【 Create Update Query in Access 】 Step by Step Guide ▷ 2022

Update data Manually in a company can be a heavy job, and it is not exempt from errors. However, when you use the application of to manage your you may create an update query to renew registrations in bulk like a pro. If you want to know how it works, keep reading.

The data update It is a regular process in every company. It involves modifying information; basically, delete a data that is obsolete to replace it with a new one.

With the help of an update query, you will be able to modify any number of records in a simple operation. Therefore, we will help you to know how to carry out this procedure.

What is an update query in Microsoft Access and what is it for?

The office tools Microsoft Windows They offer numerous functions to facilitate administrative tasks. Some of them are complex, such as the macro recording, and others are simpler; like a update query. However, you must be very clear about what it is an update query in Microsoft Access and what it is for exactly.

In basic terms, the update query It is a process by which one or more pieces of data can be updated that are related. Its operation is similar to that of other queries. The user can filter, select or group data until you get the information you want to change. Through an update query you have the possibility to edit, add and replace the information of an existing record. Nevertheless, you can’t create or delete records.

For this, it is necessary use an append query and a delete query respectively. Update queries can be thought of as advanced formsvery dialog-style “Search for and replace”. But you should know that there are certain differences that are key. Both functions give the user the ability to select a specific value to replace it with a new one.

Apart from that, it is important to highlight the functions that only update queries have:

You can use criteria that do not depend exclusively on the value that you are going to replace.
Allows you to update multiple records in a single operation.
Similarly, you can change the records of several tables at the same time.

The platform allows you to update values such as text fields, dates, numeric fields, among others. However, update queries comply with certain restrictions.

For example, you cannot update any of the following fields:

Calculated fields: They cannot be updated since they do not reside permanently in the data tables.
Reference table query fields or total query fields: They cannot be updated by means of an update query since these values are calculated.
Automatic numbering fields: They are values that can only be changed by introducing a record to the data table.
Unique record queries and unique value query fields: They represent summarized values. It can be a single record, or it can be multiple records. However, it cannot be updated with an update query. It also cannot be achieved manually.
Fields in a union query: Access cannot update the necessary records because each record that appears one or more times in the data sources appears only once in the result returned by the union query.
Primary keys: Those fields that are primary keys cannot be updated unless a relationship is established that allows them to be updated in cascade, that is, automatically.

Learn step by step how to create an update query in Access

The update queries greatly simplify the administrative task of manually updating database records. But you should keep in mind some recommendations about this function. For this reason, we teach you the step by step of how to create an update query in Microsoft Access. First of all, it is necessary to highlight that the update query function is highly sensitive to errorswhich can lead to the destruction of important data.

This is due to:

The changes made by the update on the data table are permanent.
If a backup is not madeperforming an update query can cause irreparable data loss.
To avoid data lossit is convenient to represent the result of the update query in a calculated field.
To be able to use the cascading updateit is necessary to change the relations of the data tables.

Creating a backup is the first step to create an update query. Afterwards, you must create a select query to identify the records to be updated. Next, you must turn that query into an update querywhich can be executed on registry values.

The steps to follow are:

create backup

Open the Microsoft Access application. If you are using a version prior to Access 2010go to the tab “Records”.
Then click on “Save as”. If you have the 2010 or later version, expand the tab “Records” and click “Save and publish”.
On the right side of the menu, click “Advanced”. Next, select “Database Backup”.
A dialog window will then open “Save Backup As”. You must enter a name to identify the copy, as well as specify a storage location on the computer. Then click “Save”.
To create the backup, Microsoft Access closes the original document. The same application then reopens the document.

Create a select query

open the app of Microsoft Access. next, also open the database containing the records to modify.
Go to the tab “To create”which is located in the group “Queries”. There, click “Query Design”. You can see how the query designer appears on the screen, along with the dialog box “Show Table”.
Select the tab “Boards”. Next, you must choose the table or tables that contain the records to be modified. Then you must click on “Add”. When you’re done, tap “To close”.
In the query designer, tables are represented as one or more windows. These windows allow you to view all the fields belonging to each table.
In the table windows, you must double-click each field you want to update. The chosen fields are displayed in the row “Countryside”which is located on the grid of “query design”.
through the platform of Access, in the query design grid, you can add one table field per column.
In the same way, with a double click on the asterisk which is located at the top of the list of fields in the data table window, you can quickly add all fields
that are necessary. in the row of “Criteria”, From the query design grid, you have the option to limit the query results, based on field values. You should specify which criteria you want to use
to carry out the limitation. Next, in the tab “Design”, located in the group “Results”, you must click on
“Run”.
Check that the select query returns the records that need to be updated. Select the fields that should not be included in the query design and then press the key “Del (Delete)”
to remove them.

On the other hand, if you want to add other fields, drag them onto the query design grid.

Change select query to update query Enter the tab “Design”, which is located in the group“Query type” . Next, click on
“To update”. the platform of Microsoft Access takes care of adding the row of “update to”
to the query design grid. This is how you can change a select query to an update query. Locate the field that contains the value that needs to be modified. Then enter the expression (change criteria) in line “update to” belonging to that field. Only valid expressions are allowed in the row
“Update to”. in the tab “Design”, of the group“Results” you must click on “Run”.
An alert message appears on the screen. Run the update query to update the values. Click on

“Yes”. By default setting ofMicrosoft Access all action queries, such as update or delete, are disabled.To enable query you just have to click on “Enable content”

in the message bar. In the event that the database is located in a location that is trusted, or is signed, the platform will not disable queries.

What are all the types of queries that can be created in Access? Queries are a function of Microsoft Access that you gives the user the opportunity to more easily view the information

stored in a database. Likewise, you can still add, modify and delete data.

It is worth highlighting the types of queries that can be created in Access, since each one has its own purpose: Selection query:
It is a process that helps you retrieve the information that is of interest to you. You can select specific data, from one or multiple sources, such as tables or other queries. Action Query:
They are the processes that allow the user to add, modify or delete data. Each task requires a specific type of action query. Parameter query:
The parameter query allows the user to initiate frequent variations of a particular query. Similarly, you can specify the types of data that the parameter can accept. Consultation of totals:
It is considered a select query that gives the user the ability to group and summarize data. In addition, you can make use of the “Sum” function. Crosstab query:
It works to calculate and reshape data to make it much easier to understand. The data is grouped under two information criteria. Create table query:
In short, the create table query works to create a new table, based on the data contained in other data tables. Consultation of annexed data:
It is a process used to retrieve information from one or more data tables. Furthermore, it allows the user to add such information to other tables. Elimination query:

As its name implies, it is used to remove information from data tables….