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Relationships: Your Key to Data Integrity in Access

By Alison Balter
Mar 29, 2002
Sample Chapter is provided courtesy of Sams

Article Contents

Why This Chapter Is Important
Introduction to Relational Database Design
Establishing Relationships in Access
Establishing Referential Integrity
Looking at the Benefits of Relationships
Examining Indexes and Relationships
Summary

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Alison Balter

Learn more…

Relationships: Your Key to Data Integrity in Access 2007: Jun 15, 2007
Relationships: Your Key to Data Integrity in Access 2003: Jan 9, 2004
Access 2003: Queries Introduced: Nov 13, 2003
Access Enterprise Development: Introduction to Client/Server Development Techniques: Nov 29, 2002
Relationships: Your Key to Data Integrity in Access: Mar 29, 2002
Alison's SQL Server 2000 Tips: Aug 6, 2001
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Benefits of Using SQL Server Stored Procedures with Visual Basic and Web Applications: Aug 6, 2001
What's New in SQL Server 2000: Aug 6, 2001

Application Development with Microsoft Access 2007 LiveLessons (Video Training): Dec 14, 2008
Application Development with Microsoft Access LiveLessons (Video Training), Downloadable Version: Dec 14, 2008
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Microsoft Office Access 2007 LiveLessons (Video Training), (Downloadable Video): Jul 11, 2008
Alison Balter's Mastering Microsoft Office Access 2007 Development: May 31, 2007
Alison Balter's Mastering Microsoft Office Access 2007 Development (Adobe Reader): May 31, 2007
Microsoft® Office Access 2007 Security (Digital Short Cut): Apr 13, 2007
Integrating Microsoft® Office Access 2007 and Microsoft® SharePoint Server 2007 (Digital Short Cut): Jan 16, 2007
What's New in Microsoft® Office Access 2007? (Digital Short Cut): Dec 6, 2006
Microsoft Sams Teach Yourself SQL Server 2005 Express in 24 Hours: Jun 16, 2006
Sams Teach Yourself SQL Server 2005 Express in 24 Hours, Adobe Reader: Jun 16, 2006
Alison Balter's Mastering Access 2002 Desktop Development, Adobe Reader: Feb 14, 2006
Alison Balter's Mastering Access 2002 Enterprise Development, Adobe Reader: Feb 14, 2006
Alison Balter's Mastering Access 97 Development, Premier Edition, Adobe Reader, 2nd Edition: Feb 14, 2006
Microsoft Office Access 2003 in a Snap: Aug 9, 2004
Alison Balter's Mastering Microsoft Office Access 2003: Dec 8, 2003
Alison Balter's Mastering Microsoft Office Access 2003, Adobe Reader: Dec 8, 2003
Sams Teach Yourself Microsoft Office Access 2003 in 24 Hours: Sep 11, 2003
Sams Teach Yourself Microsoft Office Access 2003 in 24 Hours, Adobe Reader: Sep 11, 2003
Alison Balter's Mastering Microsoft Access 2000 Development: Jun 26, 1999

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This chapter is from the book
Alison Balter's Mastering Access 2002 Desktop Development

This sample chapter introduces relational database design. It explains how to establish relationships in Access and how to build referential integrity. The benefits of relationships are analyzed, and relationships and indexes are examined.

Why This Chapter Is Important

A relationship exists between two tables when one or more key fields from one table are matched to one or more key fields in another table. The fields in both tables usually have the same name, data type, and size. Relationships are a necessary by-product of the data normalization process. Data normalization was introduced in Chapter 1, "Access as a Development Tool" it is covered in additional detail in this chapter. Normalization is the process of eliminating duplicate information from your system by splitting information into several tables, each containing a unique value (primary key). Although data normalization brings many benefits, you need to relate your application's tables to each other so that your users can view the data in the system as a single entity. After you define relationships between tables, you can build queries, forms, reports, and data access pages that combine information from multiple tables. In this way, you can reap all the benefits of data normalization while ensuring that your system provides users with all the information they need.

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