Microsoft Office

Access 2016 for Windows

Relational Databases & Subforms

University Information Technology Services

Learning Technologies, Training & Audiovisual Outreach

Copyright © 2016 KSU Division of University Information Technology Services
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Published by Kennesaw State University – UITS 2016

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Microsoft, Microsoft Office, and Microsoft Access are trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation.
 University Information Technology Services

Microsoft Office: Access 2016 for Windows

Relational Databases & Subforms

Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 4
Learning Objectives..................................................................................................................................... 4
Relationships and Tables ............................................................................................................................ 5
Using Multiple Tables in the Access Database ....................................................................................... 5
Relationships Explained .......................................................................................................................... 6
Relationships and Data Types ................................................................................................................. 6
How to Create the Relationship .............................................................................................................. 7
Relationships and Forms ........................................................................................................................... 10
Creating a Form for a Two Table Relationship ..................................................................................... 10
Creating a Form with Tabs for a Multi-Table Relationship ................................................................... 15
Create the Main Form for your Customer Info Table ....................................................................... 16
Additional Help ......................................................................................................................................... 21
Introduction
Microsoft Access allows people to effectively and efficiently organize data. This document has been
developed to show you how to use multiple tables and relational databases in Access 2016. The various
sections presented in this document will help you to build a solid knowledge foundation of the
software.

The Microsoft Access Booklet Series will provide you the necessary knowledge on how to use Microsoft
Office Access 2016. Before reading this booklet, it is recommended that you read the following Access
2016 documents on the UITS Documentation Center at http://uits.kennesaw.edu/cdoc:

 Microsoft Access 2016 – Intro to Access

 Microsoft Access 2016 – Intro to Forms

Learning Objectives
The following objectives are covered in this document:
• Understanding the concept of relationships as they relate to tables.
• Knowing how to define data types for relationships.
• Having the ability to create a relationship.
• Understanding relationships and forms.
• Knowing how to create a form for a two table relationship.
• Knowing how to create a tab form for a multi-table relationship.

Revised: 6/29/2016 Page 4 of 21

Relationships and Tables
The power of Access is the software’s ability to create and maintain multiple tables. Access allows
multiple tables to work together thereby giving you strong database management capabilities.

Using Multiple Tables in the Access Database

Users of Access begin to utilize the full strength of the system when they use multiple tables to manage
data. For example, the following are two tables that could be used by a retail store that sells products
to customers.

Figure 1 - Two Tables

It would be ineffective to attempt to include all of the fields presented in Figure 1 in one table. It is
much more efficient to create two tables and categorize the various fields within these tables.

An effective database used by a business, educational facility, governmental agency, etc. would
ultimately have many tables.

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Relationships Explained
When developing a database with multiple tables, it is important to understand relationships.
Relationships allow the different tables to communicate with each other. When creating different
tables, there must be one field that is common to the different tables. For example, Figure 2 shows
that the Customer Number field is common to both tables.

Figure 2 - Customer Number in two tables

Relationships and Data Types

When developing multiple tables, the Data Type for the common field will be defined differently in the
various tables.

For example, Figure 3 below shows that the Data Type for Customer Number is defined as AutoNumber
in the Customer Information table because this table is where the number is created. Notice that this
number is also the Primary Key.

Figure 3 - Primary Key

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In the Purchases table, the Customer ID is defined as a Number. Also, notice that it is not defined as the
Primary Key.

Figure 4 - Customer Number in the Purchases Table

How to Create the Relationship

The following explains how to create a relationship between two tables in Access.
1. Be sure both tables are closed before attempting.
2. From the Database Tools tab, click Relationships.

Figure 5 - Relationships

3. In the Show Table dialogue box, select each table and click Add.

Figure 6 - Click Add

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4. Both of the tables will be added to the Relationships window. Next, click the Close button in the
Show Table dialogue box.

Figure 7 - Click Close

5. Click to select Customer Number in the Customer Information table.

Figure 8 - Customer Number

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6. Hover your mouse over Customer Number in the Customer Information table and left-click your
mouse and hold. Drag over the Customer Number in the Purchases table and release.

Figure 9 - Creating the Relationship

7. The Edit Relationships dialogue box will appear. Click to select the box for Enforce Referential
Integrity and click the Create button.

Figure 10 - Enforce Referential Integrity

What happens when you enforce referential integrity?

1. If the record doesn’t exist in the primary key field of the primary table, it can’t be
entered in another related table.
2. The record can’t be deleted from the primary table if there is a record that relates in
another related table.
3. The primary key number cannot be changed in the primary table if there is a record
that relates to it in another related table.

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 8. The relationship will be established.

Figure 11 - The Relationship is established

9. Click the Close button to exit the Relationship Tools screen. When prompted, click Yes to save
the relationship that you created.

Figure 12 - Close Button

Relationships and Forms

There are many different ways to develop forms when you have relationships among different tables
established. The following are some popular design techniques.

Creating a Form for a Two Table Relationship

The following is an example of how to develop a form for a two table relationship. For example, you
may need multiple table forms in the event you have a database that contains more than one table.
The tables within the database are Customer Information and Purchases.

Figure 13 - Tables to create the form

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 1. Create a form using the Form Design tool for the Customer Information table.

Figure 14 - Form for Customer Information Table

Note: For more information on creating Forms, refer to the documentation Microsoft Access 2016:
Intro to Forms at https://uits.kennesaw.edu/cdoc.

2. On the Design tab, click the More button for additional controls.

Figure 15 - The More Button

3. Click the Subform/Subreport button.

Figure 16 - Subform/Subreport

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4. Draw a box on the form for the Purchases table.

Figure 17 - Purchases Table Form

5. The Subform Wizard will appear. Click Next.

Figure 18 - Click Next

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6. Click to select the table that you want to place on the form.

Figure 19 - Subform Wizard

7. Click the double-arrow button to add all of the fields onto the subform that you are creating.

Figure 20 - Sub form Arrow

8. Click the Finish button.

Figure 21 - Click Finish

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9. The Purchases subform will appear on the Customer Information form.

Figure 22 – Subform

10. You may now enter data in both the form and subform.

Figure 23 - Entering Data

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Creating a Form with Tabs for a Multi-Table Relationship
The following explains how to create a form with tabs for a multi-table relationship. Forms with tabs
are necessary in the event that you need to enter data into a database with multiple tables.

1. Create the necessary tables for the database. In this example we will need tables for an
insurance company database. Figure 24 illustrates a database that has tables for:
 Customer Information
 Auto insurance
 Life insurance
 Property insurance.

Figure 24 - Tables for an Insurance Database

2. Create a relationship for all of the tables in the database shows an example of relationships
created for a database for an insurance company.

Figure 25 - Relationships for the Database

3. Create forms for all of the tables EXCEPT for the main table. For example, you would create
forms for Auto, Property, and Life.

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Create the Main Form for your Customer Info Table
1. Create a form for the Customer Info table using the Form Design tool.

Note: For more information on creating Forms, refer to the documentation Microsoft Access 2016:
Intro to Forms at https://uits.kennesaw.edu/cdoc.

2. Apply any color/labels/formatting to your form.

3. On the Design tab, click the Tab Control button.

Figure 26 - Tab Control Button

4. Draw the Tab Control onto the Form.

Figure 27 - Draw Tab on the form

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5. To add more tabs, right-click over one of the tabs and click Insert Page from the drop-down
menu (See Figure 28).
6. To delete a tab, right-click over one of the tabs and click Delete Page from the drop-down
menu (See Figure 28).

Figure 28 - Insert and Delete Page

7. To rename the tab, click to select the tab.

8. From the Design tab, click Property Sheet.

Figure 29 - Access Property Sheet

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9. The Property Sheet will open. On the Format tab in the Caption category, enter the name of the
tab.

Figure 30 - Renaming Tabs

10. From the Design tab, click Add Existing Fields to add the fields onto the tab for this main form.

Figure 31 - Add Existing Fields

11. In the Field List window that appears, click Show all tables.

Figure 32 - Show all Tables

12. Click the “+” for the name of the main table containing the fields that you want to add. For this
example, you would click the “+” for Customer Info.

Figure 33 - Expanding the Table

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13. Drag the fields from the Field List onto the tab that you have selected.

Figure 34 - Main Tab

14. You are now ready to add the forms that you created earlier to the other tabs. Click to select
the tab where you want to add your form.

Figure 35 - Select the Tab

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15. From the Design tab, click More.

Figure 36 - The More Button

16. Select the Subform/Subreport control.

Figure 37 - Subform/Subreport

17. Draw a box on the form for the selected tab.

18. The Subform Wizard dialogue box will appear. Select the option Use an existing form
(See Figure 38).
19. A list of forms in your database will appear. Select the form of your choice (See Figure 38).

Figure 38 - Subform Wizard

20. Click the Finish button.

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 21. The Auto Form will be added inside the Tab Control. Use the sizing handles around the form to
adjust the size.

Figure 39 - Subforms

22. Repeat steps 14 – 21 to add the remaining subforms.

Additional Help
For additional support, please contact the KSU Service Desk:

KSU Service Desk for Faculty & Staff

 Phone: 470-578-6999
 Email: service@kennesaw.edu
 Website: http://uits.kennesaw.edu
KSU Student Helpdesk
 Phone: 470-578-3555
 Email: studenthelpdesk@kennesaw.edu
 Website: http://uits.kennesaw.edu

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