Introduction

If you need to share information from your database with someone but don't want that person to actually work with your database, consider creating a report . Reports allow you to organize and present your data in a reader-friendly, visually appealing format. Access 2010 makes it easy to create and customize a report using data from any query or table in your database.

In this lesson, you will learn how to create , modify , and print reports.

We will be showing you how to create reports from tables and queries in a sample bakery database. If you would like to follow along, download our example and use it to follow the procedures demonstrated in this lesson.

Creating reports

Reports give you the ability to present components of your database in an easy-to-read, printable format. Access 2010 lets you create reports from both tables and queries .

To create a report:

1. Open the table or query you want to use in your report. We want to print out a list of last month's orders, so we'll open up our Orders Query .
   The query we'll use in our report
2. Select the Create tab on the Ribbon, and locate the Reports group. Click the Report command.
   The Report command
3. Access will create a new report based on your object.
4. It's likely that some of your data will be located on the other side of the page break . To fix this, resize your fields. Simply select a field, then click and drag its edge until the field is the desired size. Repeat with additional fields until all of your fields fit.
   Resizing fields in the report
5. To save your report, click the Save command on the Quick Access toolbar . When prompted, type a name for your report, then click OK .
   Saving and naming the report

Just like tables and queries, reports can be sorted and filtered . Simply right-click the field you want to sort or filter, then select the desired sorting or filtering option.

Deleting fields

You might find that your report contains some fields you don't really need to view. For instance, our report contains the Zip Code field, which isn't necessary in this list of orders. Fortunately, you can delete fields in reports without affecting the table or query where you pulled your data.

To delete a field in a report:

1. Click any cell in the field you want to delete.
2. Press the Delete key.

When you delete a field, be sure to delete its header as well. Simply select the header and press the Delete key.

Printing and saving reports in Print Preview

While you can print reports using commands in Backstage view, you can also use Print Preview . Print Preview shows you how your report will appear on the printed page. It also allows you to modify the way your report is displayed, print it, and even save it as a different file type.

Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn about Print Preview .

To print a report:

1. On the Home tab of the Ribbon , click the View command and select Print Preview from the drop-down list. Your report will be shown as it will appear on the printed page.
   Switching to Print Preview view
2. If necessary, modify the page size , margin width , and page orientation using the related commands on the Ribbon.
   Page setup commands in Print Preview
3. Click the Print command.
   The Print command
4. The Print dialog box will appear. Set any desired print options, then click OK .

Saving reports

You can save reports in other formats so they will be viewable outside of Access. This is called exporting a file, and it allows you to view and even modify reports in other formats and programs.

Access offers options to save your report as an Excel file, text file, PDF , XPS file, email attachment , rich text file, or HTML document . Experiment with the different export options to find the one that best suits your needs.

To export a report:

1. On the Home tab of the Ribbon , click the View command and select Print Preview from the drop-down list.
2. Locate the Data group on the Ribbon.
3. Select one of the file type options on the Ribbon, or click More to see options to save your report as a Word or HTML file.
   Report export options
4. Save your file.
   • If you're saving the report as a PDF or XPS file:
     1. Select the location where you want to save the report.
     2. Place your cursor in the file name text box, and type a name for your report if you want to name it something other than the report title.
     3. In the Save as Type drop-down menu, select either PDF or XPS .
     4. Select the file quality by clicking either Standard for reports you plan on printing or Optimized for reports you plan on sharing primarily online.
     5. Once you are satisfied with your settings, click Publish to save your report.
        Saving the report as a PDF or XPS file
   • If you're saving the report as any other type of file:
     1. Click Browse to specify your file location and name, then click Save .
     2. In the Export dialog box, click the check boxes to select desired saving options where applicable.
     3. Click OK to export your report.
        Saving the report as an Excel, Word, text, or HTML file
5. A dialog box will appear to notify you that your file has been successfully saved. Click Close to return to your report.

Challenge!

1. If you haven't already, download our sample database and open it.
2. Open the Customers Who Live Nearby query, and use it to create a report.
3. Resize the fields and rows so that all information is visible.
4. Move any fields located on the right side of a page break onto the same page as the other fields.
5. Export the report as a PDF .