UNIVERSITY OF RWANDA

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

DATABASES, VISUAL BASIC AND SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

(CSC2243)
A GUIDE TO CREATING REPORTS AND FORMS IN MS ACCESS

PREPARED BY: NGIRUWONSANGA ALBERT

MARCH 18, 2020

Table of Contents
Designing Reports in Access ............................................................................................................................................. 2
Designing Forms in Access.............................................................................................................................................. 11
Using SQL Queries inside Access ................................................................................................................................... 21
Relationships .................................................................................................................................................................... 23

1
Designing Reports in Access

Reports are a great way to organize and present data from your Access database. Reports enable you to
format your data in an attractive and informative layout for printing or viewing on screen. Reports are
often used to present a big-picture overview, highlighting main facts and trends.
The data in a preview or in a printed report is static. Reports merely present the data; they do not alter
the underlying data in the tables. Each time a report is opened, Access displays the most recent data.

Creating a Report

Reports are created from one or more tables or queries. To use several tables, you would first create a
query to retrieve data from those tables.
There are three basic ways to create a report: with a single mouse click, with the Report wizard, or in
Design view.
To create a report with a single click,
1. Open the table or query upon which you want to base the report.
2. On the Create tab, click Report.

3. The report is created and displays all the fields from the underlying table or query. The Report tool
may not create the final, polished product that you ultimately want, but it is quite useful as a means to
quickly look at the underlying data. You can then save the report and modify it in Layout view or Design
view so that it better serves your purposes.

2
You can use the Report Wizard to be more selective about what fields appear on your report. You can
also specify how the data is grouped and sorted, and you can use fields from more than one table or query,
provided you have specified the relationships between the tables and queries beforehand.
The Report Wizard asks you questions and creates a report based on your answers. This method is best
when you want to be stepped through the process of creating a report.

To create a report using the wizard,

1. On the Create tab, click Report Wizard.

2. Follow the onscreen prompts.

3. Additional customization can be done in Design or Layout view.
Design view gives you total freedom and control, right from the beginning. Controls can be bound to
data from your database, displaying it directly, or they can be unbound, without a link to a data source
(such as descriptive text, dividing lines, a logo, etc).

To create a report in Design view,

1. On the Create tab, click Report Design.

2. Click on the Add Existing Fields button, on the Design tab, to see a list of tables/fields.

3
3. Drag or double-click fields to add them to the grid, as desired.

4. You can also create a report from scratch in Layout view instead of Design view. (Layout view is new
to Access 2007.) From the Create tab, click Blank Report.

Customizing Reports

4
Regardless of what method is used to create the report, Design view is where you add sections, group
data, set report properties to control appearance and behavior, resize parts of a report, or change report
formatting.

Reports have three types of sections:

Header: The report header appears only

once, at the beginning of the report. The
topmost contents of the report (such as
company name, address, and logo)
belong in the report header. The page
header appears on every page of the
report. Contents that you want to appear
at the top of each page, such as column
names, belong in the page header

Detail: The detail section contains most of the information in a report.

Footer: The page footer appears on every page. The report footer appears once, at the end of a report.
The page footer section may contain the page number; the report footer section may contain the
conclusion, such as a grand total.
When you print a report, you usually want to organize the records in a particular order. For example, if
you are printing a list of suppliers, you might want to sort the records alphabetically by company name.
For many reports, you may also want to divide them into groups. Grouping allows you to separate groups
of records visually and to display introductory and summary data for each group.
The Report Wizard prompts you to add groups or sort order. However, grouping and sorting can also be
added later.
For example,
1. Let’s start with this basic report listing order information.

5
2. To group the order listing by order ID, click on the Group & Sort button on the Design tab. This adds
a Group, Sort, and Total pane at the bottom of the window.

3. Click the Add a group button. Select the field upon which you want to group, then select a sort order.

6
4. Click the More button for more detailed options.

5. Additional groups/sorts can be added. They can also be prioritized or deleted by using the arrow or
‘X’ buttons.

6. The resulting report looks like this:

7. To start a new page for each group, return to Design view and open the property sheet for the group.
On the Format tab, set Force New Page to the desired location.

7
To save time, you can apply a preset format—known as an AutoFormat—to all or part of your report.
You can select the size and appearance of a report's sections and controls, as well as adjust background
colors, borders, and text styles.
1. Select the control and use the buttons available on the Design tab in the Themes group.

2. Use the AutoFormat button on the Arrange tab to apply a preset format.

Other Notes Regarding Reports

1. There are a multitude of formatting settings that can be applied to customize reports. One particularly
helpful setting is the Can Grow option, which allows for text wrapping.
a. To apply the Can Grow setting, go to the Design tab of the Properties sheet for the desired field. Change
Can Grow to Yes.

8
2. Oftentimes, the margins of the report will need adjusted. Margins can be adjusted on the Page Setup
tab. The page orientation can also be adjusted via these utilities.

3. Mailing labels can be easily made through a Label Wizard.

a. Open the table or query upon which to base the labels.
b. From the Create tab, click Labels.

c. Follow the onscreen directions.

4. Reports can be exported to Word. Click the More button in Print Preview to publish the report to Word.

5. Label controls can be added to reports to simulate ‘form letters’, where the basics of the letter are
standard but the details change.

9
10
 Designing Forms in Access

This section provides basic techniques for designing, creating, and using forms in Microsoft Access.

A form is a database object that you can use to enter, edit, or display data from a table or a query. You can use
forms to control access to data, such as which fields of data are displayed. For example, certain users may not
need to see all of the fields in a table. Providing those users with a form that contains just the necessary fields
makes it easier for them to use the database.

Think of forms as windows through which people see and reach the database. An effective form speeds the use
of the database, because people don't have to search for what they need. A visually attractive form makes
working with the database more pleasant and more efficient, and it can also help prevent incorrect data from
being entered. While data can be entered directly into a table, the larger the table, the harder it is to be sure that
the data is in the right field and record.

Getting Started
Access gives you three main ways to create a form: with a single mouse click, with the Form Wizard, or in
Design view. Once you understand all three ways, you can choose the method or methods that will be best for
your purposes.
There are three types of forms that can be created with a single mouse click: Simple Form, Split Form, and
Multiple Items Form. You can begin using the new form immediately, or you can modify it in Layout view or
Design view to better suit your needs.

To create a form with a single click,

1. Open the table or query upon which you want to base the form.
2. To create a form on which all fields from the underlying table or query are placed, displaying one record at
a time, on the Create tab, click Form.

11
3. To create a split form on the Create tab, click More Forms, and then Split Form. The two views are
connected to the same data source and are synchronized with each other at all times. Selecting a field in one
part of the form selects the same field in the other part of the form. You can add, edit, or delete data from either
part.

12
Form View

Datasheet View

4. To create a form on which all fields from the underlying table or query are placed, displaying multiple
records at a time, on the Create tab, click More Forms, then Multiple Items. The form that Access creates
resembles a datasheet. The data is arranged in rows and columns, and you see more than one record at a time.
However, a Multiple Items form gives you more customization options than a datasheet, such as the ability to
add graphical elements, buttons, and other controls.

13
To be more selective about which fields appear on your form, you can use the Form Wizard. You can also use
fields from more than one table or query, provided that you specified the relationships between the tables and
queries beforehand. You will need to tell the wizard:
 The table or query on which to base the form

 Which fields to use on the form

 Which form layout to apply

 Which visual style to apply

To use the Form Wizard,

1. On the Create tab, click Form Wizard.

2. Follow the onscreen steps.

3. Additional customization can be done in Design view.

14
Design view is the best way to create a form when you want full control and complete freedom. The challenge
is that you are on your own, without the prearrangements of the Form Wizard.

However, you can also create a form by other methods, and then change its details in Design view.
To create a form in Design view,
1. On the Create tab, click Form Design.

2. Click the Add Existing Fields button on the Design tab, if necessary, to see a list of tables and their fields.
Then simply drag the desired fields onto the form.

3. You can also create a form from scratch in Layout view instead of Design view. From the Create tab, click
Blank Form.

Customizing the Form

15
Once you know how to create forms, it is time to start making those forms look and act the way you want. To
do that, you need to know your way around the parts of a form.
Controls are the parts of forms that most users see and work with. They are objects that display data, perform
actions, and let you view and work with information. Controls make forms easier and more interesting to use.
Some controls are bound. A bound control is attached directly to a specific field in a selected table or query.
When someone enters or changes data in a bound form control, that new data or changed data is immediately
updated in the table. Similarly, data viewed in a bound control will change in the form whenever it changes in
the table.
A control that doesn't have a source of data is called an unbound control. Unbound controls are used to display
information, lines, rectangles, and pictures.
A control whose source of data is an expression, rather than a field, is called a calculated control. For example,
if a table contains fields for unit price and quantity sold, a calculated control can be created to determine total
price (unit price * quantity sold).
Controls can be added through the Controls group on the Design tab.

Calculated controls are created by writing an expression. For example, we will calculate the order total based
on the unit price and quantity ordered fields.
Add a text box to the form by using the Text Box control on the Design tab.

16
1. Click the Property Sheet button to display the properties, if necessary.

To select a control, click it with your mouse. You can then use the selection handles to move or resize it.
Multiple controls can be selected in several ways:
 Hold Shift while you click them

 Draw a lasso around them with your mouse

 Click in the ruler to select all intersecting controls

Controls can also be resized and/or moved.

 To resize a control, point the mouse at a handle. The mouse will look like a two-headed arrow.

 To move a control, point the mouse to the box surrounding the control. The mouse will look like a four-
headed arrow.

 To move a bound control without its label (or vice versa), point the mouse to the larger selection handle
in the upper left corner.

 Controls can also be moved by using the arrow keys on the keyboard.

Text formatting can be applied to the controls using the features available in Themes group on the Design tab.

The tools available on the Arrange tab are especially helpful for arranging controls with a precise look.

17
Sections of the Form

Sections can be resized by clicking and dragging the edge of the section bar.
Adjusting Tab Order
Some people use the Tab key to move through a form, from one control to another, as they enter or view data.
It is important that the tab order be logical and easy to work with.
To change the tab order,
1. Switch to Design view, if necessary.
2. From the Arrange tab, click Tab Order.

3. Under Section, click the name of the form section for which you want to change the tab order.

18
4. Drag the control names up or down in the Custom Order list.
5. The Auto Order button will set the tab order to a left-to-right, top-to-bottom order.
Using Tab Control
Tab controls are the easiest way to create a multi-page form. They are also useful if you want to avoid scrolling.
To add a tab control to the form,
1. From the Design tab, click the Tab Control button.

2. Click the form at the desired location of the tab control. The form will automatically adjust its size to
accommodate the tab control.
3. Drag fields onto the tab control. Format the controls as desired.
4. To rename the tab, modify the Caption on the property sheet.

19
5. To add more tabs, right-click and choose Insert and then the location.

6. The completed tab control looks like this:

20
Using SQL Queries inside Access

From Create tab, Queries group, click on Query Design command.

Immediately Show Table dialog box will be displayed, select Tables tab and click on the table you want to
use, then click on Add button.

As shown in figure above, marks table is selected, and will be added in the Design interface as shown in figure
below:

You can now close Show Table dialog box by clicking on Close button.
The next step is to locate created Query tab and Right-Click it and choose SQL View.

21
After click on SQL View, you will get a working interface, with default Commands, you are free now to take
it further by adding your desired SQL commands.

After, you have written your SQL commands, please save your query and located a Queries Section in the left
side.

Double click your Query to view the results of SQL Commands you have written.

22
Relationships

To view relationships between tables, we select Database Tools tab, Relationships group, we click on
Relationships button.

You will get a dialog box, which will enable you to choose table names in order to check whether they are
related:

You can now select the first table name and go on by selecting the name of the second table, after selecting
table names, please specify a field which is common for both tables, maybe a field having the same name or
containing contents of same type, then click on Ok.

On the figure below, regnum is a common field for marks table and students table.

23
The Figure below shows the relationship between marks and students tables:

24