Lesson 6	Selecting fields in a table
Objective	Select fields in Datasheet and Design views

Selecting a Record in MS Access 2021

There are several ways to select a specific record in both Datasheet view and Design view in MS Access 2021:

Datasheet View:
- Clicking on a specific row: This is the most straightforward way. Clicking on a row in the datasheet highlights the entire row, indicating the selected record.
- Using the keyboard:
  - Use the arrow keys (Up and Down) to navigate through the rows and select the desired record.
  - Press Ctrl + Spacebar to select the entire row of the current record.
- Using the Find tool:
  - Click the "Find" button in the ribbon (Home tab, Find & Select group).
  - Enter the search criteria in the "Find What" field, including specific values or wildcards.
  - Use the "Look In" field to specify the fields to search
  - Click "Find Next" to locate the record matching your criteria.
- Using the Go To command:
  - Click the "Go To" dropdown arrow on the status bar.
  - Select the record number you want to navigate to if you know it.
  - Alternatively, choose "Enter record number" and type the desired record number in the dialog box.
Design View:
- Navigating through the recordset:
  - Use the navigation bar at the bottom of the design view to move through the records (First, Previous, Next, Last buttons).
  - You can also enter a specific record number in the "Record" field and press Enter.
- Using the Filter by Selection tool:
  - Select a specific cell in a column that contains the value you want to filter by.
  - Click the "Filter by Selection" button in the Design tab (Tools group).
  - This will filter the table to only display records where that specific value exists in the selected column.

Here's a table summarizing the methods:

| View | Method | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Datasheet | Clicking on a row | Clicking on a row selects the entire record. |
| Datasheet | Keyboard navigation | Use arrow keys or Ctrl + Spacebar to select and navigate. |
| Datasheet | Find tool | Find records based on specific criteria. |
| Datasheet | Go To command | Navigate to a specific record by number. |
| Design | Navigation bar | Use buttons to move through the recordset. |
| Design | Filter by Selection | Filter based on a selected cell value. |

By using these methods, you can easily select and work with specific records in both Datasheet and Design views in MS Access 2021.

To modify your table, you need to know how to select different parts of the table in both Datasheet view and Design view. You will need to:

Select one record
Select a whole column
Select multiple contiguous columns
Select multiple contiguous fields

The following series of images demonstrates how to make these selections.

Access Select Statement

1) Click any of these boxes to select on record.

2) Click any column header to select the whole column.

3) Click hold and drag to select multiple contiguous columns.

4) Click any one of these boxes to select one field. Click hold and drag to select multiple contiguous fields.

Learn to edit your table design fields by adding and removing fields.