Reports in Access

In the same way that Forms are simple controllable ways to enter data in tables, Reports are simple controllable ways to present the results of queries. They can be used for accomplishing repeated tasks like:

• Permit applications
• Reports to permitting agencies
• Reports to funding agencies

Creating a Basic Report

1. Create a query that contains the information you want
2. Save the query
3. Highlight the query
4. On the Create tab in the Reports section click the Report button

Example

Counts in each year for a chosen species

This is great, but if we want to do this for each species we’d have to edit the query to change the criteria.

Taking input in queries

Instead of editing the query each time we create a report, we can just have Access ask us which species we want.

1. Make a query
2. In the criteria row insert [], this tells Access that we want to enter the criteria when we run the query
3. Optionally enter some text to be displayed explaining what information is desired, this goes inside the []

Example

Change query to take species name as input

Using the Report Wizard

If we want to exercise a little more control over the Report we can use the Report Wizard. The initial process is the same:

1. Create a query that contains the information you want
2. Save the query
3. Highlight the query

but then instead of using the Report button we:

1. Click the Report Wizard button
2. Select the fields that you want to display
3. Select any grouping fields
   • These should be fields that use Group By in the query
   • Instead of being displayed as columns they will
4. Select sort orders for any of the fields
5. Select a layout

Example

Just display year and count without species name

Modifying a Report

We can modify reports using the Design View.

1. Move things around
2. Change fonts, formats, etc.
3. Add new information that is in the query, but not currently display. E.g.,
   1. Add a new text box using the button in the Design tab
   2. Select it
   3. Use the Control Source box in the Data tab of the Property Sheet to chose the data

Example

Add species name to the header

An example with Grouping

Let’s look at another example. Let’s say that our reporting requirments involve presenting the data for all species. To do this we would:

1. Write a query that gives us the information we need.
2. Use the Report Wizard to create a Report
3. On the Grouping fields screen select species

Just getting started

There are lots of more advanced things that can be accomplished using Reports. Hopefully this is enough to get you started.