Using Access Newby

[LearningAccessDB]

Hello everyone,

I have literally never used Access, but, been told that my Excel workbook would work better with Access. I have no clue as to how to use it, i have watched videos but that all about setting up databases (I know that what Access is all about), i need to know how to properly incorporate Excel into Access. It looks extremely difficult and complicated, can anyone please suggest a site with proper video description, or even help with links.




Thank you in advanced.

[Micron]

Don't know what you've looked at but here's what I often post for newbies. I cannot stress enough that normalization must be understood and implemented as much as possible and practical. If you start out with tables design and start to have a lot of doubts, go back and review it again. If any suggested source doesn't do it for you, find others that do. The biggest mistake Excel users make in their db schema is using their Excel brain. If you do that, you will be here often.

Normalization is paramount. Diagramming maybe not so much for some people.

Normalization Parts I, II, III, IV, and V
http://rogersaccessblog.blogspot.com...on-part-i.html
and/or
http://holowczak.com/database-normalization/

Entity-Relationship Diagramming: Part I, II, III and IV
http://rogersaccessblog.blogspot.com...ng-part-i.html

How do I Create an Application in Microsoft Access?
http://rogersaccessblog.blogspot.com...cation-in.html

Important for success:
Naming conventions
- http://access.mvps.org/access/general/gen0012.htm
- https://www.access-programmers.co.uk...d.php?t=225837

What not to use in names
- http://allenbrowne.com/AppIssueBadWord.html

About Auto Numbers
- http://www.utteraccess.com/wiki/Autonumbers
- http://access.mvps.org/access/general/gen0025.htm

The evils of lookup fields - http://access.mvps.org/access/lookupfields.htm
Table and PK design tips - http://www.fmsinc.com/free/newtips/primarykey.asp
About calculated table fields - http://allenbrowne.com/casu-14.html
About Multi Value Fields - http://www.mendipdatasystems.co.uk/m...lds/4594468763

[LearningAccessDB]

Many thanks, will this also help me with excel front end and Access backend?

[RayMilhon]

Normalization will help you with the Structure of your Database. I've never used Excel as a Front End to an Access Database. You said you don't have experience with Access. My first question would be do you have any Database Experience? second, Do you have any VBA Experience. Those will help with Access. There's an Excellent book Database Design for Mere Mortals. That will help you. It's not exclusive to Access it's for any DBMS it'll help with the design of your DB. Also the Microsoft Access Bible explains everything Access does and includes linking Access DB's to other Office products. Sometimes it's not easy to find something specific but most of what you'll need is in that book and explained in great detail.

[Micron]

I guess I missed the point as I thought you were switching. However, doesn't matter IMO. If the table schema is defective, I think you will have issues getting at it, but then I've never used Excel as a front end. I have used queries developed in Excel (can't recall what Excel calls them) to mine data, but those tables were properly designed. So I would imagine it is just as important either way.

[LearningAccessDB]

are you saying that i can create userforms much like you can in Excel??

[Micron]

are you saying that i can create userforms much like you can in Excel??

Don't know whom this is addressed to, and can't see where anyone mentioned forms, but yes. Except they are not called userforms - just forms.

[LearningAccessDB]

ok thank you