Can Access do this?

[jimmymc]

I am very new to Access and don't know very much about the program.

My questions are:

Can I build a form that accepts user input and then prints it out in a structured report.

Can this be done with just a form or just a report or do I need both.

If I use a form and then print to a report...how do I get the information on the form to print on the report correctly.

Can I insert a spread sheet from Excel that I can modify on the Access form or should I use something in Access like a table.

Several question a one time...but I hope they are simple. I just need a little guidance in the right direction. I've bought several books but can't seem to locate answers to these basic questions.

Thanks very much in advance...jimmymc

 

[RangerTen]

Your questions...

My questions are:

Can I build a form that accepts user input and then prints it out in a structured report.


1. Can this be done with just a form or just a report or do I need both.

2. If I use a form and then print to a report...how do I get the information on the form to print on the report correctly.

3. Can I insert a spread sheet from Excel that I can modify on the Access form or should I use something in Access like a table.

Question 1: You get the user input in the form that, in basic mode, is bound to a table. The report then uses the same data, drawing it from the same table.

Question 2: refer to answer 1 - User input goes into a table, then that data is pulled from the same table to create the report

Question 3: Depends what you want to do. You can import the spreadsheet into access, or create your own table. If you are starting, you might just want to create a table and not have to worry about importing and linking. Access is like excel on steroids.

As far as explaining how to do it here in the forum, you'll probably have to find a good book that does that. They are out there. Those books are usually pretty thick, and I couldn't possibly fit it into this little space Take care and good luck

 

[Calvin]

The simplest answer is "Yes- All of the above".

You can do everything you mentioned, it all depends on what will best fit your need.

But basically, the development process goes like so:
1. Create a table in Access and/or Import an Excel sheet into a new table or an existing table.
2. Create a form based on the table, arrange the controls, text boxes, labels, etc... any way you want that isn't confusing to the user. If it is pretty enough and formatted well enough you can print the form directly to the printer, sometimes user just like having hard copies of the screen anyway.
3. Create a formatted Report based on the data in your table, but is usually triggered by a command button on a form after a record or group of records are selected. At the time the command button is clicked on it can pass a query statement to the report so it only prints the selected record or records.

One peice of advice, the more time you spend setting the field properties in your tables and relationships, the less time you will spend developing your forms and reports, because everytime you have to go back and change something in the table, will usually require more work in the related forms, queries, reports, moduels matching those changes. The tables are the foundation of the database and their structure can make or break your project.

good luck,

 

[jimmymc]

Thanks you guys...all I needed was a little direction to be sure I could do this with Access.

I haven't graduated to the thicker books yet...the first book I bought was for dummies, but I realized that was over my head... so I went back and bought the book for idiots.

jimmymc

 

[Calvin]

Try the "Access Programming for Dummies", instead of the regular "Access for Dummies" books.

Books exist for both 97 and 2k but not 2k2 yet.

 

[Friday]

I'm waiting for the book with me in mind:

Access Programming for Turnips Found in the Cellar