Question Best Way to Learn Access??

[algioia]

I need to learn Access again for some projects at work. I haven't touched it in 10 years and I cannot remember anything. I've spent hours upon hours working in it but I'm skipping around and not learning anything.

So I ask you this... what would you suggest as the best way to learn the basics? I was able to create tables and import data but I don't remember the specifics of the values, input masks, etc. I need to link tables, create queries and reports. I don't really need Forms at this time. I posted an inquiry on a local community message board but everyone wants to sell to me and I'm just looking for suggestions. I work for a small business that cannot afford to spend too much money on this.

In your opinion, would a 1 or 2 day training class really teach me all that I need to know? I have the "Access for Dummies" book but I don't even know what I need or where to start. Were any of you in my situation and have some advice on how to learn what I need to know?

Here's some info on what I'm trying to do:

I work in Sales Tax, we submit sales tax returns on a monthly basis for our clients. There is one client in particular who sends us approx 50MB a month in sales data... which is why we're trying to move from excel to access. I need to be able to import the data each month and create queries / reports for sales amounts in a given city or state for a certain period of time. Alabama is a good example. There are so many local jurisdictions, we would need the report to show us the state totals for that period and then the totals for each local jurisdiction.

Sorry for rambling, this is all so overwhelming. I'm going to try and read some of the book tonight but if you have any advice, I'm all ears!

Thank you!!!
annette

 

[boblarson]

1. Check out these free tutorials:

Access 2007
Access 2007 VBA
Access 2003
Access 2003 VBA

2. Post questions (and do searches) here on the forum.

 

[gemma-the-husky]

to learn access, i would pick something you really understand, and design a sytem for it

eg - to catalogue your DVDs/CDs or
to record your golf rounds played

both interesting projects, but not too hard.

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the really understand bit is important - if you dont know exactly what you are trying to achieve, you often design things wrongly. thats why big projects go wrong - the designers didnt ask the right questions and designed based on imperfect assumptions.