Datasheet

6. Click the Microsoft Office Button and click Close Database to close the new blank
database and return to the Getting Started with Microsoft Office Access page.
To show the Blank Database pane on the right side of the Getting Started with Microsoft
Office Access page, you can click the Microsoft Office Button and click New.
Exercise 1-4: Creating a New Blank Database from Explorer
In this exercise, you create a new blank database without using Access. Windows lets
you create databases right from Explorer. Follow these steps:
1. Close Microsoft Office Access and open Windows Explorer.
2. Navigate to a folder on your computer or network where you’d like to save the
new blank database.
3. Right-click a blank area in the right pane of Windows Explorer and select
New
➪Microsoft Office Access 2007 Database from the pop-up menu.
A new database named
New Microsoft Office Access 2007
Database.accdb
appears in Windows Explorer with the database name
highlighted.
4. Rename the database Exercise1-4.accdb.
Templates
A database template provides the structure of the database (tables, queries, forms,
reports, and macros) necessary to perform common tasks. Access automatically installs
a number of templates on your computer, and you can use templates from Microsoft
Office Online.
Exercise 1-5: Creating a Database from a Local Template
In this exercise, you create a new database based on a local template, which is a template
that’s installed when you install Access. Follow these steps:
1. Launch Microsoft Office Access by clicking the Start button or a desktop shortcut.
The Getting Started with Microsoft Office Access page appears.
2. Under the Template Categories section near the top left of the Access window,
click Local Templates.
The center section of the Access window switches to the Local Templates pane
and displays a list of available templates (such as Assets, Contacts, and Events)
installed on your computer.
3. Click Tasks in the Local Templates pane.
The right section of the Access window switches to a description of the Tasks tem-
plate database.
For this example, I chose the Tasks template which is used to track work items that
need to be completed, but you can choose any of the other templates (such as
Assets, Contacts, or Projects) and create a database that’s useful to you.
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Part I: Learning Database Fundamentals
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