WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 00:00:12.730 --> 00:00:17.610 If you've looked for a job online, or searched for a book at your local library, you know 00:00:17.610 --> 00:00:23.090 first-hand what databases can do. But do you know how they work? What goes on behind the 00:00:23.090 --> 00:00:23.619 scenes? 00:00:23.619 --> 00:00:29.839 In Microsoft Access, databases are made up of four simple objects: tables, forms, queries, 00:00:29.839 --> 00:00:33.120 and reports. Together, these objects allow you to do all 00:00:33.120 --> 00:00:37.489 the things you associate with using a database - from storing and entering more and more 00:00:37.489 --> 00:00:40.480 information, to analyzing and compiling search results. 00:00:40.480 --> 00:00:45.110 By now, you should know that a database is essentially a collection of data organized 00:00:45.110 --> 00:00:47.960 into many connected lists (or tables). 00:00:47.960 --> 00:00:53.440 That puts tables at the heart of any database - the place where your information is stored. 00:00:53.440 --> 00:00:56.829 This table is from an actual Access database - mine. 00:00:56.829 --> 00:01:00.969 It's a list of customers - one of the many things I keep on file to help me run my business, 00:01:00.969 --> 00:01:02.680 a specialty bakery. 00:01:02.680 --> 00:01:07.840 The familiar layout of horizontal rows and vertical columns takes on a new meaning here. 00:01:07.840 --> 00:01:12.710 In Access, a row is more than a row - it's a record. Just like these are more than names 00:01:12.710 --> 00:01:16.710 and addresses - they're people, some of them my favorite customers. 00:01:16.710 --> 00:01:21.550 Each record begins with a unique ID number and spans several fields, including (in this 00:01:21.550 --> 00:01:26.069 example) first name, last name, street address, and more. 00:01:26.069 --> 00:01:30.619 Notice I used the word "field" instead of "column." In Access, fields are designed to 00:01:30.619 --> 00:01:34.780 organize the contents of your records without actually breaking them up. 00:01:34.780 --> 00:01:40.060 That means every entry in the First Name field is going to be a name and every entry in 00:01:40.060 --> 00:01:42.539 the Street Address field is going to be an address 00:01:42.539 --> 00:01:47.679 but no one will ever become separated from their record - that's their personal information. 00:01:47.679 --> 00:01:52.569 While tables are responsible for storing all this data, the other three objects - forms, 00:01:52.569 --> 00:01:56.170 queries, and reports - let you work with it. 00:01:56.170 --> 00:01:59.560 Forms are used for entering, modifying, and viewing records. 00:01:59.560 --> 00:02:04.179 Ever had to fill out a form while visiting the doctor's office or applying for a job? 00:02:04.179 --> 00:02:08.520 Forms are used so often because they're an easy way to guide people into entering data 00:02:08.520 --> 00:02:09.690 correctly. 00:02:09.690 --> 00:02:14.520 When you or someone else uses one of your forms in Access, that data goes exactly where 00:02:14.520 --> 00:02:21.129 you want it to go. This form makes it easy to add a record for a new customer 00:02:21.129 --> 00:02:25.819 or edit an existing one. Anyone can do it - without ever having to face the size and 00:02:25.819 --> 00:02:31.180 scope of that table, or the possibility of making a mistake. 00:02:31.180 --> 00:02:36.189 Queries give you a way to search for and compile data from one or more of your tables. 00:02:36.189 --> 00:02:40.379 Running a query is like asking a detailed question of your database - or doing an advanced 00:02:40.379 --> 00:02:41.879 search on the internet. 00:02:41.879 --> 00:02:46.879 When you build a query in Access, you're defining specific search conditions to find exactly 00:02:46.879 --> 00:02:51.159 the data you want. A query could help you find the name and number of every customer 00:02:51.159 --> 00:02:54.159 who's made a purchase in the last week, for example. 00:02:54.159 --> 00:02:57.629 That's something you might not be able to find just by looking at the records in your 00:02:57.629 --> 00:02:59.700 table. 00:02:59.700 --> 00:03:04.310 Reports give you the ability to present your data - from any table or query - in print. 00:03:04.310 --> 00:03:08.749 If you've ever received a printout of an invoice, or an official school transcript, you've seen 00:03:08.749 --> 00:03:10.310 a database report. 00:03:10.310 --> 00:03:13.999 They're useful because they let you present parts of your database in a way that's easy 00:03:13.999 --> 00:03:19.340 to understand even easy on the eyes, with colors, graphics, and other things that you 00:03:19.340 --> 00:03:20.239 can customize. 00:03:20.239 --> 00:03:25.639 So. Now that you know how each object can be used, any idea how they work together? 00:03:25.639 --> 00:03:30.079 It helps to remember that they all work with the same data - the data stored in your tables. 00:03:30.079 --> 00:03:33.099 Let's take a look at a real-life example. 00:03:33.099 --> 00:03:37.629 If you've ever used an electronic card catalog to search for a book at the library, it probably 00:03:37.629 --> 00:03:39.519 looked something like this 00:03:39.519 --> 00:03:43.840 Right now, I'm entering my search terms into what is actually a form. 00:03:43.840 --> 00:03:48.389 When I press this button, the database is going to create and run a query based on what 00:03:48.389 --> 00:03:51.889 I'm looking for - books in the series The Lord of the Rings. 00:03:51.889 --> 00:03:56.849 When the database finishes searching all of its tables, it returns a report of the records 00:03:56.849 --> 00:04:01.430 that matched - in this case, a list of books. All I have to do is click a book to learn 00:04:01.430 --> 00:04:03.569 its location and status. 00:04:03.569 --> 00:04:09.349 See how the objects all work together? First, I filled out the form then queried the database 00:04:09.349 --> 00:04:14.569 to search for the book. The query was able to pull from all of those tables to produce 00:04:14.569 --> 00:04:16.090 a report. 00:04:16.090 --> 00:04:18.930 Imagine what it would be like if we didn't have these tools. 00:04:18.930 --> 00:04:24.100 What should be a simple task would become incredibly complicated and time-consuming. 00:04:24.100 --> 00:04:28.389 Understanding the four Access objects and how they work together can make even the most 00:04:28.389 --> 00:04:30.340 complicated tasks fairly user-friendly.