Microsoft Access 2010 Bible

Chapter 2: Creating Access Tables

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Field Name Data Type Description

OrigCustDate DateTime Date the contact first purchased something from Collectible

Mini Cars

CreditLimit Currency Customer’s credit limit in dollars

CurrentBalance Currency Customer’s current balance in dollars

CreditStatus Text Description of the customer’s credit status

LastSalesDate DateTime Most recent date the customer purchased something from

Collectible Mini Cars

TaxRate Number (Double) Sales tax applicable to the customer

DiscountPercent Number (Double) Customary discount provided to the customer

Notes Memo Notes and observations regarding this customer

Active Yes/No Whether the customer is still buying or selling to Collectible

Mini Cars

Some of the fields in the preceding table are rather generous in the amount of space allocated for

the field’s data. For example, it’s unlikely that anyone’s name occupies 50 characters, but there is

no harm in providing for very long names. Access only stores as many characters as are actually

entered into a text field. Therefore, allocating 50 characters doesn’t actually use 50 characters for

every name in the database.

Looking once again at Figure 2.15, you see that the Table Design window consists of two areas:

l (^) The field entry area: Use the field entry area, at the top of the window, to enter each
field’s name and data type. You can also enter an optional description.
l (^) The field properties area: The area at the bottom of the window is where the field’s
properties are specified. These properties include field size, format, input mask, and
default value, among others. The actual properties displayed in the properties area depend
upon the data type of the field. You learn much more about these properties in the
“Assigning field properties” section, later in this chapter.
Tip
You can switch between the upper and lower areas of the table designer by clicking the mouse when the
pointer is in the desired pane or by pressing F6.
Using the Design tab
The Design tab on the Access ribbon (shown in Figure 2.16) contains many controls that assist in
creating a new table definition.