How to create Tables with Table Designer in Access

You can view an Access database as a collection of related tables. A table in Access is a subject-based list of rows and columns. Each row in a table is called a record while every column is called a field. There can be no two fields having the same name. Any value entered in a field represents a single category of data. When you create a table with Table Design, you can be more deliberate about designing your database.

1] Enter a field name and a data type

To build a Table with Table Designer, click the ‘Create’ tab on the ribbon and then select the ‘Table Design’ button under the Tables group.

Access will display a blank Table window in ‘Design’ view.

In the new table, for the first field, enter a field name and a data type. Read: How to Create, Edit and Delete a Table Relationship in Microsoft Access.

2] Set the primary key for the table

To set the primary key for the table, select the ‘Field Name’ cell for the appropriate field and then select ‘Primary Key’.

The Primary Key indicator appears as a side-arrow button on the left-side of the field name. You can change the primary key at any time however, there’s only one primary key for each table. When done, go to the ‘File’ tab, click it, select ‘Save’ option and name the table.

You can switch to either ‘Design View’ or ‘Datasheet View’ for any saved table. The ‘Design View’ lets users create tables in Access by typing the field names into the ‘Field Name’ column. You should ensure that Field names within a table are unique and brief, yet descriptive. Source – Office Support.com