To use Access 2000 effectively, you should be familiar with the structure of a database. A database consists of a collection of tables, queries, forms, reports, and pages that you use to manage and present data. These components are also called database objects. When you build a database, you create as many of these objects as you need and Access 2000 stores them in one database file. Each object you create in the database is dependent on other objects. That is, a query, form, or report draws information from tables, so changing data in any one of these objects changes the data in all of these objects. Because the objects in a database are related to one another, building a database requires careful planning.

In fact, it only makes sense to build a database when you need a flexible system for organizing and analyzing data. For example, when you are teaching three sections of one subject and you want to grade all three classes on one curve, it makes sense to store your records in a database instead of in an Excel 2000 workbook. You can store information on each class in separate tables and connect them by a common field. Then you can use a query to analyze student performance in all three classes.

There are seven main components of a database in Access 2000:

Tables. Use tables to store database information.

Forms. Use forms to enter or edit the information in your tables. Forms let you view one record at a time.

Reports. Use reports to deliver a professional presentation or written report to your class.

Queries. Filter data so that you retrieve selected records or fields from the database.

Pages. Create HTML pages from a database quickly and efficiently.

Macros. Automate tasks that you perform on a regular basis in a database.

Modules. Automate a group of related procedures in Access 2000.

You create and open database objects from the Access 2000 database window, which lists the objects in the left pane of the window. When you click on one of the first five items, the right pane gives options for creating the object, and it shows all existing objects of that type in the database. You can open an object by double-clicking it.