Ultimately, the point of a database is to simplify the process of generating reports. Access allows you to generate reports with ease so that you can review your data and make decisions based on the data.
One of the primary reasons people put up with databases is because of how easy they make it to integrate information. This is essential for creating reports. The more you learn, the more complicated you can make the reports.
Another useful aspect of generating reports is that they can help you identify issues with your data. If you find that a report is missing a lot of data points, start by checking the information used to pull the report. This may not solve the problem though. If it appears to be an issue with lost data, you can get assistance from an expert to complete the Access error recovery process.
1. Preparation
Before you begin generating the report, you need to prepare. Fortunately, it is relatively simple. You just need to identify what information you need.
Your report pulls information from queries and tables. There are also elements of the house details for the report. Right now, the focus should be on the queries and tables. These provide you with your record source.
Tables already exist (it is where the data is stored). However, you may not have all of the queries you need. If you do not see a query that pulls the data you need, you may need to create the query.
Once you identify the table data and queries you need, you are ready to create your report. You now have two options:
- Reporting tool
- Report Wizard
Both of these are covered here so you can determine which is easiest for you.
2. Reporting Tool
Of the two methods, the reporting tool is the fastest and easiest to run. It does have limitations though. The reason it is so quick is because it will not ask you for information once you start it. When it displays the results, they will not be as clean as they are with the wizard.
If you want a polished report, use the wizard. If you are purely interested in the data, the reporting tool is the better option.
- Go to the Navigation Pane and click on the table or query that serves as your base report. Remember this is your data source.
- Click Create > Report. Report is located in the Reports section under the ribbon. This initiates the run process. Once it is complete, Access displays the results. Notice it is in Layout View.
You can also save and modify the report if you determine that the data is exactly what you need.
3. Report Wizard
The report wizard requests more information, meaning it will take more time. In the end, you will have a cleaner looking report. It will also target specific information instead of dumping data out for your review.
If you do not need all of the information in a query or a report, the Report Wizard is a better choice.
- Click Create > Report Wizard. Report Wizard is located in the Reports section under the ribbon. This starts the wizard.
- Respond to each of the requests in the wizard. If you are not certain (and you did not notice the fields you need during preparation) the wizard may help a little.
If you need other tables and queries included in the report, repeat step two for the other tables and queries.
- Click Finish.
- Review the report. Make sure that all of the data you need to review is present on the report.
Author Introduction:
Victor Ren is a data recovery expert in DataNumen, Inc., which is the world leader in data recovery technologies, including repair xls file corruption and word recovery software products. For more information visit www.datanumen.com
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