| Sometimes an Access database user needs to | | | | tables, then a little more work is required to link |
| pull pieces of information from multiple table | | | | the tables. Let us consider an example to better |
| sources to display on a single form. For many | | | | illustrate this process. Assume you have two |
| users, this can seem like a daunting task. | | | | tables. One table contains an automatically |
| However, with a few tips and a little practice, you | | | | numbered Primary Key. The table contains one |
| can learn to link database tables with little | | | | other field besides the Primary Key. This field |
| headache. The easiest way to accomplish this is | | | | contains descriptions of options a user can select |
| to make use of the "Primary Key" option | | | | (e.g. "yes", "no", "other", etc.) stored as strings. |
| provided in MS Access. The Primary Key is a | | | | This type of table is known as a "list" table or a |
| unique identifier that classifies the data in a table. | | | | "static" table because the data does not change. |
| By representing data in different tables with the | | | | The other table contains account information for |
| same Primary Key, linking tables is relatively easy. | | | | customers at a small business. One of the fields |
| The first step is to create a new query. Once the | | | | displays whether or not the customer has paid |
| query has been created and named, open the | | | | their outstanding bill. |
| query in "Design View" to view the inner workings | | | | In the newly created query, the user must link |
| of the query. Since this is a new query, there | | | | the two fields. The linking between the two tables |
| should not be any tables listed in the viewer. | | | | can be accomplished using the "Criteria" option in |
| Select the "add table or query" option to select | | | | the viewer. Below is an example of how to link |
| the tables you would like to link. | | | | the data in the dynamic and static tables: |
| If the Primary Key for the tables selected is the | | | | Dynamic Table: |
| same for each table, then linking the tables is | | | | "[Static Table Name].[Static Table Field Name]" |
| easy. Simply select the field set as the primary | | | | The two tables have now been linked! Use this as |
| key and drag it to the corresponding table's | | | | a template for linking your own tables within a |
| primary key. The tables are now linked by the | | | | query. With a little practice, you will be able to |
| uniquely identifying Primary Key. Information from | | | | create more complex queries, helping you |
| either table can now be displayed in the query | | | | become more efficient and organized within your |
| when it is run. | | | | database. |
| If the Primary Key differs between the selected | | | | |