What is the datasheet view in Access?

You can create tables straight from Datasheet View in Access 2016.

Here's how to create a new table in Datasheet View Access 2016.

  1. What is the datasheet view in Access?

    Click Table on the Ribbon (from the Create tab).

    A blank table will appear.

  2. What is the datasheet view in Access?

    Click Click to Add to add a new field.

    Select a data type from the contextual menu that expands when you click.

    Not sure which data type to use?

    Think about the type of data that will be stored in the field. That guide you as to which data type you should choose here.

    For example, a field for storing a person's first name will probably use a Short Text data type (it can contain up to 255 characters), whereas a field for storing their date of birth will probably use Date & Time.

    You can always change the data type later (although, preferably before you enter too much data).

    ID Field

    Access automatically creates an ID field with the table. You can rename this if required (see below).

  3. What is the datasheet view in Access?

    Once you've selected a data type, Access highlights the column header so that you can name the field.

    Enter a name for the field.

    Repeat steps 2 and 3 for as many fields that you need to add.

  4. What is the datasheet view in Access?

    When you create a new table, Access automatically adds a new field called ID with a data type of AutoNumber.

    You can rename this field if you wish.

    To do this, right-click in the field and select Rename Field.

    Access with highlight the field name for you to rename it. Enter a new name as required.

  5. What is the datasheet view in Access?

    Once you've set up the table, you should save it.

    To save the table, right-click on the table's tab and select Save.

    You can also close the table by clicking the X and Access will prompt you to save it.

  6. What is the datasheet view in Access?

    Enter a name for the table and click OK.

  7. What is the datasheet view in Access?

    The table is now added to the list of tables in the left Navigation Pane.

Learning Outcomes

  • Define datasheets
  • Discuss datasheet windows within Microsoft Access

A datasheet is a useful way of viewing data in Access. Most importantly, datasheet view allows a user to view many table records at the same time. In datasheet view, information is displayed in rows and columns—similar to a spreadsheet. Records are displayed as rows, so each row is an individual record. Within each row, columns represent fields within the record.

What is the datasheet view in Access?

Datasheet Windows

At the top of the datasheet window are the title bar, the Quick Access toolbar, and the Ribbon. The bottom of the window has a status bar and on the right side of the window a scroll bar as you would expect.

Many of the features that are common to spreadsheets are present in Access datasheet windows. A user can modify row height, column width, font size to change the amount of data that fits without scrolling. A user can also change the order of the rows or columns displayed in the window.

Datasheet views are a common display tool for tables, queries, and forms in Access. There are some irregularities in the functionality of the datasheet windows for these depending on the underlying data sources.

What is the datasheet view in Access?

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In Datasheet view you see all the data that can be displayed in the form in a datasheet which allows you to see many records at once in a tabular format. If you are creating a form from a query or a filtered table, you may find this view useful. It allows you to see that the correct records are included. To see a form in datasheet view, display the form, click the down arrow next to the View button and choose Datasheet View.

The Datasheet View shows the records in an Access table. In addition, each row is one record and the columns are the fields from the table's definition. This table contains the characteristics of a spreadsheet, but it does not function like an Excel spreadsheet.


What is the datasheet view in Access?
Access Datasheet View

Now that you know how to work with List Details views in your web browser, let us explore how to use Datasheet views within your web browser. Datasheet views displayed in your web browser function very much like table and query preview datasheets displayed in Access.
If you have cleared the Read-Only view property for a Datasheet view (cleared by default), you can create new records, make changes to the data, and delete records within the browser window. To create a new record in a Datasheet view, you can click the Add Action Bar button or scroll to the bottom of the Datasheet view window until you see the new record line, and then enter your data on the new datasheet record. To delete a record, you can click the Delete Action Bar button or right-click the row selector on the left side of the Datasheet view, and then click Delete on the shortcut menu to remove the record. You can also use Ctrl+Delete
to delete the current or selected record in a datasheet. If you attempt to delete a record in a Datasheet view, Access Services first prompts you with a message to confirm the deletion.