You've probably heard about the Northwind database,
or seen example on forums and videos of it being used.
How do you get this popular database for yourself?
Hi, this is crystal.
When you open Access, you see templates you can pick from
to make a new database.
Northwind isn't on this list but you can search for it.
At the top, click in the box that says
Search for online templates,
enter Northwind,
then click the magnifier icon to start searching.
Northwind is found!
Click on its icon to read information about it.
This example database is for a fictitious company
called Northwind Traders.
It has abilities to track customers,
orders, inventory, purchasing,
suppliers, shipping, and employees.
The folder is set to the default database folder
I specified in my Access Options.
Unless I change the name of the file,
it will be called Database1.accdb,
which isn't descriptive.
I'll change the name to Northwind.accdb
I select the part of the filename I want to change,
Database1, and type Northwind.
Typing replaces selection.
If I click the Create button now,
Northwind will be created as a new database
in the folder shown.
I want to put it somewhere else though,
so I click the browse icon.
When the File new Database dialog box opens,
the folder has changed
from my default folder to Documents.
The folder I want to use is open,
so I copy the path to the clipboard.
Either right-click and Copy, or use Ctrl-C.
Back in the dialog box to create the database,
I paste the path, Ctrl-V, and press ENTER.
Access keeps the filename I specified before,
and I click the OK button.
Now that the database is named what I want to call it,
and the folder is where I want to put it,
I click the Create button.
Access downloads the template,
and opens it.
Northwind has a Login form.
I can select an existing employee,
or create someone new.
I put my name in there
and click the Login button.
I'm not in the list though!
A MsgBox pops up to ask if I want
to edit items in the list,
and I do, so I'll click Yes.
Here is the Employee List form,
and I'm not there.
I scroll to the bottom,
click on the (New) record row,
and start typing.
First name is crystal.
As soon as I start typing, notice that
Access creates another blank row below everything
for the next new record.
After I enter each value,
I press TAB to move to the next control.
If there isn't enough space
to display the whole value,
you can press Shift-F2 to use the Zoom box.
When I'm done entering my new record,
I click X in the upper right to close this form,
which takes me back to the Login dialog box.
So I just leave my name there,
and when I click the Login button,
again I get a message that I'm not in the list!
I click Yes to edit the items,
and I see that I'm there!
I close the Employee List form again,
drop the list, and pick my name.
Aah, the reason I couldn't be found
is that the first columns shows
first name and last name together.
Had I started typing my name in again,
the list would have moved to show me my record.
But I didn't do it that way this time.
I pick myself, and now I can login as me.
Lots of examples use this database
since it is available for anyone to get,
and now you can get it too!
If you need help creating successful databases,
let me help you.
We connect and I teach you,
as your project is built.
You then get to shine with your peers
when you know how to fix problems and add features.
Thanks for joining me.
Through sharing, we will all get better.