Microsoft Access and Microsoft Access and the Accidental Techiethe Accidental Techie

Jason DeWittJason DeWitt

Visual Information Systems CenterVisual Information Systems Center

March 14, 2003March 14, 2003

Top Five MS Access Pitfalls for Top Five MS Access Pitfalls for Accidental TechiesAccidental Techies

5. Forgot to back up the database5. Forgot to back up the database4. Neglecting Security4. Neglecting Security

3. Confusing the User3. Confusing the User

2. Data Validation2. Data Validation

1. Data Redundancy1. Data Redundancy

5. Backing Up the DB5. Backing Up the DBNothing fancy required. Just copy the Nothing fancy required. Just copy the database file and keep the copy on a database file and keep the copy on a different machine (or external storage).different machine (or external storage).

Probably should do this daily (small price Probably should do this daily (small price to pay compared to cost of losing datato pay compared to cost of losing data

More complicated back-up solutions can More complicated back-up solutions can be worked out with system administrator be worked out with system administrator if necessary (and if you have a system if necessary (and if you have a system administrator)administrator)

4. MS Access Security Options4. MS Access Security Options

If you have one type of user, and you are If you have one type of user, and you are the only user of the database, a simple the only user of the database, a simple and adequate security implementation is and adequate security implementation is to put a password on the whole databaseto put a password on the whole database

For multi-user environments you may For multi-user environments you may need to implement user-level securityneed to implement user-level security

4. MS Access Security Options4. MS Access Security OptionsBoth options are in the “Tools Menu”Both options are in the “Tools Menu”

MS Access User-Level SecurityMS Access User-Level Security

Five Steps to implement User-Level Security:Five Steps to implement User-Level Security:

1.1. Create a “Workgroup Information File”Create a “Workgroup Information File”

2.2. Create groupsCreate groups

3.3. Set the permissions of these groupsSet the permissions of these groups

4.4. Create users and add the users to groupsCreate users and add the users to groups

5.5. Have users join the “workgroup”Have users join the “workgroup”

User InterfaceUser Interface

Some Design Priniciples:Some Design Priniciples:

1.1. Use a “switchboard”Use a “switchboard”

2.2. 7 (+ or – 2) Menu options7 (+ or – 2) Menu options

3.3. < 3 levels deep< 3 levels deep

4.4. Readable colors and fontsReadable colors and fonts

5.5. Use Macros or VBA (Visual Basic for Access) Use Macros or VBA (Visual Basic for Access) to communicate with the user with message to communicate with the user with message boxesboxes

6.6. Use of Pop-Forms to aid in searching recordsUse of Pop-Forms to aid in searching records

User Interface-Switchboard ExampleUser Interface-Switchboard Example

Number of menu options vs. depth of interface (A Tradeoff)

Data ValidationData ValidationValidation Rules and TextValidation Rules and TextInput Masks and Formats – can be very Input Masks and Formats – can be very confusing!confusing! Stick to using only input masks for data entry Stick to using only input masks for data entry

formsforms If special formatting is required, you can do If special formatting is required, you can do

this on the report. No reason to use it on the this on the report. No reason to use it on the data entry form. Why not . . .?data entry form. Why not . . .?

Because: Input masks and formats Because: Input masks and formats sometimes conflict with each other and cause sometimes conflict with each other and cause a snowball effect of errorsa snowball effect of errors

Data RedundancyData RedundancyNormalization of TablesNormalization of Tables

Understanding Referential IntegrityUnderstanding Referential Integrity

SummarySummaryUbiquity of MS OfficeUbiquity of MS Office

For more helpFor more help Our Website: http://visc.exp.sis.pitt.edu/Our Website: http://visc.exp.sis.pitt.edu/ Our Digits: 412-624-9117Our Digits: 412-624-9117

I’ll be available for the next hour or so if I’ll be available for the next hour or so if you want to work through some examples you want to work through some examples or have specific questionsor have specific questions

Any Alibis?Any Alibis?