Subject: Information Technology Grade: 10

Introduction to Microsoft Office-Access

Manual and Computerized Database
A database can be manual and/or computerized.
Manual Database
A filling cabinet can be considered to be a manual database. This is where files and folders are stored and can
be retrieved by opening a drawer manually.
Due to the advent of technology, most manual databases have been replaced by computerized databases.
Computerized Database
Computerized Databases have taken over from manual database, for the most part.
This type of database can be simply defined as storing of files and folders electronically as a collection in tables
where one related or unrelated to each other.
Database Management System – DBMS
A database management system (DBMS) is a software package (such as Microsoft Office Access) designed to
define, manipulate, retrieve and manage data in a database.
Advantages of Database Management System
 Reduction of Redundancy: Redundancy is accumulating the same data item in more than only place.
This results in the use of extra storage space.
 Sharing Data: In a manual database, data cannot be shared among several different users. However, in
computerized database, many users can share the same database if they are connected via a network.
 Data Integrity: This can be maintained be specific rules and restrictions regarding what kind of data may
be manipulated or entered within the database.
 Data Security: It is difficult to restrict persons from viewing a manual database. It can however, be done
in a computerized database by blocking portions of information.
Disadvantages of Database Management System
Cost: This system is very expensive. However, it varies significantly, depending on the environment and
functionality.
Size: The complexity of DBMS causes the software to be extremely large, occupying many Gigabytes of disk
space and requiring substantial amount of memory to run it efficiently.
What makes up a database?
A database consists of a number of related files or relations, more commonly called tables.
A table consists of a collection or records.
A record consists of a number of fields.
A field is the smallest piece of data that can be stored.

Common Term Also Called

Table File or relation
Record Row or tuple
Field Column or attribute

Database terms and definitions

Object Components that make up a database (i.e.,
tables, forms, queries, reports, macros, and
modules).
Database A database can consist of multiple tables.
Table A table is a collection of records about a
specific topic, such as students or vehicle.
Query Asks specific questions about the data in the
database.
Form A graphical user interface designed
specifically for entering, displaying, and
searching data. This is an alternative to
entering data in the spreadsheet-like view.
Report Summarizes and formats data from either
table or query data.