Now we'll create some other reports.  This is similar, in process, to the report you just completed.  In the person: Database window – make sure you have clicked-in the Reports area - click-on the New button.  When the New Report Window appears, click on “down triangle” in the area to the right of Choose the table or query where the object’s data comes from:, then click-on Personnel. 

This Report Wizard menu screen asks if you want to add Grouping.  Grouping simply “groups” records by an item in the report you are designing.  We’ll group by state.  This means that “records” from a state will be in a “group” (e.g. people from Virginia will be in one group, the folks from Washington in another, and so on). 

Reports can be very complex.  In this tutorial we'll learn the basics.  A good manual or some knowledgeable assistance will be essential to mastering reports.  

There are several types of reports.  We'll use the Wizards to design some.

So far we have listed everything under each Field Name that we selected.  However, many times you will probably want to find something specific in your Table (database - e.g. people from a certain state or city, people whose favorite number is 7 or salaries between $ 20,000 and $ 50,000).  This is fairly common sense, but it can get tricky. 

If you are not in the Query Design Screen, you’ll need to be in that view.  So, go to the Design Screen.  Notice that the third row, in the lower half of the screen, indicates Sort: (like the image at the right).

This is what a database is designed for: finding specific information about some of the data in the table(s) very quickly.  A query is a search for general or specific data in a field or fields in your database (e.g. the first and last names and birth dates of all employees, just the Jones’s, the people from CA, salaries > $10,000, etc.).  In order to do this, we need to click on the fields we want to query.  So, let’s start by finding just Last Names in our table. 

In the Button Bar (just below the Menu Bar, to the right of Help, is a button with a lightening bolt and a small form.  This is the New Object: AutoForm Button.  Point to it - make sure you have the correct button - then click-on it (see image below).  A New Data Entry Form will automatically be created and appear. 

If you decide to Exit Access 2003, and then return to continue the tutorial, refer to the instructions at the beginning of this tutorial

At this point you will still be in the design window.  You have two choices.  If you look at the Button Bar just below the Menu Bar Area (File, Edit, View, etc.) you will see that the first button on the left that has a small sheet of paper with some data on it (see arrow on the right). Point to this button with the mouse and pause, you will see a "Tool Tip" that indicates that this button is the View Button.  This is logical because you have been designing your table and now want to view the data that you have placed in the database (table).

Click-in each area (to the right of the words) as you read about it below