Building Access Database - Glossary

Calculated data:
Data created as the result of an expression, often an arithmetic or logical expression, i.e. Profit could be calculated as Income-Expenses. Calculations can also be used to summarize data, i.e. Total value of goods sold.
Criteria:
A condition or test. If you want to find addresses in Arizona, then your criteria is that the state must be Arizona.
Data:
Pieces of information such as numbers, dates, or text.
Data type:
A category of data. Each field must have a data type such as Number, Text, or Date/Time.
Database:
An organized set of related data. In Access, a database is the file that contains the tables, queries, forms, reports, and other objects for one set of related data.
Database window:
The Access window that displays the names of all the objects in the database. This window allows you to open different objects in the database. By closing the database window, you close the open database
Datasheet view:
The view of a table or query that shows the data in rows and columns.
Design view:
The view of an object that allows you to refine the object definition.
Field:
A column in an Access table. One category of data, i.e., first name.
Forms :
This Access object is used to enter and display data. Forms can be designed and formatted to present a custom view of the database.
Hyperlink:
Special text that can be clicked to take you somewhere else. Hyperlinks can take you to a new web page or open a file.
Input mask:
Part of a field's definition for an input mask specifies the number and type of character that can be entered in the field.
Objects:
Access objects consist of tables, queries, reports, and forms as well as the more advanced objects, Pages, Macros, and Modules.
Primary Key:
The field in a table that uniquely describes each record.
Queries:
The Access object used to ask questions of your data.
Raw data:
Data entered by the user (as opposed to data calculated by Access).
Record:
One row of data in an Access table. A set of related information for one entity, i.e., the name, address, and phone number for one person.
Referential integrity:
You may choose to enforce referential integrity when you create a relationship between fields in different tables. If you select the Enforce Referential Integrity check box, Access will not let you enter data on the "many" side of the relationship unless it has a corresponding record on the "one" side of the relationship.
Related data:
Data about the same topic. For instance, an address can be related to a name, if it is the address of the named person. A record of data about a project (such as the description, due date, and expected hours of work) can be related to a record of data about the client for whom the project is being done.
Related fields:
Fields in different tables that contain substantially the same data and are used to define the relationship between the two tables. For instance, the Client ID field in the Clients table uniquely identifies each client, and it is related to the Client field in the Projects table with identifies which client the project is being done for. When these tables are related you can combine data from both tables in queries, forms, and reports.
Related tables:
Tables containing related data, i.e. a table containing contact details for your clients, and a table containing project details, where each project is done for a client. Related tables always have a field in common, for instance, client name in the example here.
Reports:
This Access object is used to present data, usually on paper. Reports can be designed and formatted to display data and aggregate calculations so that they can be easily read and analyzed.
Status bar:
The bottom-most row of the Access window.
Subdatasheets:
A datasheet within a datasheet that displays related data from a related table.:
Table:
The Access object that stores data.
Table Wizard:
This wizard creates common tables. When you select the table name, you see field names that you can select from. When the table is created, each field is given the properties that you are most likely to need.
Template:
A model for a database that contains no data but has predefined tables, relationships between tables, queries, forms, and reports.:
Microsoft Access Reference