Access 2013: The Missing Manual

Introduction

People have tried a variety of techniques to organize information. They’ve used Rolodexes, punch cards, cardboard boxes, vertical files, Post-it notes, 10,000-page indexes, and (when all else failed) large paper piles on flat surfaces. But after much suffering, people discovered that computers were far better at dealing with information, especially when that information is large, complex, or changes frequently.

That’s where Microsoft Access comes into the picture. Access is a tool for managing databases—carefully structured catalogs of information (or data). Databases can store just about any type of information, including numbers, pages of text, and pictures. Databases also range wildly in size—they can handle everything from your list of family phone numbers to a ginormous product catalog for Aunt Ethel’s Discount Boutique.

In this book, you’ll learn how to design complete databases, maintain them, search for valuable nuggets of information, and build attractive forms for quick and easy data entry. You’ll delve into the black art of Access programming, where you’ll pick up valuable tricks and techniques that you can use to automate common tasks, even if you’ve never touched a line of code before. And you’ll even explore the new web app feature that lets you put your database online so anyone can use it—provided you have a SharePoint server or an Office 365 hosting plan.

What You Can Do with Access

The modern world is filled with information. A web search for a ho-hum ...