Databases: Glossary
Definition of terms used in this chapter:
Append | to add on to the end of an object, for example, adding records to the end of an existing table in a database |
Arrange tab | a tab in the Access Form or Report Layout toolbar that allows you to make changes to the arrangement of tables, rows, and columns in a form or report |
Autonumber | a data type that describes a unique sequential or random number assigned by Access as each record is entered and that is useful for data that has no distinct field that can be considered unique; this data type cannot be manually changed or typed in |
Blank form | allows you to create a new, blank form, which you can then customize and format the way you want |
Bound | a control that retrieves data from an underlying table or query |
Data | facts about people, events, things, or ideas |
Data type | classification identifying the kind of data that can be stored in a field such as numbers, text, or dates |
Database | an organized collection of facts about people, events, things, or ideas related to a specific topic or purpose |
Datasheet view | the Access view that displays data organized in columns and rows similar to an Excel spreadsheet |
DBA | stands for Database Administrator, an IT professional whose primary responsibilities include database installation, configuration, design, migration, performance monitoring, security, and troubleshooting, as well as backup and data recovery |
Design tab | a tab in the Form or Report Layout toolbar that allows you to make modifications to the design of the form or report |
Design view | an Access view that displays the detailed structure of a table, query, form, or report; also known as developer’s view; for forms and reports, this may be the only view in which some tasks are performed; only the controls, not the data, are displayed in this view |
Detail | the area in a form or report that data is displayed and interacted with; may include textboxes, checkboxes, combo boxes, labels, pictures, and other data editing controls |
Developer’s view | also known as Design view; the most powerful view in Access |
Enable content | Microsoft Office’s built-in security feature |
End user | the person or people that use the database |
Export | also known as a “dump,” extracting and saving a database file that can be used for storage, distribution, or importing into another system |
Field | a single piece of information that is stored in every record and is represented by a column in a database table |
Field name | the description that identifies a field |
Flat database | a simple database file that is not related or linked to any other collections of data |
Form | a database object that you can use to enter new records into a table or to edit, delete, and display existing records in a table |
Form design | allows you to work with the underlying structure of your form |
Form footer | the bottom margin of each page of an Access form |
Form header | the top margin of each page of an Access form |
Form view | the Access view in which you can view, modify, delete, or add records in a table but you cannot change the layout or design of the form |
Form wizard | a step-by-step way to create a form |
Format tab | a tab in the Report Layout toolbar that allows you to make changes to the formatting of a report, such as Fonts and Backgrounds |
Group, Sort, and Total | a pane that displays at the bottom of the report window in Design view in which you can control how information is sorted, grouped, and totaled in a report |
Importing | the process of copying data from another file, such as an Excel Spreadsheet, into a separate file, such as an Access table |
Information | data that is accurate, timely, and organized in a useful manner |
Is Null | criteria used in queries in which searched-for fields are empty |
Knowledge | processed information that is useful when making important decisions |
Label | a control on a form or report that contains descriptive information, usually a field name or title |
Layout view | the Access view in which you can make changes to a form or report while the data from the underlying data and source displays |
Navigation pane | an area of the Access window that displays and organizes the names of the objects in a database and allows objects to be opened for use |
Object type | a way to sort objects in the navigation pane so they are grouped by type |
Objects | the basic parts of a database that you create to store your data and to work with your data; includes tables, queries, forms, and reports |
One-To-Many | the most common type of database relationship between two tables, where one record in the first table corresponds to many records in the second table |
Page setup | a tab in the Report Layout toolbar that allows you to make changes to the setup of a report to prepare it for printing, such as Page Size and Page Layout |
Populate | the action of filling a database table with records |
Primary key | a required field that uniquely identifies a record in a table |
Print preview | a Report view that displays what the printed report will look like |
Property sheet | a list of characteristics, or properties, for fields or controls on a form or report in which you can make precise changes to each property associated with the field or control |
Queries | a database object that retrieves specific data from one or more database objects, either tables or queries, and displays the requested data in a datasheet |
Query grid | the bottom pane of the Query Design view window in which you specify the fields, sort order, and limiting criteria for the query |
Query wizard | a step-by-step way to create four types of queries to use in accessing and modifying the data in your database |
Redundancy | in a database, information that is duplicated in a manner that indicates poor database design |
Relational database | a sophisticated type of database that has multiple collections of data within the file that are related to one another |
Relationship | an association that you establish between two tables based on common fields |
Report | also known as the Report Tool, a quick and easy way to create a new report |
Report view | the default view used when you double-click a report in the Navigation Pane |
Report wizard | a step-by-step way to create a report |
Short text | an Access data type that describes text that can be a combination of letters and numbers that are not used in calculations, such as a zip code |
Show | a checkbox in the Query Grid that enables fields to be shown or hidden |
Tables | a database object that organizes and presents text and data in columns and rows and is the foundation for databases |
Textbox | a bound control on a form or report that displays the data from an underlying table or query |
Unbound label | a control that does not have a source of data, such as the title in a form or report |
User friendly | easy to use and understand, it is a goal to create databases of this kind |