ISMT E-120

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ISMT E-120Desktop Applications for Managers

Introduction to Microsoft Access

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• We’ll Cover the Minimum• Relational Databases• Access Objects• Creating a Database• Designing Databases

Introduction to Microsoft Access

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Introduction to Microsoft Access

• The Minimum• Relational Databases• Access Objects• Creating a Database• Designing Databases

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The Absolute Minimum• Data Contained in Tables• Tables have fields or columns • Tables have rows or records• Record is a row in a table, a set of fields• Table is made up of a set of records• Query > which fields from which rows• Sort and Group records

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The Minimum• MSQuery

– connect to data source– choose from tables or queries saved in

database• Access

– drag-and-drop to write queries– Or write SQL

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Introduction to Microsoft Access

• The Absolute Minimum• Relational Databases• Access Objects• Creating a Database• Designing Databases

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What’s “Relational”?• Simple Database = 1 Subject• Complex Database = Many Subjects• 1 Subject = 1 “Entity” 1 Table• “Relationships” Link Tables

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What’s an Entity?• Subject of a Database and table• Noun (person, place thing)• Important Topic• Something To Be Described

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Examples of Entities• Grade Database

– Instructors– Classes– Assignments– Students– Enrollments– Results

• Music Collection– Music genres– Music mediums– Artists– Songs– Instruments

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What’s a Relationship?• A verb describes a relationship• They are linkages between entities• Types of relationships

one-to-one one-to-many many-to-many

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Examples of Relationships• Instructors Teach Classes• Students Enroll in Classes• Classes Require Assignments• Students Submit Assignments• Students Receive Results

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Introduction to Microsoft Access

• The Minimum• Relational Databases• Access Database Objects• Creating a Database• Designing Databases

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Access Objects• Tables• Queries• Forms• Reports• Macros• Modules

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Tables• One Table, One Entity/Topic/Subject• Can Have Base or Reference Tables• Made up of Fields and Attributes• Fields May Have Many Properties• Table Must Have a Primary Key• Relationship = same key in more than

one table to link them – Primary key in one table and foreign key in second table

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Queries• Types of Queries

– Select - get data out– Append - put data in– Update - change data– Delete - delete data

• SQL does the work

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Reports• Based on Table or Query• Format Query Results• One Query, Many Reports• One Report, Many Queries

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Forms• Based on Table or Query• Forms help users to:

– View data– Insert data– Update data– Delete data

• Customary User Interface

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Macros• Stored Sequence of Operations• Can be executed any time

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Modules • Specialized Software Program• Beyond the scope of ISMT E-120

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Introduction to Microsoft Access

• The Minimum• Relational Databases• Access Objects• Creating a Database• Designing Databases

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Creating a Database

• Define Tables and Keys– Begin with pencil and paper or a white

board• Link Tables• Write Queries

– data input, reports• Develop Forms• Write Reports

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Example: Project Tracking

• Entities– projects– clients– status reports– This is highly simplified

• Tasks• Milestones

• Relationships– client sponsors project– project accountable to client– status report updates project– project documented by status report

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Project Entities

• ID• Name• Client• Service Code• Start Date• End Date• Complete

• Manager• Deliverables• Core Technology• Budget• Billing Method• Notes

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Establishing Relationships

• Tools Relationships…• Normally Include All Tables• Relationship Properties• Relationships Carry Over to Queries

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Writing Queries

• Choose Tables• Choose Fields• Sort• Filter with Criteria• Parameters

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Creating Forms

• Based on Tables– walk through table one row at a time

• Based on Queries– more powerful– update several tables at once

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Creating Reports

• Based on Tables

• Based on Queries– more powerful– link several tables at once– select fields– add calculations, etc.

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Introduction to Microsoft Access

• The Minimum• Relational Databases• Access Objects• Creating a Database• Designing Databases

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Designing Databases

• Understand the Application• Identify Data Elements• Normalize Data• Design the Interface

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Understand the Application

• [Document Sequence of Steps]• [Map Information Flows]• [Identify Decision Points]• [View From Audience Perspectives]

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Identify Data Elements

Might use:• Manual Input Forms• Reports• Memos

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Normalize Data

• Crucial Design Process• Art and Science• Requires In-Depth Application

Knowledge

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Benefits of Normalization

• Easier to Maintain Information• Easier to Query Database• Extensible Design• Promotes Data Integrity

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What is Normalization?

• Eliminating Redundancy• Grouping Data Items into Manageable

Collections• Verifying Completeness of data

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Normalization: Step 1

• List Every Data Item in One Table– columns are fields– rows are “records”

• 1 Cell = 1 Piece of Data• Add Duplicate Information as Needed• Find or Create a “Key”

– field or combination of fields uniquely identifying each row (primary key)

• First Normal Form

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Normalization: Step 2

• Which Keys Determine Which Fields?– “functional dependencies”– one key value determines one field value

• Could Be > 1 Set of Keys• Break Into Separate Tables According to

Functional Dependencies• Second Normal Form

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Normalization: Step 3

• Look for Functional Dependencies Among Non-Key Fields

• Remove Any Dependent Non-Key Fields

• Make Sure No Loss of Information– i.e., fields should be in some other table

• Third Normal Form

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Normalization: Sanity Check

• Make Sure No Information Lost• Make Sure Tables “Connect”

– one-to-one– one-to-many– NOT many-to-many

• Make Sure Keys are Unique• Referential Integrity

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Normalization: More Realism (project database)

• ID• Name• Client• Service Code• Start Date• End Date• Complete

• Manager• Deliverables• Core Technology• Budget• Billing Method• Notes

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What Else Should We Track?

• Multiple Clients per Project• Multiple Deliverables per Project• Multiple Tasks per Deliverable• Status Reports

• Due Date Extensions & Changes• Budget Extensions & Reductions• Staff Assigned to Tasks, Deliverables• Where Does It End?

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Design Interface

• The 4th part of database design• Designing the user interface• Beyond this Course