Is there a template that will create a database of my book collection?

S

slipandfall

Hi,

I want to create a database using access to keep track of my book
collection, but I have a question.

Essentially, I would like it to display the following info for each book
I've entered. book title, author, publisher, year, a reference number, date
entered into database and subject matter.

I've used Excel before and have seen a spreadsheet with a worksheet like the
above which had a second worksheet that had a button marked "Add book
details" When you clicked it you filled the info above into a few boxes and
then it would actually add the info you typed in, into the first worksheet
and even sorted it into the correct position alphabetically. Ideally, I
would like to be able to easily print the details of just the ones from a
particular author or perhaps the publisher.

I have about 100 books entered into a basic excel chart and think I should
find a better way to enter the info before I do many more. Ideally, I'd like
a database as I find working in excel spreadsheets to easy to delete a cell
on accident, plus I'd like access to prompt me with a list of
authors/years/subjects ect that I had previously typed in when I was
prompted for the information on the new title. I think this is called a
dropdown list?

I'm over my head in creating anything like this in access, but I think I
could adapt an inventory management type template to my individual needs if
I could find a suitable one. The ones on microsofts site are either
specifically for access2003 or have way too many other features like
employee timecards and sales reports and the like.

Can anyone recomend a site where I can download a premade one that I can
customize. Or even a free standalone program that would do a similar job as
an access database.

Though I have in interest in learing more about Access programming, Id
rather not have to reinvent the wheel.

Thanks in advance!
 
B

Bob Miller

I agree and would take it a step farther. Import the Excel "db" int
the Books db that Vincent describes. Change the field names to thos
of the template's table, delete the template's books table and renam
the one you created to the template's. The new table should work wit
most of the queries, forms, etc.
Vincent said:
If you did not already have a database in Excel that contains your
information, I'd suggest opening a blank database in Access and, o
your
Tables tab of the database window, choosing "Create table by using
wizard". You could then select "Personal" and, under Sample Tables,
choose "Books" and add all the fields in the Sample Fields list tha
you
would consider useful.

However, it would be a shame to have to re-enter what you've already
collected. So, I suggest opening a (possibly new) database and using
File -- Get External Data -- Import...
and reading the Excel list into a new Table in your Access database.
This might be easiest if you have the Excel list (with column label
in
the first row) by itself on a worksheet. If it's not currently all by
itself, you can copy the Excel workbook file to a new file and delete
everything there except the list of books, then import that. After
importing it, you can delete the copied Excel file.

Even if you import the Table from Excel, you might look at the [Books]
Table created by the Table Wizard for suggestions of fields that you
might want to add to what you already have.

-- Vincent Johns (e-mail address removed)
Please feel free to quote anything I say here.
 
W

Westaradg

Hi,
I'm still learning Access myself, but I saw on the VideoProfessor's website
a free trial offer which you can download and it uses a (rare book
collector's) template in one of the lessons. And your able to keep the
training material i.e. the template after your trial period is over.
 
V

Vincent Johns

Bob's suggestion would be a good idea if you already have Queries, etc.,
but I'm afraid that all that what I suggested will do, is to set up a
Table of information on books. It won't automatically create any
Queries or Forms. Once your Table is correctly set up, however, you can
use wizards that Access does provide to create Queries, Forms, or
Reports, based on what's in your Table.

-- Vincent Johns <[email protected]>
Please feel free to quote anything I say here.

Bob said:
I agree and would take it a step farther. Import the Excel "db" into
the Books db that Vincent describes. Change the field names to those
of the template's table, delete the template's books table and rename
the one you created to the template's. The new table should work with
most of the queries, forms, etc.

Vincent said:
If you did not already have a database in Excel that contains your
information, I'd suggest opening a blank database in Access and, on
your
Tables tab of the database window, choosing "Create table by using
wizard". You could then select "Personal" and, under Sample Tables,
choose "Books" and add all the fields in the Sample Fields list that
you
would consider useful.

However, it would be a shame to have to re-enter what you've already
collected. So, I suggest opening a (possibly new) database and using
File -- Get External Data -- Import...
and reading the Excel list into a new Table in your Access database.
This might be easiest if you have the Excel list (with column labels
in
the first row) by itself on a worksheet. If it's not currently all by
itself, you can copy the Excel workbook file to a new file and delete
everything there except the list of books, then import that. After
importing it, you can delete the copied Excel file.

Even if you import the Table from Excel, you might look at the [Books]
Table created by the Table Wizard for suggestions of fields that you
might want to add to what you already have.

-- Vincent Johns (e-mail address removed)
Please feel free to quote anything I say here.
 

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