You want a database that is logically designed, communicates its purpose and design clearly to users, and allows for speedy retrieval of data. In this lesson, you will examine the process for determining if your tables are structured correctly, finding ways to alleviate redundancy, and making improvements to an existing design in Microsoft® Access®.

Datasheets are efficient for repetitive data entry tasks in tables, and in some situations may be more efficient or easier to work with than forms. While every table can be viewed in a datasheet, sometimes you need to work with data from an associated table.

In a well-designed relational database, it is often necessary to join data from multiple tables in order to view the results you're looking for. Queries enable you to do this, but to get the results you need, you must understand your options for joining data. Different types of joins are possible, and you can even use one query to provide the source content for another query. Crosstab queries enable you to reveal patterns within data that might not be evident through other types of queries. In this lesson, you will learn how to use these types of queries in Microsoft® Access®.

A well-designed user interface can go a long way toward reducing data entry errors and confusion on the part of the user. In this lesson, you will work with advanced formatting features in Microsoft® Access® that will help you improve the way you present data to users within forms.

Microsoft® Access® provides various features you can use to enhance reports, such as conditional formatting, themes, quick styles, and calculated fields. Various layout options and report properties enable you to control how reports print.

You'll wrap things up and then validate what you've learned in this course by taking an assessment.