How to Create a Delete Action Query in Access 2003

By creating a Delete Action Query in Microsoft Access 2003, you can automatically delete a group of records from one or several tables. For example, in your CD database, you could delete all records pertaining to a CD that you have thrown out. A Delete Action Query is one of the four types of action queries that Microsoft Access allows (Delete, Update, Append and Make-Table). Here’s how to create a Delete Action Query in Access 2003.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Microsoft Access 2003
• Computer

1. Open the Microsoft Access 2003 program by double-clicking the icon on your computer’s desktop.

2. To delete records from a single table or from tables with relationships, first create a new query containing the tables that you want to use.

3. From the Query Design view, click the arrow beside Query Type, and then click Delete Query. A window appears containing a list of tables and a grid.

4. Locate the tables from which you want to delete records. Drag the asterisk (*) from these tables to the design grid.

5. Drag the fields that you want to use to the design grid. For example, if you want to delete all records for Country and Western Music from your CD collection, you might drag a field named Genre to the grid.

6. In the criteria cell that appears, type the criteria that you want to delete. In this example, you would enter "Country and Western."

7. Open the View menu and select Datasheet View to view the records that will be deleted.

8. Open the View menu and choose Design View to return to the query. Make any changes needed.

9. Click "Run" on the toolbar to delete the records.

10. Save your settings before you exit the program.

Tips & Warnings

• To stop a query that is running, press Ctrl + Break (PC users) or Command + the period. (Mac users).
• Make a backup copy of the database that you wish to modify before making any changes. That way, you’ll have a copy of the original if you should need it another time.