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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