Reports Fundamentals

The Report Wizard

Microsoft Access can help you create a more elaborate report where you would use one of the pre-designed layouts. This is done using the Report Wizard. The Report Wizard is available from the New Report dialog box that you can access either from the menu bar or from the New button on the Database Window when in the Reports section. If you are using Microsoft Access 2000 or 2002, you can also double-click Create Report By Using Wizard.

1. On the main menu, click Insert -> Report
2. On the New Report dialog box, click Report Wizard and click OK
3. On the first page of the wizard, click the arrow of the Tables/Queries combo box and select Table: Employees
4. Click the Select All Fields button 
5. Click Next
6. Accept anything in the second page and click Next
7. Accept anything in the third page and click Next
8. In the Layout section, click the Columnar radio button:
    
   
9. Click Next
10. Select the Bold Style to preview it. Then click Formal and click Next
11. Accept the suggested Title of the report as Employees and press Enter
12. Scroll down in the report to view the records and close the report

Report Printing

As stated already, the report is the favorite object used to print data. As done with the other objects, you can print a report whether it is opened or not. Before printing a report, you must first select or open it. If you want to print a report without opening it, in the Database window, make sure the Reports section is selected. Then, you can locate and right-click the desired report. If you follow this approach, the report would be sent directly to the printer.

If you want to control or customize the printing of a report, first select it in the Reports section of the Database window or open it. Then, on the main menu, you can click File -> Print… This would display the Print dialog box, allowing you to select a printer if you have more than one. You can also specify such aspects as the color, the number of copies or the range of records to be printed.

1. On the Database window, click the Reports button
2. Right-click the Expense Codes reports and click Print…
3. To print a report after displaying it, double-click the Time Sheet report to open it
    
   
4. On the main menu, click File -> Print…
5. Click the Properties button
6. Based on your printer, make it print in black and white or grayscale and click OK
7. Click OK on the Print dialog box
8. After printing the report, close it
9. On the Database window, click the Forms button and double-click Clients
10. From the Clients form, click Time Cards
11. After viewing the Time Cards form, click its Preview Time Card… button
12. To print the report, on the Print Preview toolbar, click the Print button
13. After printing the report, close it

MOUS Topics

Exercises 

1. Open the Tenley Associates database
2. Use the Form Wizard to create a Columnar form based on the Employees table and including all fields. Save the form as Employees and set its display Style to Stone
3. Use AutoForm: Columnar from the New Form dialog box to create a form based on the Expense Details table and save it as Expense Details
4. Fill the Employees form up with the following values, ignoring those not mentioned:
    

   Last Name	Department	Work Phone	Extension
   Bidds	Accounting	(202) 266-5022	2422
   Roberts	Sales	(202) 266-5022	2408
   Hoaks	Sales	(202) 266-5022	2412
   Baugh	Administration	(202) 266-5022	2418

5. Print the Employees form
6. Using the Report Wizard, create a Columnar report based on the Expense Categories table, including all fields and using the Corporate style. Save the report as
   Expense Categories and print all of its records
7. Using the AutoReport from the Database toolbar, create a report based on the Employees Contact Information query. Save the report as
   Employees Contact Information and print all of its records