Eight Step Plan for a Functional MS Access Database System

Here is a proven and reliable plan for your MS Access project:
 

1. Identify the core processes you want to automate. You need to both define and limit the objectives of what processes are to be managed. Additional functionality can be added later but you cannot deliver a working system if the objectives keep expanding. So start with a manageable chunk.
    
2. Don’t start with the database design – start with the reports or output you need. If necessary use Excel to model the reports that you will ultimately need.
    
3. With your reports as a guide identify and list each of the data elements that will be needed. Once the list of data elements is complete the next and most critical part of the process is to sort and gather the data elements to define tables. When defining tables it is important to clearly define what each record in a table represents. For example, one record for each student, one record for each class, one record for each grade. Or one record for each customer, one for each invoice, one for each line item on an invoice, one for each payment received. You can create the tables and fields using the Tables icon on the Create tab.
    
4. You will then need to define the relationships between tables. A relationship is match between two tables that have a common element. So for example if we have customers and invoices, in the invoice table we will need to know which customer each invoice is for so we will create a relationship between customers and invoices based on customer ID. You will find that you will always need a pointer to the parent record in a child table. So for each class assignment we need to know the student and the class they are assigned to. Use the Relationships icon on the Database Tools tab to create the relationships.
    
5. As a prerequisite for defining the forms you will need for data entry and the reports you will want to review the data, it will be good to learn about queries via the Query Wizard or the Query Builder available on the Create tab. Queries are a way to ask for only specific data elements from a table, limit the scope of which records to include and sort and group those records.
    
6. Once the tables and relationships are defined and you are becoming familiar with queries, it is time to build forms so that data can be entered and modified. The Create tab has a Form Wizard to get you started. Once you have created your first form you will likely want to use it as the model for the others you will need.
    
7. If you have the necessary data entered you will then be able to create the reports you modeled back at step two. The Create tab has a Report Wizard to get you started.
    
8. You are now at the test and modification phase. You can also add some bells and whistles to the system by coming up with a welcoming interface to help users navigate the system.

These eight steps will get you started. If you need guidance and mentoring or want professional MS Access database construction we can help.