Create an ALS Tracking System

Gareth Hardstaff

Create a database• Open Microsoft Office and create a blank

database• Switch to design view for Table1, save table as

‘tblLearnerInfo’ when prompted

• Input the following information, taking note of the data types

• Return to datasheet view and enter the following information (or similar)

• Close the table and Create Blank Form• Expand the table to show the field names

• Drag the field names onto the form• Enter Design view and rearrange to view better

• Add a combo box to select learners…• Under Form Design Tools Controls (second

Row) select Combo Box and draw it on the form above the other fields

The combo box wizard appears…

•Select ‘…get values from table’’

•Select the ‘tblLearnerInfo’

•Make the Selected Fields – ID, Surname, First Name

•Make the order Ascending by Surname (this could be ID depending on your college system)

•Leave column view as Surname/FirstName

•Select ‘Remember value for later use’

•Name the label ‘Select Learner’

•Click Finish

•Finalise position of combo box

•Return to form view and test

…erm, nothing much happens…yet.•Return to Design View and bring up the property sheet•On the ‘Other’ tab change the name to ‘cboSelectLearner’

• Then go to ‘Event’ tab and select the ‘After Update’ three dots (…)

• Select ‘Code builder’ from the choices

• This brings up a new screen for VBA coding

• The code starts like this…

• Make it to this

• Close this code window• Return to Form View on the form in the

database• Retest your Combo Box• It should now update your form when you

select another name • Save the form as ‘frmLearnerInfo’

Make form appear when the Database Opens

This make your Learner Info form open up automatically•Go to File and Options

• Select Current Database on the left and then choose the form to display

• Click Ok and next time the database opens this form will appear

Create a Tracking Log• Go to Create Table• Change to design view, save as ‘tblTrackingLog’ and

complete it as follows

• Make sure ID is not the primary key• Close the table and Save Changes

• Make sure the tblTrackingLog is orange on the left objects pane• Go to Create Form• This automatically creates the form using existing fields • Rearrange to suit you by going to design view• Change the Heading to Tracking Log• Save the form as frmTrackingLog and close

• Go back to the frmLearnerInfo form and add a button

Form Design Tools Design Controls Button

• Draw the button on the screen and the click ‘Cancel’

• Change the text of the button to ‘Create Tracking Log’

• Change the name of the button (under PropertiesOther) to ‘cmdCreateLog’

• It should look something like the following so far…

• Now click on the Event tab in Properties and the On Click three dots (…)

• This will again bring up the choice of options.• We want Code Builder again• A new screen appears and we need the code to read as follows…

• Test the button and the tracking log form should open and insert some information for the selected learner

• You can then complete the rest of the information for the tracking log

Review Logs• Add another button to frmLearnerInfo in the

same way as the Create Tracking Log button• Change the text to ‘Review Tracking Log’ and the

name to ‘cmdReviewLog’• Bring up the code window and change the code

to

• When you click this button the Tracking log should appear but should be un-editable as it has been ‘Archived’

• You can switch between logs using the built in buttons at the bottom of the form

The journey continues…• This is a really basic version to get you started• There is so much scope for what you can do and

everyone requires a different solution to their needs• This should have hopefully given you a few ideas of the

capabilities of Microsoft Access and how it could be used in your area to make your job easier

• Investigate other things you might want to include • Viewing the logs you’ve created filtering by learner• Sorting by date• User management • Adding other files and document• The list goes on

Good Luck