Chapter 2: Creating Access Tables
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Cross-Reference
Table relationships and the Relationships window are discussed in Chapter 3.
If you delete a field, you must also fix up all references to that field throughout Access. Because
you can use a field name in forms, queries, reports, and even table-data validation, you must exam-
ine your system carefully to find any instances where you might have used the specific field name.Changing a field location
The order of your fields, as entered in the table’s Design view, determines the left-to-right column
sequence in the table’s Datasheet view. If you decide that your fields should be rearranged, click on
a field selector and use the mouse to drag the field to its new location.Changing a field name
You change a field’s name by selecting the field’s name in the Table Design window and entering a
new name; Access updates the table design automatically. As long as you’re creating a new table,
this process is easy.Changing a field size
Making a field size larger is simple in a table design. However, only text and number fields can be
increased in size. You simply increase the Field Size property for text fields or specify a differ-
ent field size for number fields. You must pay attention to the decimal-point property in number
fields to make sure that you don’t select a new size that supports fewer decimal places than you
currently have.Caution
When you want to make a field size smaller, make sure that none of the data in the table is larger than the new
field width. Choosing a smaller field size may result in data loss.
Tip
Remember that each text field uses only the number of characters actually entered in the field. You should still
try to make your fields only as large as the largest value so that Access can stop someone from entering a value
that might not fit on a form or report.
Handling data conversion issues
If, in spite of your best efforts, it becomes necessary to change the data type of a field containing
data, you might suffer data loss as the data-type conversion occurs. You should be aware of the
effects of a data-type conversion on existing data:l Any data type to AutoNumber: Can’t be done. The AutoNumber field type must be
created fresh in a new field.