Access 2016 Instructor’s Manual Page 1 of 6

Access Module 9: Importing and Exporting Data

A Guide to this Instructor’s Manual:
We have designed this Instructor’s Manual to supplement and enhance your teaching experience through classroom
activities and a cohesive module summary.

This document is organized chronologically, using the same heading in blue that you see in the textbook. Under each
heading you will find (in order): Lecture Notes that summarize the section, Teacher Tips, Classroom Activities, and Lab
Activities.

In addition to this Instructor’s Manual, our Instructor’s Resources Site also contains PowerPoint Presentations, Test
Banks, and other supplements to aid in your teaching experience.

Table of Contents
Module Objectives 1
218: Import Data from Excel 1
220: Link Data 2
222: Export Data to Excel 3
224: Publish Data to Word 3
226: Merge Data with Word 4
228: Export Data to PDF 4
230: Create Objects Using Database Templates 5
232: Create Objects Using Application Parts 6
End of Module Material 6

Module Objectives
Students will have mastered the material in Access Module 9 when they can:
 Import data from Excel  Merge data with Word
 Link data  Export data to PDF
 Export data to Excel  Create objects using database templates
 Publish data to Word  Create objects using Application Parts

218: Import Data from Excel

LEARNING OUTCOMES
• Import data from Excel
• Decide other data import options

LECTURE NOTES:
• Emphasize that importing is simply an automated way to copy and paste.
• Explain that a delimited text file stores one record on each line.
• Define delimiter and CSV (comma-separated value) file.

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Access 2016 Instructor’s Manual Page 2 of 6

• Point out that an XML file is a text file containing Extensible Markup Language (XML) tags that identify
field names and data.
• Demonstrate how to import data from Excel.
• Describe data import options.
• Review referential integrity cascade options.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Class Discussion:
Many Access databases develop from Excel worksheets. Therefore, importing data from Excel to Access is
a common activity. Challenge the students to recite the benefits of using Access versus Excel.
• Inherently multi-user.
• Multiple forms can be created.
• Multiple reports can be created.
• Multiple queries can be created.
• Multiple tables can be related, thus reducing data redundancy and increasing data integrity.
• Different parts of the database can be secured different ways.

2. Quick Quiz:
How does imported data differ from data entered directly into a database by a user? Answer: After the
data is imported, it doesn't differ at all. The only difference is the speed at which it was entered. Importing
automates the process of entering several records into one quick process.

3. Critical Thinking:
Have students brainstorm scenarios where they would want to cascade updates. (Hint: In a one-to-many
relationship between sales reps and customers, you would want to be able to update the sales rep.)

220: Link Data

LEARNING OUTCOMES
• Link data from Excel
• Describe linking versus importing

LECTURE NOTES:
• Demonstrate how to link data from Excel.
• Explain why you would want to link versus import data in the first place – to retain a single copy of
data that can be used in two places.
• Point out that the Get External Data dialog box allows for both importing and linking data. Appending
data is the same as importing it, but to an existing table. To append data, the structure of the records
must match the structure of an existing table in the database.
• Emphasize that the data in a linked table can be edited in either the source program or in Access.

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Access 2016 Instructor’s Manual Page 3 of 6

TEACHER TIP
Importing versus linking is critical to a student's understanding. Review the benefits of each. A prime
benefit to linking is that only one copy of the data is retained hence it is always up-to-date. A prime benefit
to copying is that you can move or copy either set of data without worry. If the path to a linked table
changes, you can use the Linked Table Manager to update the links.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Quick Quiz:
True/False: Always try to link table data before importing it. Answer: False
True/False: Linked tables work exactly the same way as imported tables. Answer: False
True/False: You can edit data in a linked table. Answer: True
LAB ACTIVITIES
Using Access, enter several records into the Departments table then close Access. Using Excel, open the
Departments Excel spreadsheet to prove that the data entered in Access was linked to the original Excel
Departments spreadsheet.

222: Export Data to Excel

LEARNING OUTCOMES
• Export data to Excel
• Describe other data export options

LECTURE NOTES:
• Demonstrate how to export data to Excel.
• Emphasize that exporting is the opposite of importing – both are automated ways to copy and paste,
it’s just that exporting copies data OUT of an Access database whereas importing copies data INTO an
Access database.
• Note that it is possible to export Access data to a wide variety of file formats as shown in Table 9-1. ’

TEACHER TIP
Reinforce that all objects are stored in one database file, .accdb, but that only table objects contain data.
Make sure students know that all of the other objects are merely different ways to organize and display
the data that is physically stored in tables.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Critical Thinking:
Ask students to provide examples of reasons to use the Saved Export button. (Hint: If you regularly run a
query and need to export the results to Excel.).

224: Publish Data to Word

LEARNING OUTCOMES
• Export data to Word
• Describe techniques to share Access data

LECTURE NOTES:
• Explain that it is very easy to send any type of data to Word, given the free-form nature of a page.
• Demonstrate how to export data to Word.
• Describe techniques to copy Access data to other applications using Table 9-2.

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Access 2016 Instructor’s Manual Page 4 of 6

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Discussion Topic: The Benefits of Word
Ask the students why Word is necessary when all of the data being examined is stored in an Access
database.

The answer is that while some reports and query printouts are self-explanatory in Access, there are other
times when existing data, particularly long textual information in paragraph form, already exists or would
be more easily created in Word. The key to successful use of the Office suite is knowing which software
product is best for each task and also knowing how to cooperatively use the products.

LAB ACTIVITY
Have students practice using the techniques shown in Table 9-2 to copy the DeptCosts query results.

226: Merge Data with Word

LEARNING OUTCOMES
• Merge data to a Word document
• Save a main document with merge fields

LECTURE NOTES:
• Explain that in a mail merge, data from an Access table or query is combined into a Word form letter,
label, or envelope to create mass mailing documents.
• Demonstrate how to merge data into a Word document.
• Show how to save a main document with merge fields.

TEACHER TIP:
The key to successful mail merge skills is repetition. Encourage the students to do this lesson several times
using slightly different data sources and main documents.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
2. Quick Quiz:
True/False: The total number of pages in the document tis displayed in the upper-right corner of
the Word window. Answer: False
True/False: Merge data must come from Access. Answer: False
True/False: You cannot type the merge codes directly into the document. Answer: True

3. Assign a Project:
Have students create their own main document and query to use as the merged data. Allow them to
create any main document that makes sense with a minimum of five merged fields. Print one page of each
document, then pass them around the class for discussion.

228: Export Data to PDF

LEARNING OUTCOMES
• Publish data to PDF
• Export a report as an email attachment

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Access 2016 Instructor’s Manual Page 5 of 6

LECTURE NOTES:
• Demonstrate how to publish data to a PDF.
• Explain that you can Export a report as an email attachment.
• Show how to export a report as an email attachment.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Quick Quiz:
True/False: PDF stands for Portable Document Format. Answer: True
True/False: By sharing information in a PDF format, anyone can edit or change the information.
Answer: False

230: Create Objects Using Database Templates

LEARNING OUTCOMES
• Create a database from a template
• Set a startup form

LECTURE NOTES:
• Explain the purpose of a database template.
• Emphasize the difference between desktop templates and online templates.
• Point out that templates are constantly being updated by Microsoft.
• Demonstrated how to create a new database using a template.
• Illustrate setting a startup form.

TEACHER TIPS
Application parts and templates can be shared across organizations. This provides more consistency in
database applications.

To find templates you have created, tap or click PERSONAL in Backstage view.

By default, templates user-created templates and application parts are stored in the
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates\Access folder. You can copy a template to
another storage location.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
2. Assign a Project:
Have students break into groups of 2-3 and assign each group a different database template. Give them
plenty of time to explore each form, entering a couple of records in each, and then to explore the reports.
Have the students print the most interesting report and also the relationships report.
Ask them to report to the class on the subject of their database, one one-to-many relationship in their
database, and one interesting thing about the report they printed.

2. Class Discussion:
Ask students why you would want to set a startup form.

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Access 2016 Instructor’s Manual Page 6 of 6

232: Create Objects Using Application Parts

LEARNING OUTCOMES
• Create objects from Application Parts

LECTURE NOTES:
• Define Application Parts as object template tools that can be used to quickly create a single table or
form.
• Point out that a table template creates a single table, whereas a database template creates many
different kinds of objects of many different types.
• Remind students that all objects, regardless of how they were created, may be modified later to meet
the needs of the user and using table templates may give users new ideas that they wouldn't
otherwise have considered.
• Caution students on the complexity of templates. They will create field properties that may not be fully
understood by the user.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1.Critical Thinking: You want to create a student database that different clubs in your school can use. What
custom application parts would you create so that each club could create its own database?

LAB ACTIVITY
Have students modify the Status and Priority fields in the Issues table.

End of Module Material

• Concepts Reviews consist of multiple choice, matching, and screen identification questions.
• Skills Reviews provide additional hands-on, step-by-step reinforcement.
• Independent Challenges are case projects requiring critical thinking and application of the module
skills. The Independent Challenges increase in difficulty, with the first one in each module being
the easiest. Independent Challenges 2 and 3 become increasingly open-ended, requiring more
independent problem solving.
• Independent Challenge 4: Explore contain practical exercises to help students with their everyday
lives by focusing on important and useful essential skills, including creating photo montages for
scrapbooks and photo albums, retouching and color-correcting family photos, applying layer styles
and getting Help online.
• Visual Workshops are practical, self-graded capstone projects that require independent problem
solving.
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license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website for classroom use.