What are Access queries? Well the simple answer is “Access, I have a question for you!” and it goes off and finds the answer. In other words, a query is simply an instruction or request for a report.

The language it uses to communicate and ask that question of your data is known as SQL (Structured Query Language) and Access uses this SQL query syntax to provide answers very quickly indeed.

The advantage with Microsoft Access database queries however, is that there is no requirement to learn the language at all, as it provides a user-friendly screen in a form of a grid.

Setting criteria by filtering your data is one of the main objectives of a query. You will therefore need to learn the different types of criteria available to you in order to provide a good knowledge base and give you the confidence in understanding the syntax (structure) matching the specific data types to which some criteria belong.

So where should you begin in order to quickly learn and understand Access queries?

Here are five useful checks to narrow down the time and apply the correct syntax (structure):

1. Knowing the data types for each field you want to include in your report i.e. Text, Number and Date will help to identify what qualifiers you can use.
2. On a piece of paper, write down the names of the tables and fields that you would like in the final query report and see how they relate. This will help you check that you have all the fields required.
3. What questions are you asking in this query report so that you can mark the field and it’s criteria. For example, if I’m looking for all my clients who are based in London and that have purchased training this year then two fields spring to mind; [City]=”London” And [Training Date] is Between 01/01/2011 and 31/12/2011.
4. Adding the fields first without any criteria and testing the query will help you to keep an eye on the total number of records being shown and confirm that it shows no errors.
5. Adding one criteria option at a time and testing each addition will also avoid errors as the system will not tell you which element caused the error – a real big time saver!

If you plan your queries using the above points, believe me you’ll get quicker results and may even get to keep your hair a little longer too! Follow my technique tips above and you will solve the mismatches and errors very quickly indeed.

A flexible Access database is all about the number of different queries you have and will be where users will spend most of their time. It is the heart of the system which pulls all the other objects together and without it there is very little life and purpose to an Access database.

Bonus Tip: Think about a new query as an instruction or request for a new report and write the statement down on a piece of paper in full (in plain English). Using this sentence (or two), highlight the filtering and circle the words which will act as the fields required. It will serve you well and double up as a checklist.

For more great tips, I invite you to visit http://www.AccessDatabaseTutorial.com

There are plenty of articles and tutorials with other useful links too.

From Ben Beitler – “Your Access Database Expert”