In the office environment, without a doubt, one of the best programs out there is Microsoft Access. Well, through numerous tools and options, the software allows its users to manage documents from database for perform optimal management of any type of information. Thus, effectively, they can search, organize and present your data on a technical level.
For its part, Access is also a program that is characterized by guaranteeing a collection of data, agile and intuitive, in order to offer a great user experience to provide the best possible databases. Added to this, offers tables, queries, forms and reports.
In the case of reports, they are estimated as special utilities to be able to summarize information from a database, easily. Therefore, for you to take advantage of this excellent solution, here we will let you know What is a report in a database for, what are the tools used for it and how is the procedure to follow to create it.
What is a report and what is it for in a Microsoft Access database?
Generally speaking, a report is defined as the detailed description of the characteristics, peculiarities and circumstances of a certain matter. Therefore, it is mainly concerned with collecting the results and findings of a research and observation process, concise and orderly. That way, will present such information to some specific viewers (a general public, a specialized audience or a higher instance).
Now in Microsoft Access, a report consists of a database object that allows exposing the information in that document for different purposes and, especially, to summarize the information to be presented. Therefore, they are elements that serve to display or distribute a summary of the data, provide details about a specific record, archive snapshots of the information, and create labels.
Among other details, it should be noted that the design of an Access report It is composed of several sections that are commonly displayed in the Design View of the program. Whereas, in order to create reports optimally, it is valuable to know how each section works.
Therefore, here we name what they are:
- Report header: Used to display information that appears on a cover page, be it a title, date, or logo. Well, it’s at the beginning of the report.
- Page Header: Basically, it is used to repeat the report title on all existing pages. Thus, it is located at the beginning of each page.
- Group header: This is used to print the group name and operates based on the number of grouping levels that have been added. Which can be obtained at the beginning of each new group of records.
- Detail: It is a section that is observed once for each row of the record source and in it, the controls that are part of the main body of the report are displayed in Access.
- Group foot: It is located at the end of each group of records and allows you to print the summary information for a specific group.
- Footer: In general, it is a section that is used to print information about each page or, failing that, their numbers. Thus, it is observed at the end of each page.
- Report footer: It is at the end of the report and is used to display any summary information about the entire report in the program.
What are the Access tools for creating a report on a database?
To produce a report in an Access database, the software offers some tools with which it is possible to create them. One of them, consists of the Report Wizard which is a utility used as a guide during the creation of the report. In view of that, takes care of guiding you step by step during this process.
In addition to this, another tool that you can use to create a report is a Blank report which basically allows you to open a report from scratch via view Presentation, for so prepare a “self-report”. Additionally, you have the Report layout as another tool for add the different objects you want to display in the document.
Also, you can make use of the tool Report, to produce a simple report and tabulate the data contained in the fields in the source. This program even provides the utility of Tags showing a wizard that offers the ability to select standard or custom label sizes, as well as choose the storage mode and the fields to display.
Among all these utilities, without a doubt, the best alternative refers to the Report Wizard. Since, it is a characteristic of the Microsoft that facilitates the creation process, from a series of questions with which will generate the report based on all the answers provided.
Learn step by step how to create a basic report in Microsoft Access from scratch
Now if you wish create a report when your database contains a well-designed table structure and relationships, you need to know each of the steps to carry out in order to execute the procedure correctly.
As a consequence, below, we explain what you must do in Access to do this:
Select a log source
While true, the record source for a report in Access can be a named query, an embedded query, or a table. Therefore, these elements must have all the rows and columns of data that will be displayed in the report, later.
It should be noted that, if the record source does not yet exist, it will be necessary to use the Blank Report tool. Although, you can also choose to build the tables or query, selecting one of these utilities in the navigation panel. On the other hand, if the data to be used comes from an existing query or table, only you have to choose the query or table in the navigation panel and continue with the next step.
Choose a reporting tool
Next, it’s time to choose a reporting tool, depending on the option you prefer to create your form and summarize the information in your database. To do this, go to the options bar of the program and click on the “Create” tab to locate the Reports group there and make that choice. In this sense, you simply have to click on the solution you want to use. Either: Report, Report Layout, Blank Report, Report Wizard, or Labels.
Create the report in question
Once you select the tool you want to use to create your report, Access will display the item in Layout view. In case a wizard appears in the software, you just have to follow the indicated steps and click on “Finish” from the last page.
After that, through the Presentation view, you have the possibility to perform the following, according to your requirements, to visualize the desired aspect:
- Resize fields and labels, just by selecting them and dragging the edges until they acquire the size you prefer.
- Move a field, simply by selecting it and dragging it to the new location.
- Merge or split cells, select or delete fields; this, from the commands that appear in the context menu when you right click on a certain field.
Get a print preview
Finally, to see a print preview of your report and make sure everything is in perfect condition before getting the physical document, you have to do the following:
- Go to program navigation panel.
- Now exactly where your report is located, right click.
- Then, among the available options, select “Print Preview”.
- At this point, you can adjust the layout or size of the page, update the report data, and zoom in, zoom out, or view multiple pages at once. Like, print the file.