Introduction to reports in Access

Reports offer a way to view, format, and summarize the information in your Microsoft Access database. For example, you can create a simple report of phone numbers for all your contacts, or a summary report on the total sales across different regions and time periods.

From this article, you get an overview of reports in Access. You also learn the basics of creating a report, using options like sorting, grouping, and summarizing the data, and how to preview and print the report.

Overview of reports in Access

What can you do with a report?

A report is a database object that comes in handy when you want to present the information in your database for any of the following uses:

• Display or distribute a summary of data.
• Archive snapshots of the data.
• Provide details about individual records.
• Create labels.

Parts of a report

While you can create "unbound" reports that don't display data, this article assumes that a report is bound to a data source such as a table or query. The design of a report is divided into sections that you can view in the Design view. Understanding how each section works can help you create better reports. For example, the section in which you choose to place a calculated control determines how Access calculates the results. The following list summarizes the section types and their uses:

Section	How the section is displayed when printed	Where the section can be used
Report Header	At the beginning of the report.	Use the report header for information that might normally appear on a cover page, such as a logo, a title, or a date. When you place a calculated control that uses the Sum aggregate function in the report header, the sum calculated is for the entire report. The report header is printed before the page header.
Page Header	At the top of every page.	Use a page header to repeat the report title on every page.
Group Header	At the beginning of each new group of records.	Use the group header to print the group name. For example, in a report that is grouped by product, use the group header to print the product name. When you place a calculated control that uses the Sum aggregate function in the group header, the sum is for the current group. You can have multiple group header sections on a report, depending on how many grouping levels you add. For more information about creating group headers and footers, see the section Add grouping, sorting, or totals.
Detail	Appears once for every row in the record source.	This is where you place the controls that make up the main body of the report.
Group Footer	At the end of each group of records.	Use a group footer to print summary information for a group. You can have multiple group footer sections on a report, depending on how many grouping levels you add.
Page Footer	At the end of every page.	Use a page footer to print page numbers or per-page information.
Report Footer	At the end of the report. Note: In Design view, the report footer appears below the page footer. However, in all other views (Layout view, for example, or when the report is printed or previewed), the report footer appears above the page footer, just after the last group footer or detail line on the final page.	Use the report footer to print report totals or other summary information for the entire report.

You find that it's much easier to create meaningful reports when your database has a well-designed table structure and relationships. For an introduction to planning and designing a database, see the article Database design basics.

Create a report in Access

You can create reports for your Access desktop database by following the steps in this section.

Step 1: Choose a record source

The record source of a report can be a table, a named query, or an embedded query. The record source must contain all of the rows and columns of data you want to display on the report.

• If the data comes from an existing table or query, select the table or query in the Navigation Pane, and then continue to Step 2.

• If the record source doesn't exist yet, do one of the following:

  • Continue to Step 2 and use the Blank Report tool, or
  • Create the table or query that contains the required data. Select the query or table in the Navigation Pane, and then continue to Step 2.

Step 2: Choose a report tool

Find the report tools on the Create tab of the ribbon, in the Reports group. The following table describes the options:

Tool	Description
Report	Creates a simple, tabular report containing all of the fields in the record source you selected in the Navigation Pane.
Report Design	Opens a blank report in Design view, to which you can add the required fields and controls.
Blank Report	Opens a blank report in Layout view, and displays the Field List from where you can add fields to the report
Report Wizard	Displays a multiple-step wizard that lets you specify fields, grouping and sorting levels, and layout options.
Labels	Displays a wizard that lets you select standard or custom label sizes, as well as which fields you want to display, and how you want them sorted.

Step 3: Create the report

1. Select the button for the tool you want to use. If a wizard appears, follow the steps in the wizard and select Finish on the last page. Access displays the report in Layout view.

2. Format the report to achieve the look that you want:

   • Resize fields and labels by selecting them and then dragging the edges until they're the size you want.
   • Move a field by selecting it (and its label, if present), and then dragging it to the new location.
   • Right-click a field and use the commands on the shortcut menu to merge or split cells, delete or select fields, and perform other formatting tasks.
     In addition, use the features described in the following sections to make your report more attractive and readable.

Add grouping, sorting, or totals

The fastest way to add grouping, sorting, or totals to a desktop database report is to right-click the field where you want to apply the group, sort, or total, and then select the command you want from the shortcut menu.

You can also add grouping, sorting, or totals by using the Group, Sort, and Total pane while the report is open in Layout view or Design view:

1. If the Group, Sort, and Total pane isn't open, on the Report Design tab, in the Grouping and Totals group, select Group & Sort.
2. Select Add a group or Add a sort, and then choose the field where you want to group or sort.
3. Select More on a grouping or sorting line to set more options and to add totals.

For more detailed information about grouping, sorting, and totals, see Create a grouped or summary report.

Highlight data with conditional formatting

Access includes tools for highlighting data on a report. You can add conditional formatting rules for each control or group of controls, and in client reports, you can also add data bars to compare data.

To add conditional formatting to controls:

1. Right-click the report in the Navigation Pane and click Layout View.

2. Select the controls you want. On the Format tab, in the Control Formatting group, click Conditional Formatting.

   Tip

   To select multiple controls, hold down the CTRL key and click the controls.

3. In the Conditional Formatting Rules Manager dialog box, click New Rule.

4. In the New Formatting Rule dialog box, select a value under Select a rule type:

   • To create a rule that evaluates each record individually, select Check values in the current record or use an expression.
   • To create a rule that compares records to each other by using data bars, click Compare to other records.

5. Under Edit the rule description, specify the rule for when the formatting applies and what formatting to apply, and then click OK.

6. To create an additional rule for the same control or set of controls, repeat this procedure from step 4.

Customizing color and fonts

Try an App Theme option to customize the color and fonts.

1. Open a report in Layout view by right-clicking it in the Navigation Pane and then clicking Layout View.
2. On the Report Layout Design tab, click Themes and point the cursor over the various themes in the gallery to preview the effects. Click a theme to select it, and then save your report.
3. Use the Colors or Fonts galleries to set colors or fonts independently.

Add a logo or background image

You can add a logo or background image to a report. If you update the image, Access automatically updates the image wherever it's used in the database.

To add or remove a logo image:

1. In the Navigation Pane, right-click the report, and then click Layout View.
2. In the report, click the position where you want to add the image. On the Report Layout Design tab, in the Header/Footer group, click Logo.
3. Navigate to the image, and then click Open. Access adds the image to the report.
4. To remove the image, right-click the image, and then click Delete from the shortcut menu.

To add a background image:

1. In the Navigation Pane, right-click the report, and then click Layout View.
2. On the Format tab, in the Background group, click Background Image.
3. Select an image from the Image Gallery list, or click Browse, select an image, and then click OK.

Preview and print a report

Preview a report

1. Right-click the report in the Navigation Pane and select Print Preview. Use the commands on the Print Preview tab to:

   • Print the report
   • Adjust page size or layout
   • Zoom in or out, or view multiple pages at a time
   • Refresh the data on the report
   • Export the report to another file format

2. Select Close Print Preview.

Print a report

To print a report without previewing it:

• Right-click the report in the Navigation Pane and select Print. The report is sent to your default printer.

  Note

  If you select the report in the Navigation Pane and select Print from the File tab, you can select more printing options such as the number of pages and copies, and specify a printer.

  • To open a dialog box where you can select a printer, specify the number of copies, and more, select Print.