Menu layout (automation)
The final part of the Database Design Concepts series covers the ‘bells and whistles’ to an application and will certainly help boost the usability of a database system.
Without this component, a database can be ‘clumsy’ and easy to use. Automation processes can handle incomplete values for records, smooth data cleansing procedures, reset defaults, and control invisible routines that we all take for granted.
A knowledge of anyone Macros gold Modules (VBA code) it is required at the basic level to apply the functions accordingly, as Microsoft Access provides you with help through its wizards.
However, starting with your planning task here, you should list all the procedures you possibly need with the obvious click of a button on a Form at the most ‘underhood’ in-depth procedures that are not always so obvious.
You will not get this task right from the beginning and you will have to revisit several visits to hone a good balance and, more importantly, prioritize tasks.
But what it does do for you at this early stage is make you aware of the expectations and, in some cases, the limitations of a database system.
Start with the obvious and work your way up to the most challenging aspect. Therefore, creating a menu interface to help users navigate to and from one process to another would be a good starting point.
You will need to know the following 5 points to create some automation for your Access database:
- Decide which one to use; macro or a module. exist pros Y idiots But you will essentially start with your own knowledge and confidence in general programming concepts. Modules (VBA code) are more challenging but more powerful and flexible than macros. At the basic level, any type of object can be used and non-programmers should lean towards macros.
- You will need to spend some time understanding the characteristics of a macro object (and, if applicable, some coding principles for a module). Learn about the interface screen and its functions, including common and general keywords. It would be wise to do some research and possibly invest in a book on the subject.
- List the type of tasks that you want to automate for each process and the objects that you will control with automation. It can be a simple button that prints and closes a report to import and clean data.
- Identify each procedure and group them into probably two categories; one for a specific task (a form or report) and the other for general global use on multiple objects. This is important as you may need to write code procedures differently depending on the scope of the procedure.
- Take each procedure and list in the form of ‘pseudo’ code the steps you are trying to build, which will serve as a checklist and basis for your transposed procedures in macro or VBA language.
This process of automating an Access database is not easy and can be frustrating at times, but stick with it here and you will succeed. To be fair, I get a lot of inquiries to help Access users and developers with this process, as it is not as intuitive as the first 6 steps in this series.