Lesson 1

You have learned about designing your database by creating multiple tables. We will now discusses how to create those tables, enter and edit data.
You will learn how to use the Table Wizard to create a table, as well as how to create a table from scratch. We will also cover some of the fine-tuning your tables will need: renaming fields, defining field properties, and choosing a primary key
After completing this module you will be able to:

Tables are the backbone of any database. Tables store all of the data in an Access database application and designing them correctly the first time can save a lot of time and effort in the future, as any changes made to a table once it is already in use may also require substantial changes to all objects that depend on that table. Tables have columns, called Fields, and rows, called Records. The type of data you need to store in any given table field is dictated by its purpose in the application. For example, if you need to store the date on which some event occurred, you would use a Date/Time field data type.
You could use a Text field type to store a date and there may be cases where that makes sense, but most of the time, the Date/Time type will be more beneficial because it enables you to leverage the comparison operations provided by the ACE (Access Connectivity Engine) database engine, which could not be done with the Text field type.
Creating tables through the Access 2010 UI is accomplished by choosing any of the options in the Tables group on the Create Ribbon. The Tables group contains three primary options for creating tables: a Table, a Table Design, and a SharePoint Lists option. The Table option opens a new table in the Table Layout designer. The Table Design option opens a new table in the standard Access Table designer. And the SharePoint Lists option enables you to create a new SharePoint Linked-Table from a selection of common list types or by selecting from an existing SharePoint list. Clicking on any of these Ribbon options will create the new table in the currently open Access database and open it in the main Access window.