10+ Common Access Database Mistakes To Avoid For Better Performance

Summary: 

This blog help you in exploring the common Access Database mistakes that you need to avoid for superb performance of your database. So, let’s get started with the right ways to avoid maximum of your mistakes occurred Access Database handling.

Microsoft Access Usage And Benefits

Microsoft Access is used by many users and professionals and it has many good points to use it. However building an access database requires effort, time and of course enough knowledge. In fact Access database provide enough tools to guide and make you get up again to run the database in minutes.

But there are some tools which are not enough to help user and many times, developers just ignore which affect the performance of the database such as slowing working of Access database.

But one thing to consider for every database user and that is optimization. This should seriously followed and applied so that the database can be in control order and its performance increases.

Access database help users to build forms, tables, query, reports etc. Due to its benefits, this database is used by many users and it forms are very powerful. But sometimes, the developers make some common Access Database mistakes with the database which can lead to poor performance.

Why You Need To Avoid Silly Access Database Mistakes?

Why You Need To Avoid Silly Access Database Mistakes?

However to ensure that you don’t make common mistakes with your database, here we have come up with 10 common mistakes of Access Database and how to avoid it. You will get information regarding your mistakes and reviewing them will help you to save your rework data and performance will increase.

But before going for the common MS Access mistakes, it is also important to know about the common factors which are responsible for access database corruption. Many times the database gets corrupted and users don’t even know how it happened. So few reasons are mentioned below.

13 Common Access Database Handling Mistakes To Avoid

Database Mistake #1: sing the same table for all data

Those people who are new the access database, they face trouble with tables. Actually they don’t know how to store the different data in different table. For an instance, a bill consists of customer information, data or purchase and list of product purchased. Now here new users make a concept to fit everything in one table.

It happens now that product and customer information are constant for every bill. Because of this, the information created becomes wasted. Instead, users should use correct way to create three tables for three invoice such as customers, products and date. By this way, every item has a unique identifier and every item is once entered but billing object ties all together.

Database Mistake #2: Monitor your Hotkeys

You should be sure that accelerator keys also known as Hotkeys are not duplicate. This keys are great but should be very careful while assigning them. If keys are duplicate than it can create trouble. This key allow users to use Alt key and letter to jump to control. This is set by “&” character in captions trailed by letter. So, it’s better to monitor and test hotkeys two times while making changes to database to avoid any type of Access database mistakes.

Database Mistake #3: Handle queries properly

If you are using queries then it can really slow the multiple table joins which are in use. If more tables are joined with several sorting or criteria then query will become slower to run and it can just be a waste of time. In this case, learning index key fields can really help to improve the speed of query. So placing the primary and secondary keys in tables properly will help to manage the performance of query.

Database Mistake #4: Spell check after every update

Spell check is one of the essential step but it is ignored many times. Though it does not takes much time to check but still it is skipped frequently. Also don’t forget that some hidden texts in labels and validation text fields are there which should be checked. They are missed because they are hidden. Such mistake only happens when text is copied from one box to another and fails to update it. So users should avoid Access database mistakes.

Database Mistake #5: Set field size

While designing tables by adding fields, it’s general that developers fail to use the correct data type and their field size.  Consider a text field is set between 1 to 255 characters which is almost equal to 1 byte per character. Now here if your field requires 5 characters then set the field size to 5 saving a maximum of 250 bytes per record. After that multiply several thousand records and you can easily handle optimization in Access database.

Database Mistake #6: Verify the order of tab

Users always expect tabs to work effectively. But if the tab does not work as the user wanted then it may create problem to search the data and even the data is entered wrong. So by default, the tab should go from left to right and top to bottom. If it does not works in this manner then users may face trouble. Make sure the tab works exactly the way you want. However if you want to change the order then it can be set under view, tab order menu.

Database Mistake #7: Avoid Missing Code

Always make sure that whatever event procedure designed has a defined event. Here users can make a mistake by only assigning the event without hitting on the write code for it. This might occur when you rename a control and soon after that fails to rename the event procedures related to old names.

Database Mistake #8: Making wrong data type field

Access database has several data types which are useful but many times the correct type is not the correct one. Just for an example, phone number consists of numbers and so it should be a numeric field. But here it is wrong because numeric field is used for those values which is used in calculations.

Database Mistake #9: Error in report

The reports made in access will run in several pages and preview can take some time to display. This is similar to forms. Consider decreasing the recordset with deep query along with key fields indexed. Moreover, if you have sub reports than it can cause performance problems because each report contains own data source. Therefore don’t have more than one sub-report because the database performance will decrease.

Database Mistake #10: Make sure AutoCenter is yes

It is really very frustrating when you open a form to enter data in it and find that it is half hidden outside the screen. With the help of AutoCenter feature, this situation is stopped. When it is set to yes then the form automatically comes in the center. This allow users to see from the beginning actually what they require.

Furthermore, there are also several other reasons which degrade the performance of Access database with some other techniques to optimize all essential data. But mentioned above 10 points are the best to give a good start to know about common mistakes that user or developers make while using Access database.

Database Mistake #11: Repeating Fields in a Table

The very important part to make Access database mistakes free is by recognize repeating data and to keep those repeating columns in your table. Well repeating fields in table is quiet common to those who are previously using the spreadsheets but when spreadsheet transformed to database, it should be relational.

So, instead of having single table containing entire stuffs and all information together, make tables for distinct piece of information. Also observe how each table keeps its own unique ID field. Link tables using primary key value as foreign key in other table.

Database Mistake #12: Embedding a Table in a Table

At the time of designing database, you need to be sure that, entire data contained in your table related to that table. You can consider it as “odd one out” game.

This type of designing also helps you in easy addition of extra information to any specific table without creating a nightmare of clutter. Also it simplifies the tracking of your information present in specific table.

Database Mistake #13: Not Using a Naming Convention

After the beginning of your access database designing when you reached to the point of queries writing against database to extract information. At that time naming convention works great to keep track of field name. Well two popular naming conventions that you can follow are capitalizing the first letter of every word or separating words by giving underscores.

Suppose in case, if names stored as FirstName, LastName in one table and first_name, last_name in another table. What naming convention you approach for is not important but the process of executing the naming convention in a right is more important.

How To Keep Your Access Database Safe Side From Such Mistakes?

access database mistakes

Let’s know about some useful tips and tricks to avoid Access database mistakes and to improve Access database performance.

  • Keep Proper Backup:

Always maintain right and updated backup of your Access Database files is a good and secure way to avoid MS Access Data Loss.  If you regularly backup your files then it’s become too easy to recover your database even if gets inaccessible or corrupted.

  • Deletion Of Unnecessary Data Sheets:

Time to time deletion of unnecessary data files that are no more of use is the best way to prevent off your access database corruption.  As collection of junk or unnecessary file enormously increases the size of your access database and ultimately this leads to the Corruption Of Access Database Files. so you need to prevent yourself from doing this Access database mistake.

  • Split Database: 

If multiple users are accessing the database at same time then it’s a good option to split your Access database. It can be splitted into two parts:

1) Front end: it contains queries, reports, forms and data Access pages.

2) Back end: it includes complete table of your MS Access and the data stored in it.

If your database is already get corrupted then try out the following manual techniques to repair corrupt Access Database files.

  • Properly Exit From Access:

Exiting or closing MS Access application properly is important. Because, if it is not done properly then it may cause your Access database files to get corrupt. Follow the steps for proper closing of Access application: File Tab – And the click Exit.

  • Frequent Compacting Your Database:

Microsoft Access offers the “Compact and repair” inbuilt utility tool to resolve minor error blots occurred in your Access Database.  With this tool, you can compact your files properly and also you can repair and fix corrupt Access files. Besides that it also boosts up  Access Database performance.

Conclusion

All the above mentioned mistakes generally made by users or developers and they should try to avoid such misconception. Never make silly mistakes which can completely ruin your application. Just be little bit attentive and properly read the errors which are stated as following those can really help to avoid any type of database mistakes.

tip Still having issues? Fix them with this Access repair tool:

This software repairs & restores all ACCDB/MDB objects including tables, reports, queries, records, forms, and indexes along with modules, macros, and other stuffs effectively.

  1. Download Stellar Repair for Access rated Great on Cnet (download starts on this page).
  2. Click Browse and Search option to locate corrupt Access database.
  3. Click Repair button to repair & preview the database objects.

 

Further Reading:

How to Repair MDB Files When Compact and Repair Does Not Work

Guide to Compact and Repair Microsoft Access Database File: An Effective One

5 Ways To Backup And Restore Access Database In 2007/2010/2013/2016?

How To Fix Ms Access Error ‘3022’: “The Changes You Requested To The Table Were Not Successful “?

Pearson Willey is a website content writer and long-form content planner. Besides this, he is also an avid reader. Thus he knows very well how to write an engaging content for readers. Writing is like a growing edge for him. He loves exploring his knowledge on MS Access & sharing tech blogs.