New to Access - Where do i start?

[doodler22]

I'm building my first database. (I'm scared to death!).
Forgive me if I ask a lot of questions -- this is a huge project given to me
by my manager.
I have data sources of all types -- Word Docs, Excel files, Access tables
created by others.
I'm making a dbase to keep track of all the jobs we do. Others will be
updating the data by entering in new info via a form (or forms). I'll need to
run reports, queiries, etc.
Where do I start? Building upon the existing tables? Start from scratch and
then pull the data from the existing tables? How would I use the primary keys
with the other data? Is that pulled and put into a different table and then
used?

Which is better: drop-down boxes or combo boxes better? I'll need to be able
to sort or pull info from reports using some of this info. (ie: we have 2
versions of a book -- how many books were ordered of vers. A in XX time
period)

I'll be asking many questions over the next couple of months. Thanks is
advance for any and all help!

 

[Steve]

It all starts with setting up the proper tables for your database. I can
help you do this for a very reasonable fee then you can complete the
database by developing the forms and reports you need.

PC Datasheet
Providing Customers A Resource For Help With Access, Excel And Word
Applications
(e-mail address removed)

 

[BruceM]

Steve, you know you're going to catch flak for soliciting business through
the newsgroup. Why not put something about design basics into the Access
Tips section of your web site (which has been "Coming Soon" for a while now,
I believe), then send the OP there? Once at your site they may choose to
browse around. Others provide free information on their web sites, as well
as links to other sources of information. Their example would be well worth
emulating.

 

[BruceM]

I'm going to point you toward one source of information among many that are
available. Allen Browne's Tips section contains some well-explained basic
information in the Tips for Casual Users section:
http://allenbrowne.com/tips.html
Allen's page also contains a Links section that is well worth checking out
(scroll down the tips page to find the Links link of the right). The Access
MVP site is the second link on the list, and well worth checking out early
in your studies. An Access course (even a rather brief introductory course)
could prove invaluable.
Be aware that Access has a rather steep learning curve. The first thing is
to understand how a relational database works. "Database Design for Mere
Mortals" by Michael Hernandez is an oft-recommended book, although you may
not need quite such a comprehensive text to start. After that, you need to
define what your database needs to do, and to work it out with pencil and
paper to see how all of the parts will fit together.
Whether to start from scratch or build on an existing project depends both
on your needs and on the existing project. Your questions show that you are
at the very beginning stages of learning about Access, so it would be best
if you do some research so that you can better understand the terminology.
There is a lot of help available in this newsgroup, but as the people who
post here are volunteers I doubt you will find somebody who is willing to do
a tutorial and talk you through the design process.
If you are in a hurry you may need to hire a consultant. If you have the
time to study, you can learn a great deal on your own. If you do choose to
hire a consultant, I urge you to research your choice carefully.

 

[Sherrill from California]

I am not an expert, but let's see if I can help. Here is how I would do it:
1. Import the outside tables into Access. 2. Copy them so you are not working
with "live" data (when you have some more experience, you may not need to do
this, I still do after 10 years). You need to figure out how they connect to
each other and what data you are trying to pull before you go any further.
With Access, you must know what end result you are trying to acheive prior to
creating anything. Once you have that figured out, go to the relationships
screen and create your relationships. Now, create some queries to see how
you might want to compile your data.

This should get you started. also: I like Combo boxes.