Course Description
Course Details
Do you want to take your Microsoft Access skills to the next level? In this course, you'll master more advanced techniques for this powerful database program and build an entire database project from scratch. You'll start by importing customer and order information from several Excel spreadsheets as tables in a new database. You'll learn how to add key fields to the tables, update these fields using action queries, and build relationships between the tables. Once you've mastered proper table construction, you'll build on that knowledge by learning how to create forms to manage table data. You'll discover how to construct crosstab and summary queries, and crunch numbers using query calculations. You'll also learn about outer table joins that can make your queries more effective. From building reports to using conditional formatting, you'll see how to present your data and gain techniques for using Visual Basic to automate common tasks. Finally, you'll build a navigation form to make it easy for your users to find their way around your database. By the time you've completed the course, you'll have a fully functional database that tracks customer and order information.
How It Works
This course is fully online, you require internet access and an email account. The course duration is 6 weeks, followed by a 2-week period to complete the final exam (online, open book). Lessons are released on Wednesdays and Fridays of each week, for a total of 12. You are not required to be online at any specific time. In addition to the specific lesson content, there is a discussion board with each lesson and often there is an optional assignment to apply the learning. Following each lesson, there is a short multiple choice quiz. Your score on these quizzes does not count towards the final mark but completing these helps solidify your learning as well as prepare you for the final exam. The final exam is an open-book, multiple choice exam and you need to achieve a minimum of 65% on the final exam to pass the course. There is only one opportunity to pass the exam. A certificate of completion from WatSPEED is available within four weeks of successful completion of each course and can be accessed in your student portal. Many of the Ed2Go courses are eligible towards the various online certificates offered by WatSPEED.
Requirements
Microsoft Access 2016 (software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins); Windows 7, 8, or 10; this course is not suitable for Macintosh users. A basic understanding of Microsoft Access objects and their use or completion of Introduction to Microsoft Access 2010, Introduction to Microsoft Access 2013, or Introduction to Microsoft Access 2016 course is required.
Syllabus
Lesson 1 - Reviewing Terms and Importing Data. In this first lesson, we'll review Access key concepts and terminology. You'll also learn how to import, or share, data between Access and other applications without retyping. The objects you import in this lesson will be the basis of a project that we'll work on for the rest of the course.
Lesson 2 - Key Fields and Action Queries. Today, you'll learn how to set up key fields in tables, plus you'll use action queries to quickly and easily manipulate multiple-table records with one command.
Lesson 3 - Relationships of the Database Kind. What are table relationships? And what does referential integrity mean? It's time to find out how and why to use these features.
Lesson 4 - Creating and Modifying Forms. Forms are the user-friendly gateway to Access table data. In this lesson, you'll learn how to create and modify forms and make them easy to use.
Lesson 5 - Subforms and the Tab Control. In this lesson, you'll learn how to add a subform to a main form without the wizard, and you'll use the Tab control to arrange form data.
Lesson 6 - Queries. You've already learned to put data into your database in an efficient way. In this lesson, you'll learn about query joins and data functions. These tools will help you get timely, high-quality data out of your database, so you see all the data you want and none of the data you don't want.
Lesson 7 - Query Calculations. Suppose your boss tells you, "I want a list of the customers who placed the most orders and a separate list of the customers who spent the most overall." How can you find these answers quickly and accurately? Access comes to your rescue again! In this lesson, you'll explore Access functions, crunch numbers with the best of them, and even design a mathematical formula of your own. And don't worry if math makes you nervous . . . I'll walk you through every step!
Lesson 8 - Summary Queries. In this lesson, you'll build powerful, fast summary queries that total, count, or average the values in a set of records. You'll also discover the power of the crosstab query, which can not only summarize data but also rearrange it so that it becomes easier to understand. Finally, you'll add query parameters that allow you to change a query's criteria without altering its design.
Lesson 9 - Building Reports That Pinpoint Key Information. Today you'll use the Report Wizard to build a basic report. Then you'll fine-tune what you've built, and I'll share some tips and tricks I've developed after building thousands of Access reports. Finally, you'll learn about a fantastic tool conditional formatting, which allows you to visually identify key report data. With a few clicks, your report will change from a mass of numbers to a map of trends and changes that affect your business.
Lesson 10 - Run Reports From a Custom Dialog Box. Just about every time you run a report, you'll want to limit the data it displays. You might want to see only a certain customer or a particular month and year. In this lesson, you'll build a dialog box that allows the user to run reports based on custom-built criteria.
Lesson 11 - Using Visual Basic to Automate the Reports Dialog Box. Visual Basic is a powerful programming language that allows database developers to automate simple and complex tasks. In this lesson, you'll learn a little bit about Visual Basic, using it to make the reports dialog box you built in Lesson 10 fully functional.
Lesson 12 - Putting It All Together. If you're creating a database for others, you must make it easy to use and as you may remember, Access can look intimidating to a newbie! In this lesson, you'll build a navigation form that directs users to the forms and reports they need. You'll also set up a database for shared use and modify the start-up options.
