Access For Dummies

Chapter 2

Navigating the Access Workspace

IN THIS CHAPTER

Getting started

Checking out the tabs, buttons, and menus

Using your mouse to get from here to there

Letting your fingers do the walking

This chapter exists for a very good reason. Just like you need your GPS or a Map app on your cell phone — or if you’re really old school, maybe an actual map — to find your destination on a road trip, you’re going to need a little help finding your way around in the Access interface. So here you’ll find the help you need to identify and understand key portions of the interface.

Let’s start with the File tab, where a vertical list of commands creates context-sensitive changes to the main workspace — essentially everything to the right of that left-hand menu panel.

• To start a new database, click New in the File tab’s vertical menu of options. Starter templates appear along with the Blank Desktop Database button. Most of the time, you’ll be clicking the Blank Desktop Database button so you can create a completely customized database.
• If you’ve opened an existing database, click the Info command ...