To open a table

·         In the Access Database Window click once on the Tables icon.

·         In the list of tables, double click on the name of the table you want to open

OR click on the name of the table you want to open and click on the Open button.

·         A Datasheet view of the table you have selected will be displayed.  

The Table window

A table opened from the Database Window appears as a Datasheet.  The menu bar and toolbar change to include options relevant to working with tables. 

Column headings, immediately beneath the title bar, denote field names. Each row contains a separate record.   

The table might have more columns than can be displayed in the window in which case only the left most ones are visible.  The shaded boxes to the left of the records are known as record selectors.  An arrow symbol in the selector indicates the record currently selected.  An asterisk occupies the selector of the next available empty record. 

At the bottom of the window, immediately above the status line, a scroll bar provides navigation buttons and boxes showing the number of the current record and the total number of records in the table.  When opening a file, this would normally indicate the first record.

To move to a field using the mouse

·         Move the mouse pointer over the required field and click.  The pointer changes shape depending on the field type.  

Note:  If you click in the leftmost position in the field, the whole field is selected.

To modify the contents of a field

·         Click within the field you wish to edit.  The insertion point ( I ‑beam) will now be displayed inside the field box.

·         Type the new data into the field box.

·         Press the Enter key.

To save a table

·         Choose Save from the File menu

OR click on the Save icon located on the toolbar.