customise the look of a database

[Karen Ruth]

I have created a database to be used by several users, but would like to know
how to custom design a user friendly interface with buttons to click to open
forms and reports.

 

[Jerry Whittle]

Go to Tools, Database Utilities, Switchboard Manager. Access will help you
create a Switchboard form to do what you wish.

It's not all that intuitive so you may have to give it a few tries to get
what you want. If you want to start over from scratch, delete both the
Switchboard form and Switchboard Items table. Speaking of the table, don't
change records in it manually unless you want to learn a lot the hard way
(which isn't always a bad thing).

Also you are limited to 8 buttons per page. Make sure that at least one
button is for going back to the Main Page.

When you are finished, go to Tools, Startup, and make Switchboard the
Display Form/Page. That way it opens first when starting up the database.

 

[Jeff Boyce]

Karen

"custom design" and "user friendly" are terms that fall more in the
user-interface design world. There are any number of examples of poor,
unfriendly user interface designs ... so what have you found that works for
you?

Then, as Jerry points out, you can use the tools in Access, including
designing your own "main menu" form (if you choose not to use the
Switchboard provided with Access).

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP