Welcome to the Access 2010 Product Tour
If you're switching to Microsoft Access 2010 from an earlier version, you're bound to immediately notice some changes. If you've been using Access 2007, the ribbon-based user interface will look similar, but it's received a facelift. If you're switching from an earlier version, you'll discover that the way you work with Access is now entirely different!
In this article, we walk through the new Access interface step-by-step. We'll explore the Ribbon, the Navigation Pane and other features of Access 2010. Visit each of the numbered pages below to join our tour.
Getting Started Page
The new Getting Started page provides you with a quick shortcut to the features of Access 2010.
The most notable feature on this page is the prominent set of dynamic links to Microsoft's Access 2010 templates. These are updated automatically through Office Online and offer you the ability to begin your database design with a predefined template, rather than starting from a blank database. Examples include databases for asset tracking, project management, sales, tasks, contacts, issues, events and students. Selecting any of these templates initiates an automatic download process which concludes by opening the database for you.
You'll find other resources on the Getting Started page as well. From this page, you may create a new blank database, open recent databases or read content from Microsoft Office Online.
The Ribbon
The Ribbon, introduced in Office 2007, is the biggest change for users of earlier versions of Access. It replaces the familiar drop-down menus (remember "File, Open"?) and toolbars with a context-sensitive interface that provides you with quick access to relevant commands.
If you're a keyboard jockey that memorized command sequences like "Alt-F, O", rest easy. Access 2010 still supports these shortcuts from earlier versions.
Access 2007 users will find that the ribbon received a facelift in Access 2010 with a smoother, cleaner look that uses space more efficiently.
The File Tab
Fans of the old File menu have something to celebrate in Access 2010 - it's back! (Well, kind of!) The Microsoft Office button is now gone and has been replaced with a File tab on the Ribbon. When you select this tab, a new window appears down the left side of the screen with many of the functions previously found on the File menu.
Command Tabs
The command tabs help you navigate through the Ribbon by choosing the high-level task that you'd like to perform. For example, the Ribbon shown above has the Create command tab selected. The Home, External Data and Database Tools command tabs always appear at the top of the Ribbon. You'll also see context-sensitive tabs, such as the Datasheet tab in the example above.
Quick Access Toolbar
The Quick Access Toolbar (shown in the image above) appears at the top of the Access window and provides you with one-click shortcuts to commonly used functions. You may customize the contents of the toolbar by clicking the arrow icon immediately to the right of the toolbar.
By default, the Quick Access Toolbar contains buttons for Save, Undo and Redo. You may customize the toolbar by adding icons for New, Open, E-mail, Print, Print Preview, Spelling, Mode, Refresh All and other functions.
The Navigation Pane (shown above) provides you with access to all of the objects in your database. You may customize the contents of the Navigation Pane by using the expandable/collapsable subpanes.
Access 2010 incorporates the popular tabbed document browsing feature found in Internet Explorer 7. As shown in the image above, Access provides you with tabs representig each of your open database objects. You may quickly switch between open objects by clicking on the corresponding tab.
If you're switching to Microsoft Access 2010 from an earlier version, you're bound to immediately notice some changes. If you've been using Access 2007, the ribbon-based user interface will look similar, but it's received a facelift. If you're switching from an earlier version, you'll discover that the way you work with Access is now entirely different!
In this article, we walk through the new Access interface step-by-step. We'll explore the Ribbon, the Navigation Pane and other features of Access 2010. Visit each of the numbered pages below to join our tour.
Getting Started Page
The new Getting Started page provides you with a quick shortcut to the features of Access 2010.
The most notable feature on this page is the prominent set of dynamic links to Microsoft's Access 2010 templates. These are updated automatically through Office Online and offer you the ability to begin your database design with a predefined template, rather than starting from a blank database. Examples include databases for asset tracking, project management, sales, tasks, contacts, issues, events and students. Selecting any of these templates initiates an automatic download process which concludes by opening the database for you.
You'll find other resources on the Getting Started page as well. From this page, you may create a new blank database, open recent databases or read content from Microsoft Office Online.
The Ribbon
The Ribbon, introduced in Office 2007, is the biggest change for users of earlier versions of Access. It replaces the familiar drop-down menus (remember "File, Open"?) and toolbars with a context-sensitive interface that provides you with quick access to relevant commands.
If you're a keyboard jockey that memorized command sequences like "Alt-F, O", rest easy. Access 2010 still supports these shortcuts from earlier versions.
Access 2007 users will find that the ribbon received a facelift in Access 2010 with a smoother, cleaner look that uses space more efficiently.
The File Tab
Fans of the old File menu have something to celebrate in Access 2010 - it's back! (Well, kind of!) The Microsoft Office button is now gone and has been replaced with a File tab on the Ribbon. When you select this tab, a new window appears down the left side of the screen with many of the functions previously found on the File menu.
Command Tabs
The command tabs help you navigate through the Ribbon by choosing the high-level task that you'd like to perform. For example, the Ribbon shown above has the Create command tab selected. The Home, External Data and Database Tools command tabs always appear at the top of the Ribbon. You'll also see context-sensitive tabs, such as the Datasheet tab in the example above.
Quick Access Toolbar
The Quick Access Toolbar (shown in the image above) appears at the top of the Access window and provides you with one-click shortcuts to commonly used functions. You may customize the contents of the toolbar by clicking the arrow icon immediately to the right of the toolbar.
By default, the Quick Access Toolbar contains buttons for Save, Undo and Redo. You may customize the toolbar by adding icons for New, Open, E-mail, Print, Print Preview, Spelling, Mode, Refresh All and other functions.
The Navigation Pane (shown above) provides you with access to all of the objects in your database. You may customize the contents of the Navigation Pane by using the expandable/collapsable subpanes.
Access 2010 incorporates the popular tabbed document browsing feature found in Internet Explorer 7. As shown in the image above, Access provides you with tabs representig each of your open database objects. You may quickly switch between open objects by clicking on the corresponding tab.