Lesson 6 Working With Forms

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Lesson 6 Working With Forms

Uploaded by

Raf Belz

Available Formats

Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

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Introduction

While you can always enter data directly into database tables, you might find
it easier to use forms. Using a form to enter data lets you make sure you're
entering the right data in the right location and format. This can help keep
your database accurate and consistent.

This lesson will address the benefits of using forms in a database. You will
review examples of different forms and form components. Finally, you will
learn how to use forms to enter new records and view and edit existing
ones.

Why use forms?

Many of us fill out forms so often that we hardly even notice when we're asked to use them. Forms are so popular
because they're useful for both the person asking for the information and the person providing it. They are a way of
requiring information in a specific format, which means the person filling out the form knows exactly which
information to include and where to put it.

This is just as true of forms in Access. When you enter information into a form in Access, the data goes exactly
where it's supposed to go: into one or more related tables. While entering data into simple tables is fairly
straightforward, data entry becomes more complicated as you start populating tables with records from elsewhere in
the database. For instance, the Orders table in a bakery's database might link to information about customers,
products, and prices drawn from related tables. A record with information about a single order might look like this:
In fact, in order to see the entire order you would also have to look at the Order Items table, where the menu items
that make up each order are recorded.

The records in these tables include ID numbers of records from other tables. You can't learn much just by glancing
at these records because the ID numbers don't tell you much about the data they relate to. Plus, because you have to
look at two tables just to view one order, you might have a challenging time even finding the right data. It's easy to
see how viewing or entering many records this way could become a difficult and tedious task.

A form containing the same data might look like this:

As you can see, this record is much easier to understand when viewed in a form. Modifying the record would be
easier as well because you wouldn't have to know any ID numbers to enter new data. When you're using a form, you
don't have to worry about entering data into the right tables or in the right format; the form can handle those things
itself. There's no need to go back and forth between tables or to search carefully within a table for a certain record
because forms let you see entire records one at a time.

Not only do forms make the data entry process easier for users, but they also keep the database itself working
smoothly. With forms, database designers can control exactly how users are able to interact with the database. They
can even set restrictions on individual form components to ensure all of the needed data is entered and that it's all
entered in a valid format. This is useful because keeping data consistent and organized is essential for an accurate
and powerful database.

To open an existing form:

1. Open your database, and locate the Navigation pane.

2. In the Navigation pane, locate the form you want to open. Forms are marked with the icon.
3. Double-click the name of the form. It will open and appear as a tab in the Document Tabs bar.
Entering and modifying data

Depending on the database you're using, the forms you work with may include special tools and features that let you
complete common tasks with one click of a button. You'll see examples of these tools in the interactives later in this
lesson. However, regardless of which type of form you're working with you can follow the same procedures for
carrying out certain basic tasks.

To add a new record:

There are two ways to add a new record to a form:

 In the Records group on the Home tab of the Ribbon, click the New command.

 On the Record Navigation bar at the bottom of the window, click the New Record button.

To find an existing record to view or edit:

There are two ways to find and view an existing record using a form, and they both use the n avigation bar at the
bottom of the screen:

 To look through records one at a time, click the navigation arrows. The right arrow will take you
to the next record, while the left arrow will take you to the previous one.
 To search for a record, type a word you know is contained in that record in the navigation search
box.

To save the current record:

1. Select the Home tab, and locate the Records group.

2. Click the Save command. The current record will be saved.

To delete the current record:

1. Select the Home tab, and locate the Records group.

2. Click the Delete command. The record will be permanently deleted.
Using form features

The exact procedure you use for filling out a form will vary depending on the content and design of the form you are
using. The forms in your database might be similar to the examples in the two interactives below. Between them,
they include most of the features you'll commonly encounter in forms.