Can Access do this

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I have for years used Excel to keep track of the sales of my store. I have also used it to do a nightly reconciliation of the cash drawers. What I want to do is to create a database that contains all the info that I currently keep in Excel but I want to be able to search for past information.

My first task is to create a cell that returns a value of several cells. For example in Excel it is as simple as “=((-C10-C11+C14))

How would I do this in Access?

Thanks

Bret

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Access can do this easily within a query, from the query design window your new results field would be something like

Result:(-[field1]-[field2]+[field3])

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Thanks a lot Caz. I guess that I will have to create an interface for my employees to input data. They are used to seeing instant results on Excel. What can I do to approximate the Excel experience? By that I mean, they enter a number and see a calculated result. They instantly know if they forgot a decimal of transposed numbers.

This is going to be a very large and comprehensive tool if I can get what I want.

Thanks again,

Bret

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Hi Bret,
When you’re designing your input form, you can add calculated controls to it. This means that the users will be able to see the result of the calculation for each record they’re looking at, but you don’t actually store the result of the calculation within your database.
Hope that helps – as and when you start designing, just sing out if you get stuck – there are plenty of people around the Lounge willing and able to help!

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Access is really good at massaging data, and is eminently suitable for the goal you have. OTOH, Excel is better at heavy calculations.

REalize that the move to Access will require ‘different thinking.’

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First of all Thank you for responding. Now you will learn why it is better to sometimes keep you knowledge to yourself.

I think I have seen some of what you say about different thinking. But could you please explain [just in case I am in my wrong mind];-)

One of the things I know that I will have to do is create an interface for my employees to use to input the data. They are used to the Excel spreadsheet and can easily see the results as they are entered.

Is this something that a novice should not even consider undertaking? I have been able to create simple queries and tables but have not had much experience with Access in more elaborate setups.

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“Now you will learn why it is better to sometimes keep you knowledge to yourself.” I aint goin nowheres

“I think I have seen some of what you say about different thinking. But could you please explain [just in case I am in my wrong mind];-)”

Excel ‘thinking’ is what i would call ‘straight-forward’. Plug in a bunch of numbers and calculate!

Access ‘thinking’ is based on set theory. When you build a database, you need to think how the various tables will interact. I find that to be a different way to think. Neither harder nor easier, just different.

“Is this something that a novice should not even consider undertaking? I have been able to create simple queries and tables but have not had much experience with Access in more elaborate setups.” <<< GO FOR IT!

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