| Microsoft Access has been a leading relational | | | | data field. This gives a report of all sales sorted |
| database product for many years. Each new | | | | by representative, sub-sorted by category of |
| version refines the concept and adds powerful | | | | item, and sub-sub-sorted by month. The report is |
| new features, some of which can be | | | | automatically subtotalled by category then again |
| overwhelming to the new or even the | | | | by representative. |
| experienced user. Because this piece of software | | | | You can expand or hide the detail at any level, |
| is so complex, instructor-led training is one of the | | | | thus hiding the detail for a representative or a |
| fastest and most effective ways to get you up | | | | category. You can filter certain fields, for example |
| to speed on using these new tools effectively. | | | | limiting category to "Toys" and month to |
| Let's look at an example of a technique learned in | | | | "November" and "December" to see how the |
| the advanced Microsoft Access training course. | | | | Christmas shopping seasons affected toy sales. |
| In Access 2002, Microsoft added pivot tables and | | | | Advanced pivot table techniques |
| pivot charts as powerful data analysis tools that | | | | Microsoft Access training shows how a pivot table |
| allow the user to organize and summarize the | | | | can do more than just present the data. By |
| database information. | | | | adding calculation fields, you can provide a further |
| Introducing the pivot table | | | | level of analysis. This allows you, for example, to |
| A pivot table allows analysis of a large amount of | | | | analyze average sales by sales representative or |
| data, sorted and sub-sorted by any data field. | | | | sales volume by month. |
| With the help of the Pivot Table Wizard, it is easy | | | | Formatting allows you to emphasize certain data, |
| to create comprehensive reports that present | | | | easily drawing attention to trends such as profit |
| the data in practically any way imaginable. | | | | or loss within certain sectors. You can create your |
| A typical exercise you might see in an | | | | own data groupings, such as tagging certain cities |
| instructor-led training environment would give you | | | | in your report and tagging them "Western |
| a database of sales information and have you | | | | England" and other cities as "Eastern England" to |
| extract customer orders through a previously | | | | see if there is a difference in sales between the |
| designed query. To make use of this data, you | | | | two regions. |
| must display it in a useful format, and the pivot | | | | Microsoft Access training has more to offer |
| table is perfect for that. | | | | This is a quick view of a small part of what an |
| Select View/PivotTable View from the main | | | | advanced training course offers you. With two to |
| menu to create a blank pivot table. Creating a | | | | five days of instructor-led classroom training, you |
| finished table involves simply dragging fields from | | | | can acquire a wide range of skills that will beef up |
| the field list onto areas of the report. | | | | your resume and drastically increase your |
| For example, you might drag "Sale | | | | effectiveness when working with spreadsheet |
| Representative", "Category", and "Month of Sale" | | | | data. |
| to the column fields and "Amount of Sale" to the | | | | |