Use the Access Student database template to keep track of information about your students, including emergency contacts, medical information, and information about their guardians. You can also search and filter students, track student attendance, show or hide columns, and map student addresses.
Want to watch a video about using this template? See this article, Use the Students Database Template.
Note: The Students database template has been updated over the last few years. These instructions refer to the latest version of the template available for download. If the steps below don't match what you're seeing, you're probably using an older version of the template.
Using the database
In this article, we cover the basic steps of using the Students database template.
Prepare the database for use
-
When you first open the database, Access displays the Welcome form. To prevent this form from displaying the next time you open the database, clear the Show Welcome when this database is opened check box.
Close the Welcome form to begin using the database.
-
To make sure all the database content is enabled, in the Message Bar, click Enable this content.
For more information about enabling database content, see the article Decide whether to trust a database.
Search for a student
The Quick Search box lets you quickly find an student on the Student List form.
-
Type the text you want to search for in the Quick Search box, and then press ENTER.
Access filters the list to show only those records that contain the text you searched for. To return to the full list, click Clear the current search. (It's the X inside the search box.)
Filter the Student list
On the Student List form, you can filter the list of students, and save your favorite filters for future use.
-
Apply filters by right-clicking the form and selecting the filters you want.
-
Click Save Filter.
-
On the Filter Details form, enter a filter name and description, and then click Close.
-
Use the Filter Favorites box to apply a saved filter, or click (Clear Filter) to remove the filter.
Show or hide columns
On the Student List form, some fields (columns) are hidden by default. To change which fields are displayed:
-
Click Show/Hide Fields.
-
In the Unhide Columns dialog box, select the check box beside each column that you want to show. Clear the check box to hide the column.
Display student details
The Student Details form lets you view and enter more information about a student, including pictures, guardians, emergency information, and attendance. To display the Student Details form:
-
On the Student List form, click Open next to the item that you want to see.
Add a picture
On the Student Details form, you can add pictures and other attachments.
-
Under the picture frame, click Edit Picture.
-
In the Attachments dialog box, click Add.
-
In the Choose File dialog box, browse to the folder that contains the file.
-
Select the file you want to add, and then click Open.
-
In the Attachments dialog box, click OK.
Note: You can attach multiple files for each item, including different file types such as documents or spreadsheets.
Add students from Microsoft Outlook
If you use Microsoft Outlook, you can add students from that program without having to re-type the information.
-
On the Student List form, click Add From Outlook.
-
In the Select Names to Add dialog box, select the names that you want to add to the database.
-
Click Add, and then click OK.
Display a map of a student's address
On the Student Details form, if you have entered a street address for the student, you can display a map of that location:
-
Click Click to Map.
Display reports
The Students database includes several reports, including All Students, Allergies and Medications, Emergency Contact Information, Guardian Information, and more. To display a report:
-
In the Navigation Pane, under Reports, double-click the report you want to display.
You can create your own custom reports. For more information, see the article Create a simple report.
Modify the Students database
You can customize the Students database by adding a new field to the Students table, and then adding that field to the Student List form, the Student Details form, and the All Students report.
Add a field to the Students table
-
Close all open tabs.
-
In the Navigation Pane, double-click the Students table.
-
Scroll to the right until you see the column named Add New Field. Double-click the column heading, and type in the field name.
The first time you enter data in the column, Access sets the data type for you.
Add a field to a form or report
Once a field has been added to a table, you can then add it to a form or report.
-
Right-click the form or report in the Navigation Pane and then click Layout View.
-
On the Design tab, in the Tools group, click Add Existing Fields.
-
Drag the field you want from the Field List to the form or report.
