Things You'll Need:
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Step 1
Open Microsoft Access.
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Step 2
In the first window, you're given three options for opening a database. Click on Database Wizard, then click OK. A window opens.
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Step 3
You're shown a list of the database templates you can use. Click on the template icons on the left side to see a preview on the right side. When you've located the one you want, select it, then click OK.
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Step 4
Scroll through the folders on your disk until you've found the location where you want to store the database. Name your database file, then click Create. The wizard then directs you through a series of steps. The first steps simply confirm the type of database you've selected.
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Step 5
Click Next. The window that appears shows you the tables and fields that the database will contain. Fields are the categories of data that you'll enter for each item (for a catalog of music CDs, you might have the musical genre, artist, date recorded, date purchased and so on). Inspect the fields (on the right) and put a check mark beside any that you want to have in the database. Remove the checks from any that you don't want.
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Step 6
If this is your first database, it's a good idea to ask Access to include sample data so you can see how things work. Put a check beside Show Sample Data. Click Next.
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Step 7
Decide on the screen display. Clicking on the items on the right will give you a preview of the display on the left. When you've made a selection, click Next.
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Step 8
In the next window, use the same process to select the style for your printed reports. Click Next.
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Step 9
Give your database a title and indicate whether you want a picture to appear on all reports. Click Next.
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Step 10
Put a check to indicate whether you want the database to open after the wizard builds it, and indicate whether you want to include Database Help. Click Finish.
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Step 11
Your database builds. It will open automatically if you've instructed it to do so.
