Access® 2007 For Dummies®

Chapter 3. Database Basics

In This Chapter

• Getting to know some basic terms and concepts

• Outstanding in your field(s)

• Flat file? Relational? You decide.

• Getting a table started

This may be the single most important chapter in this book. After you've read about why Access is the right tool for you (in Chapter 1) and how to get around in the Access interface (Chapter 2), it's time to really nail down how Access works and how to start building your database.

Database Lingo

Now, if the section heading (“Database Lingo”) is making you panic that I want you to memorize a bunch of database jargon, don't worry. Just relax. Breathe normally. The next section, and many throughout this chapter, simply uses some terms you need to know so you can figure out what Access is referring to in various dialog boxes and on the tabs (the tabs you use to get at the commands in the Access workspace) . Knowing these terms will, therefore, help you get around and get things done in Access.

Unfortunately, you simply must know technical terms — there's no two ways about it. I'm talking about only a handful of words, though, some of which you probably already know and maybe even use in reference to information in general — words like record and database. See? Nothing high‐tech, just some basic words and concepts you really need to absorb so you can move on and use Access effectively.

The terms in this section appear in size order, starting with the smallest piece of a database — the data — and advancing to the largest ...