This fast-paced book teaches you the basics of Access 2007 so you can start using the program right away. You'll learn how to design databases, maintain them, search for valuable nuggets of information, and build attractive forms for quick-and-easy data entry. The new Access is radically different from previous versions, but with this book, you'll breeze through the new interface and its timesaving features in no time.

---

Product Description

This fast-paced book teaches you the basics of Access 2007 so you can start using this popular database program right away. You'll learn how to work with Access' most useful features to design databases, maintain them, search for valuable nuggets of information, and build attractive forms for quick-and-easy data entry.

The new Access is radically different from previous versions, but with this book, you'll breeze through the new interface and its timesaving features in no time with:

• Clear explanations
• Step-by-step instructions
• Lots of illustrations
• Larger type
• Plenty of friendly advice

Ideal for small businesses and households, Access runs on PCs and manages large stores information, including numbers, pages of text, and pictures -- everything from a list of family phone numbers to an enormous product catalog. Unfortunately, each new version of the program crammed in yet another set of features -- so many that even the pros don't know where to find them all. Access 2007 breaks the mold: Microsoft changed the user interface by designing a tabbed toolbar that makes features easy to locate.

One thing that hasn't improved is Microsoft's documentation. Even if you find the features you need, you still may not know what to do with them. Access 2007 for Starters: The Missing Manual is the perfect primer for small businesses with no techie to turn to, as well as those who want to organize household and office information.

---

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #306449 in Books
• Published on: 2007-01-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 378 pages

About the Author

Donald Bales is a Business Analyst and Computer Applications Consultant specializing in the analysis, design, and programming of client- server and web-based distributed applications; internationalization of existing applications; systems integration; and data warehousing. Don has over twenty years experience with Oracle as both a developer and a database administrator, and over ten years experience with Java. He is currently working on the migration of medical and industrial hygiene systems to a web environment for a major Oil company. When he is not developing applications, Donald can often be found working with horses, playing the piano, or playing the bagpipes. Donald has had several careers, and has at various times been a mechanic, a general contractor, Mr. Mom, a developer, a CTO, and currently a consultant. He has a bachelor of science degree in Business from Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, Illinois. Don currently resides in Downers Grove, Illinois with his wife Diane and his daughter Kristyn. He can be contacted by email at don@donaldbales.com.

---

Customer Reviews

Be careful
Amazon should make it clear that if you buy this book you are buying a truncated big print version of "Access 2007, the Missing Manual". The text in the "For Starters" version is word for word identical to the bigger volume, but there is less of it.

If you think you are getting an elementary text and a more advanced text, you aren't. Given that the price difference between this book and the more complete text is quite small, this book serves no purpose except as a trap for the unwary.

Great Access Introduction
Have you always wanted to use Access? Have you realized that Excel simply won't work any longer? Then this book is for you. The writing is very friendly yet concise. It is far better than the superfluous fluff of the "For Dummies" series.

The book provides a great overview of how to enter information, arrange into tables, retrieve using queries and present using reports and forms. Queries, forms, and reports will change your life. I now realize how much of my life was wasted collating and formating data for presentation in Excel, when I could have simply created forms, queries, and reports to automate everything.

If you are a graduate student doing any type of research with quantitative results, you need to use Access. I create forms to simplify the data-entry process, and then queries and reports to see the results. Access is simply amazing.

A real strength of this book is how it provides an experienced perspective to databases. Have you ever used a program that had a lot of features, but you had no idea why those features were included? This is true with Access, but the author takes the time to point out why some features may be very important, given the type of work being done.

Don't be afraid of databases. Buy this book, sit down in front of your computer, and start playing. The author provides a lot of databases to play with from his website, so you gain hands-on experience immediately.

Overall, this is a wonderful book. By far the most useful computer book I have ever owned. Enjoy!

Easier to Understand
I had originally purchased the Special Edition of Using Microsoft Office Access 2007 because the updated version of Access was significantly different than 2003. Might just as well being reading a foreign language upside down. Although I am not a novice user of MS Office applications, I found this book to be written for regular people including beginners, not technicians. It was easy to find answers to my questions and guidance for operations I was not sure of. I am constructing a new database and I would definitely recommend this series of manuals.