numbers like 245, 352, and 536.

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How to determine why Access is unable to create an MDE database
I tried to compile my MDB database into an MDE file, but I received the error: "Microsoft Access was unable to create an MDE database." There weren't any other error messages. How can I find out what the problem is?

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Problem with Access DB
I have a large microsoft access database that is working a specific computer. When I copy the database to another computer I have an error in the database. On one of the forms I have text box which showns the current date "=date()". When I copy that db to another computer that function does not work. I have tried different computers some do and some do not function correctly. Do you have any idea how to fix this problem.

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Create XML Web Reports From Access XP
Transforming XML data with XSL is a great way to deliver formatted content to the web. Although creating XSL stylesheets can be daunting for the initiated, the new ExportXML method in Access XP makes it easy to publish even the most complicated reports. The following article will show how you can "push" or "pull" your Access reports to the Internet.

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Copy an image of a window or screen
In the past, the PRINT SCREEN key did what it says - it sent the current screen of text to your printer. Now, pressing PRINT SCREEN captures an image of your entire screen, also known as a "screen shot" or "screen capture", and copies it to the Clipboard in your computer's memory. You can then paste (CTRL+V) the image into a document, e-mail message, or other file. If you want, you can print the image from the application that you pasted it into.

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Things you can do and say with speech recognition
When you use Office speech recognition, you'll switch between working in Voice Command mode and Dictation mode by clicking buttons on the Language bar or by saying "voice command" or "dictation."

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