How to create an access database 2007 from scratch

Hello all. At my local college I took Microsoft access from beginner all the
way to advanced. I got an "A" in every class, but I still have no clue how
to actually design my own database in a work environment. I do not mind
'playing around' at home with hobbies ect, but now I need to create a
database for work and I am completely stuck. I understand the individual
skills in access but I don't know how to put them together to create
something useful. I want to create a database that will track 3 different
types of contracts by dept (about 8 different ones) 1) through their stages
of 'pending' to when they are fully executed 2)track their money and funding
sources 3) track which departments contracts will be ending at any given
time, what paper work is needed for any given department ect. 5) and then be
able to use this to generate various types of reports.

I do not have even a clue how to begin. I am afraid if I do not have a
complete plan in place before I start I will end up with a useless database.

Thanks for your help.

On Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:28:10 -0700, AccessUser
wrote:

I do not have even a clue how to begin. I am afraid if I do not have a
complete plan in place before I start I will end up with a useless database.

Take a look at:

Jeff Conrad's resources page:
http://www.accessmvp.com/JConrad/acc...resources.html

The Access Web resources page:
http://www.mvps.org/access/resources/index.html

A free tutorial written by Crystal (MS Access MVP):
http://allenbrowne.com/casu-22.html

A video how-to series by Crystal:
http://www.YouTube.com/user/LearnAccessByCrystal

MVP Allen Browne's tutorials:
http://allenbrowne.com/links.html#Tutorials

Crystal's videos would be a good start.
--

John W. Vinson [MVP]

If I do not have a complete plan in place before I start I will end up
with a useless database

You are one-hundred percent correct. However, you have already taken the
correct step in asking where to start. The first step to creating a database
is to get a paper and pencil and design a normalized set of tables for your
data. Keep in mind while doing this that the design of the tables does not
need to accomodate forms and reports. After you design the tables correctly
THEN you proceed to design your forma and reports to present the data the
way you want.

Steve



"AccessUser" wrote in message
...
Hello all. At my local college I took Microsoft access from beginner all
the
way to advanced. I got an "A" in every class, but I still have no clue
how
to actually design my own database in a work environment. I do not mind
'playing around' at home with hobbies ect, but now I need to create a
database for work and I am completely stuck. I understand the individual
skills in access but I don't know how to put them together to create
something useful. I want to create a database that will track 3 different
types of contracts by dept (about 8 different ones) 1) through their
stages
of 'pending' to when they are fully executed 2)track their money and
funding
sources 3) track which departments contracts will be ending at any given
time, what paper work is needed for any given department ect. 5) and then
be
able to use this to generate various types of reports.

I do not have even a clue how to begin. I am afraid if I do not have a
complete plan in place before I start I will end up with a useless
database.

Thanks for your help.

In addition to the general advice alreeady given.....maybe here's a place to
start. It will probably be not quite right for you, but it's better than
never starting.

Think about what "entities" you are tracking / listings

Sounds like some sure-things a

1. Contracts
2. List of Funding Sources
3. Instances of a funding source sourcing funds for a contract

#3 is a list of relationships between the first two lists. If you list the
relationships, are they one-to-on, one-to-many, many-to-one or many to many.
My guess is it's that latters (on source can supply many contracts, one
contract can have many sources. In which case it's unfortunate that your
first database relationship is the toughest type, many-to-many, in which case
#3 will need to be a (junction)table rather than the simpler scenerios.
Feel free to shorten my long explanatory field names.

Make a "Contracts" table to list contracts. Include an autonumber primary
key (PK) field called "ContractIDNumber" plus fields for "one-to-one"
informaiton that is specific to that contract.


Make "FundingSources" a table to list funding sources. Include an autonumber
PK field "FundingSourceIDNumber"

Make an "InstancesOfFunding" table. to list instances of funding of a
contract. For example, that the XYZ corporation agreed to partially fund
Contract #1234. Include long integer type (NOT autonumber)
"ContractIDNUmber" and "FundingSourceIDNumber" fields. BYW, this table is a
"Junction Table" and those last two fields are Foriegn Keys (FK)

Go to the relationships window, add the above 3 tables, and draw lines
between same-named fields.

Then build queries, forms, reports.


- - -

Next you are going to have to clarify to yourself (if not the forum")what
all of those non-specific things that you said about departments mean. Then
go through the same drill as above for departments (i.e. is every contract
the "property" of only one department? etc.) and then add table(s)
accordingly.

Thank you everyone for your helpful replies. I will look these over once I
figure out a plan I will post it here for feedback. I am glad I found this
forum.

"AccessUser" wrote:

Hello all. At my local college I took Microsoft access from beginner all the
way to advanced. I got an "A" in every class, but I still have no clue how
to actually design my own database in a work environment. I do not mind
'playing around' at home with hobbies ect, but now I need to create a
database for work and I am completely stuck. I understand the individual
skills in access but I don't know how to put them together to create
something useful. I want to create a database that will track 3 different
types of contracts by dept (about 8 different ones) 1) through their stages
of 'pending' to when they are fully executed 2)track their money and funding
sources 3) track which departments contracts will be ending at any given
time, what paper work is needed for any given department ect. 5) and then be
able to use this to generate various types of reports.

I do not have even a clue how to begin. I am afraid if I do not have a
complete plan in place before I start I will end up with a useless database.

Thanks for your help.