Chapter 6: Working with Datasheet View ...................................................................................
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Looking at the Datasheet Window
A datasheet typically appears in the center of the main Access window. The datasheet arranges the
records initially by primary key and arranges the fields by the order in the table design.At the top of the Access window, you see the title bar (displaying the database filename), the Quick
Access toolbar, and the ribbon. At the bottom of the Access window, you see the status bar, which
displays information about the datasheet. For example, it might contain field description informa-
tion, error messages, warnings, or a progress bar.Generally, error messages and warnings appear in dialog boxes in the center of the screen rather
than in the status bar. If you need help understanding the meaning of a button in the toolbar,
move the mouse over the button, hovering over it, and an explanatory tooltip appears with a one-
or two-word explanation.The right side of the Datasheet window contains a scroll bar for moving vertically between records.
As you scroll between records, a scrolltip (shown in Figure 6.1) tells you precisely where the scroll
bar takes you. The size of the scroll bar “thumb” (the small rectangle on the scroll bar) gives you a
proportional look at how many of the total number of records are being displayed. The bottom of
the Datasheet window also contains a scroll bar for moving among fields (left to right). The
Navigation buttons for moving between records also appear in the bottom-left corner of the
Datasheet window.A table is a container for storing related information — patient records, a card list (birthday, holiday),
birthday reminders, payroll information, and so on. Each table has a formal structure comprised of fields,
each with a unique name to identify and describe the stored information and a specific data type — text,
numeric, date, time, and so on — to limit what users enter in these fields. When displayed in a datasheet
(a two-dimensional sheet of information), Access displays these fields in columns.The table is composed of records, which hold information about a single entity (like a single customer
or a single product). One record is made up of information stored in all the fields of the table structure.
For example, if a table has three fields — name, address, and phone number — then the first record
only has one name, one address, and one phone number in it. The second record also has one name,
one address, and one phone number in it. A datasheet is an ideal way of looking at all the table’s con-
tents at once. A single record appears as a row in the datasheet; each row contains information for that
specific record. The fields appear as columns in the datasheet; each column contains an individual
field’s contents. This row-and-column format lets you see lots of data at once.A quick review of records and fields