What object is used to store information when creating a database?

Physical database design consists of defining database objects and their relationships.

You can create the following database objects in a Db2® database:

• Tables
• Constraints
• Indexes
• Triggers
• Sequences
• Views
• Usage lists

You can use Data Definition Language (DDL) statements or tools such as IBM® Data Studio to create these database objects. The DDL statements are generally prefixed by the keywords CREATE or ALTER.

Understanding the features and functionality that each of these database objects provides is important to implement a good database design that meets your current business's data storage needs while remaining flexible enough to accommodate expansion and growth over time.

Microsoft Access is designed to help its users connect with Microsoft databases at the back end and help them manage and store their data efficiently. Using MS Access has been extremely helpful to many enterprises since they can manage and access their data in a more user-friendly manner. MS Access has four entities that help people to have hassle-free work. These entities are called objects. In brief, objects are the collection of tools supported by MS access that helps the users get their job done.  

There are four types of objects in MS access:

1. Tables– Tables are the places where any information is stored. The most basic work of any database is to store useful information, and tables are meant for that purpose. Tables don’t perform any other operations but simply store the data that would be used later for other useful operations. Below is an example of what an MS access table looks like:

2. QUERIES- Queries are statements asking the software to conduct a detailed search from the database. Consider the example of a  library having at least 1000 books. Now, there would be a database where all the relevant information of those books is stored. You don’t have to search the whole database to get that book’s information if you need a particular book. Instead, you could simply write a query statement that will fetch all the information about the book you are looking for. Queries are very helpful when it comes to extracting only useful pieces of information from a heap of data. Below is an example of an MS Access query. 

3. FORMS– Forms display data from your table itself and help perform the necessary tasks. Forms are basically an easy way to guide people using the software to perform various operations like sorting, adding, displaying in a more presentable manner, and so on. Whatever you do in a form, you are actually doing it on the table itself. You can directly do it from the table also. Still, the main challenge in doing so is if your data set is of a very large size, then it might be a problem for you to delete the non-useful data by finding it from the whole table and tracing out the useful columns for performing the important operations. Below is an example of what a form looks like-

4. REPORTS- Reports are static, easy to understand, and easy on the eyes documents, which are presentable and portable. Colors can be added to it, and it & will help in better managing the data that we need to present to someone. Reports are the objects which help in showcasing a particular section in order to highlight the important section. It’s more of an on-paper presentation of data. Below is an example of a report of data. 

5. MACROS– Macros in MS access are used for automation purposes. It can automate tasks like opening forms, querying, changing values, or even running other macros. It helps in adding functionality to your forms, reports, and controls. This helps in improving efficiency when using the database.

If you need to manage the data well, then coordination of all four entities is required. If you consider the case of a book directory in a library, then the place where all the information of books is stored is called tables. If you want to search for a particular book, then the search command is the query, the place where you put your search criterion in the form, and last but not least, the result that the query has produced can be represented in a portable format as a report. 

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Access provides six database objects that, when combined, help you take full advantage of your data. Learn the role that each object plays.

Tables

Access organizes your information into tables: lists of rows and columns reminiscent of an accountant’s pad or a spreadsheet. Each table stores information about a specific subject, so most databases include more than one table.

Each row in the table is called a record, and each column is called a field. A record contains all the specific information for a particular entity, such as a customer or an order. A field is a single item of information about that entity. In the Products table, for instance, each row or record would hold information about one product. Each column or field holds some type of information about that product, such as its name or price. If you aren’t already familiar with them, learn the basics of databases.

Queries

In a well-designed database, the data that you want to present through a form or report is usually located in multiple tables. You use a query to pull that information from various tables and to assemble it for display in a form or report.

A query can be a request for data results from your database, or it can be used to perform an action on the data, or it might be both. Use queries to get answers to simple questions, perform calculations using data, combine data from different tables, and add, change, or delete data from a database.

There are many types of queries, but the two basic types are:

Major query types	Use
Select	To retrieve data from a table or make calculations.
Action	Add, change, or delete data. Each task has a specific type of action query. Action queries are not available in Access web apps.

Forms

Forms are like display cases in stores—they make it easier to view or get to the database items you want. Similar to paper forms, Access forms are objects through which you or other users can add, edit, or display the data stored in your Access desktop database. It’s important to design your form with use in mind. For example, if it’s for multiple users, a well-designed form helps to make data entry accurate, fast, and efficient.

Reports

Reports offer a way to view, format, and summarize information from your Access database. For example, create a simple report of phone numbers for all your contacts or a summary report on the total sales across different regions and time periods.

Reports are handy when you want to present the information in your database to:

• Display or distribute a summary of data.

• Archive snapshots of the data.

• Provide details about individual records.

• Create labels.

Macros

A macro is a tool that allows you to automate tasks and add functionality to your forms, reports, and controls. For example, if you add a command button to a form and associate the button's OnClick event to a macro, it then performs a command each time the button is clicked.

Access provides a design environment to help you create macros. Essentially, you use a simplified programming language to build a list of actions to perform. Some actions require additional information, like which field to display fill in. The design environment makes it easier to create macros, as you select from lists of actions and fill in information.

Macros are used to automate a series of actions, make changes to data in a database, and more. Through the Design view, macros provide a subset of the commands that are available in Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). Most people find it easier to build a macro to add functionality to forms, reports, and controls than to write VBA code, but you can always convert the macros to VBA from within the Design view.

Suppose that you want to open a report directly from one of your data entry forms. Add a button to your form and then create a macro that opens the report. The macro can either be a standalone macro (a separate object in the database), which is then bound to the OnClick event of the button, or the macro can be embedded directly into the OnClick event of the button itself. Either way, when you click the button, the macro runs and opens the report.

Modules

Modules are VBA code that you write to automate tasks in your application and to perform higher end functions. You write modules in the VBA programming language. A module is a collection of declarations, statements, and procedures that are stored together as a unit.