Quick Source Learning Guides Access 2010 Quick Source Guide | Page 3

Tables

Tables

Adding a Totals Row

1. Open a table or query in Datasheet view.
2. Click on the Home tab.
3. Click the Totals button in the Records

Creating a New Blank Table

A table is a collection of data about a topic in spreadsheet form.
Tables contain records made up of fields. By default, a table is
automatically created when you create a new blank database.
1. Click on the Create tab.
2. Do one of the following:
• To create a new blank table and open it in Datasheet view,
click the Table button in the Tables group.
• To create a new blank table and open in Design view, click
the Table Design button in the Tables group.

group.

4. In the Totals row, click in the column you want

to add a sum, average, count, maximum, minimum,
standard deviation, or variance, click the arrow in the
column, and select an option from the resulting menu.
Note: To hide the Totals row, click the Totals button in the
Records group.

Setting Table Properties

Adding a Field to a Table in Design View

In Design view, click on the Design tab.
Click the Insert Rows button in the Tools group.
Enter a name in the space provided and press the Enter key.
Optional: To change the data type, click in the cell adjacent to
the field name in the Data Type column, click the arrow on the
field, and select a data type from the resulting menu.
5. Optional: To enter a description, enter details in the cell
adjacent to the field name in the Description column.
6. Optional: To view or change the field properties, click the
Property Sheet button in the Show/Hide group. Enter or select
properties in the Property Sheet pane.
Note: To delete a field, click the Delete Rows button in the Tools
group and if prompted, click the Yes button to confirm deletion.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Adding a Field to a Table in Datasheet View

1. In Datasheet view, click on the Fields tab.
2. Click a field type button in the Add & Delete group or click

the arrow on the Click to Add column header and select a field
type from the resulting menu.
3. Optional: To rename the field, double-click the field header and
enter the new name over the current text.
4. Optional: Click on the field header and do any of the following:
• To change the data type, click the arrow on the Date Type
box in the Formatting group and select a data type from the
resulting menu.
• To change the field format, click the arrow on the Format
box in the Formatting group and select a format from the
resulting menu. (You cannot change the format for all data
types.)
• To make the field required, check the Required box in the
Field Validation group.
• To require the field data to be unique to the table, check the
Unique box in the Field Validation group.
Note: To delete a field, click the Delete button in the Add & Delete
group and click the Yes button to confirm deletion.

Adding a Calculated Field

Access now allows you to create a field that displ ays the results
of an expression without having to do a separate query for
calculations. Note that the calculation cannot contain fields from
other tables or queries.
1. In Datasheet view, click on the Datasheet tab.
2. Click the More Fields button in the Add & Delete group.
3. Select Calculated Field and select the type of field you want
from the resulting menu.
4. Enter an expression in the Expression Builder. (For example,
enter [Quantity] * [Unit Price] to calculate an order total.)
5. Click the OK button.
Note: You can also use the tools in the Expression Builder to help
build your expression.

3

1. In Design view, click on the Design tab.
2. Click the Property Sheet button in the Show/Hide group.
3. In the Property Sheet pane, enter or select the property in

each field.

4. Click the Save button on the Quick Access toolbar.
5. Click the Close button to close the Property Sheet pane.

Setting or Changing Field Properties

1. In Design view, click on the General tab in the Field

Properties pane.

2. Select the field you want to set or change properties for.
3. In the Field Properties pane, enter or select properties.

Creating a Table Relationship

A relationship links tables together to provide distribution and
organization to a large amount of data to prevent redundancy. A
relationship works by matching key fields in each table.
1. Click on the Database Tools tab.
2. Click the Relationships button in the Show/Hide group.
3. In the Show Table dialog box, click on the Tables, Queries, or
Both tab. (If the Show Table dialog box is not displayed, click
the Show Table button in the Relationships group.)
4. Select the table or query you want to add and click the Add
button. (Repeat for each table or query you want to add.)
5. Click the Close button to close the Show Table dialog box.
6. Drag the field in one table to the common field in another table.
7. Optional: Make changes to the relationship in the Edit
Relationships dialog box.
8. Click the Create button to create the relationship.
9. Click the Save
button on the Quick Access toolbar.
10. Click the Close button in the Relationships group.

Editing Relationships

1. Click on the Database Tools tab.
2. Click the Relationships button in the Show/Hide group.
3. Do any of the following:
• To make changes to the relationship, select the relationship

link line and click the Edit Relationships button in the Tools
group. Make changes and click the OK button.
• To delete a relationship, click the relationship link line
and press the Delete key. Click the Yes button to confirm
deletion.
• To create a report of relationships in the layout, click the
Relationship Report button in the Tools group.
• To hide a table, select the table in the layout and click the
Hide Table button in the Relationships group.
• To display direct relationships, select the table and click the
Direct Relationships button in the Relationships group.
• To clear the entire relationship layout, click the Clear Layout
button in the Tools group. Click the Yes button to confirm.
4. Click the Save
button on the Quick Access toolbar.
5. Click the Close button in the Relationships group.

Copyright © 2010 by QUICK Source