Make Your Own Push-Button Database: Your Information Is Just a Click Away
Access, the Microsoft database, although very powerful and flexible, is hardly the friendliest tool in the Office suite. Even experienced users have been known to fume over its complexity. So what do you do if your organization's customer lists and inventory data are stored in Access and you want that important information to be easily accessible to staff without investing in hours of training? The answer is Switchboard, a push-button feature built into Access that was designed to make Access easy to use. Switchboard is an interface between users and those esoteric forms, reports and tables that make up the Access database. With it in place, novice users never even see the innards of Access: All the critical database functions are displayed on a simple opening screen and each is executed by clicking on appropriate buttons. Not only do the buttons make it fast and convenient to use Access, but because no one but the real technicians get to tinker "under the hood," those complex tables and forms are hidden from self-appointed experts who otherwise may try to "improve" the database. In this article I will take you through a typical Switchboard setup. After you've done it once, you can easily create a custom design for your own organization or client. I've prepared an example, with which you can follow along as we build the interface. To download the file, go to www.aicpa.org/download/pubs/jofa/2004_07_glandonexample.mdb. Once it's downloaded, open it and click on Tools, Database Utilities and Switchboard Manager. You'll notice that Switchboard has a one-size-fits-all design, and while it may work for your organization, you will have the option of creating a fully customizable interface. Begin by creating a blank form by selecting Forms from the list of Objects and then click on New (exhibit 1, page 78). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Now select Design View and click on OK (exhibit 2, page 78) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] To change the background of the form by using one of the available formats, click on the Form Selector and the AutoFormat icon on the toolbar (exhibit 3, below). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] That will bring up the AutoFormat screen (exhibit 4, below). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Select a preformatted design from the left-hand column and click on OK. To add command buttons to this form, click oil View, Toolbox. Select the Command Button once and click inside the form. You will be able to change button size and position later (exhibit 5, below). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Note: The Control Wizards on the Toolbox must be active (depressed) in order for the wizard to open when you draw the command button on the form (exhibit 6, page 79). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When the Command Button Wizard opens, select Form Operations and Open Form and click on Next (exhibit 7, below). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Select Customers and click on Next (exhibit 8, below). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Accept the default option: Open the form and show all the records. Click on Next (exhibit 9, below). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Change text to read Enter Customers. This will be the caption on the button. Then click on Next (exhibit 10, below). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Name the command button cmdEnterCust. Be aware this is not a caption; it only gives the button a name, allowing you to identify it later if necessary (exhibit 11, below). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Finally, when you click on Finish, your screen should look like exhibit 12, page 81. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Save the form as Main by clicking on File and Save. Enter Main where the default name Form1 appears and click on OK. Switch to Form View (by clicking on View and Form View). Click on the Enter Customers button to test it; the Customers Form should appear. …