Beginning Access 2003 VBA

Chapter 13. Case Study 2: Customer Service Application

This chapter is the second of two case studies that will illustrate all the concepts covered to this point in a comprehensive real-world example. With the first case study under your belts, you now build a client-server customer service application with SQL Server storing the database and Access storing the user interface and business logic. This process includes:

• Using Access data projects with SQL Server databases

• Creating and executing stored procedures with and without parameters

• Creating search screens that dynamically build SQL statements from criteria entered by the user

You will create the customer service application from start to finish. For your convenience, I have included the Access project file and a text file containing the SQL stored procedures so you can download all the source code from Wrox.com. As in the earlier case study, I recommend that you work through the chapter yourself before using the source code I provided.

For the sake of clarity, a How ItWorks section for the entire application is included at the end of this chapter.

Design Specifications

You learned in Chapter 1 and again in Chapter 12 that before you ever write a single line of code, you should carefully plan your application on paper. After detailed fact-finding regarding the purpose of the customer service application, you come up with a list of requirements. The application will be designed for use by customer service agents who receive incoming ...