MS-Access / Getting Started

Creating Simple Reports

Access 2007 provides a Simple Report Tool that you can use to create a report using the data from a single table or query. The Simple Report Tool doesn't allow the flexibility that the Report Wizard provides - you can't group data from related tables, for example - but it is an excellent way to get your data into a report quickly. After you create a report using the Simple Report Tool, you can customize it as you would any other report - just open the report in Design view and have at it.

The Simple Report Tool creates a nicely formatted tabular report that looks similar to a datasheet, with data in columns and field names as the column headers.

To create a report using the Simple Report Tool, follow these steps:

  1. Click the Create tab on the Ribbon.
  2. In the Navigation Pane, choose the table or query from which you want the data to come.
  3. Click the Report button in the Reports group of the Ribbon.

Access creates a report in tabular format, containing all the fields and records in the table or query, and displays it in Layout view.

Warning: The Simple Report Tool does a pretty nice job of formatting your tabular report. Still, if you don't like the results, you can use Design view to get rid of the unwanted fields, widen the controls for the fields and field names you want to keep, or switch to landscape printing (or all three).

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In this tutorial:

  1. Creating and Editing Reports
  2. What are Forms and Reports
  3. Creating Reports Automatically
  4. Running the Report Wizard
  5. Creating Simple Reports
  6. Editing Reports in Design View
  7. Adding page headers, footers, and numbers
  8. Adding sections that group your records
  9. Sorting the records in your report
  10. Calculating group subtotals and report totals
  11. Formatting Tips and Tricks
  12. Copying Forms to Reports
  13. Adding and Formatting Subreports
  14. Displaying Empty or Long Fields
  15. Creating Mailing Labels