For most small database applications, Access likely has an option already built for us to use. In fact, we can construct the Plant database by using a Wizard! Access includes the following table templates and a comprehensive list of sample fields:

 

To use the Table Wizard, click Create Table by using Wizard in the Database window. The Table Wizard dialog box will appear:

 

 

Click the Personal radio button, and then scroll down the list to find ‘Plants’ under the Sample Tables heading. When you select the Plants listing, the related fields will appear in a list under the Sample Fields heading:

 

 

To create the table, click the field you want to use and click the right-facing arrow button to move it to the Fields in my new table list:

 

If you want to give the field another name than the one Access provides, just click the Rename Field button. Type a new name and click OK.

Repeat this for each of the fields you want to use in your new table. If you want to use all of the fields in your table, click the double right-facing arrow button (>>). If you added one too many, click the left-facing arrow (<) or the double left-facing arrow (<<) to remove all fields. When you have the fields you want in your new table, click Next.

The next part of the Wizard lets you give the table a name as well as set the primary key. The name ‘Plants’ was carried over from the first step, but you can name the table anything you want (except for the name of another table).

 

 

Concerning the primary key, we carried over the Plant ID from the first step of the Wizard. Access recognizes this as a numerical field and will automatically set the primary key to this field. If you want to set your own primary key, select the radio button labelled ‘No, I’ll set the primary key.’ Click the Next button to proceed to the final step.

 

 

You will now be able to use your table. Access gives you three options:

Modify the table design	This will take you to the Design mode for your new table, described in the previous section of this lesson.
Enter data directly into the table	This will let you manually enter data using the Datasheet view, described in Lesson 2.1
Enter data into the table using a form the Wizard creates for me	A form can be thought of as a gateway to a table. You can enter data into a table one record at a time, in an easy to use graphical method. Entering data via a form will be covered in the next section of this lesson.

Whichever option you choose, click the ‘Finish’ button to start working on your table.