Forms and Reports in Base

Hello students, welcome to Kwickprep. Typing into a long table is tiring, and a raw table looks untidy on paper. What do offices use instead? Today we will create forms for data entry with the Form Wizard, then create reports and format them for printing in Base.

Base has two objects for this, forms and reports, so let us compare them. A form is for entering and editing data, while a report presents data. A form is used on the screen, and a report is usually printed or saved as a PDF. A form usually shows one record at a time, but a report lists many records neatly. A form can change data, but a report is read only.

Why do we need a form at all? A form shows one record at a time, just like a paper admission form. Every box has a clear label next to it. So the person typing makes fewer mistakes than in a long grid. A form can also leave out fields that the user should not change.

There are two ways to make a form. First, click Forms in the left pane of the database window. Use Wizard to Create Form builds a form quickly, step by step. Create Form in Design View starts from a blank page, where you place every control yourself. For beginners, the wizard is the best way, so let us use it.

Here are the wizard steps that matter most. In step one, field selection, choose the student table and move its fields to the right. Steps two to four are for subforms, so skip them for a single table. In step five, arrange controls, pick where labels sit, such as columnar with labels on the left. In step six, set data entry, choose whether the form shows all data or only enters new data. In step seven, apply styles, pick colours and a border. In step eight, type the form name, choose Work with the form, and click Finish.

Let us look closer at three choices. Columnar arrangement puts one field on each line, with its label beside it. In set data entry, all data lets you view and edit existing records. New data only opens a blank form, used when you only add records. Apply styles changes colours and borders, but not the data.

Now the form opens, ready to use. Type in a box and press Tab to move to the next box. The navigation bar at the bottom has buttons for the first, previous, next and last record. The New Record button gives a blank form for the next student. Click Save Record, or simply move to another record, and Base saves it into the table.

Pause and predict. A form is built on the student table. You add a new student, Kabir, through the form and save. Then you open the student table itself. Is Kabir there? Yes, because a form does not store data, it only puts data into its table.

Now let us move to reports. A report presents data taken from a table or a query. It arranges that data with a title, column headings and groups. Reports are meant for printing, or for sharing as a PDF, like a class result sheet. A report cannot be used to change the data.

Click Reports on the left, then Use Wizard to Create Report. First, choose the table and fields, and in labeling fields, change headings like Adm No to Admission Number. In grouping, you can group records, such as by class. In sort options, choose the order, such as name ascending. In choose layout, pick how the data and headers look. Finally, type the report title and click Finish.

In the last step, the wizard asks about the kind of report. A static report keeps the data as it was at the moment it was created, like a snapshot of results on one day. A dynamic report fetches fresh data every time it is opened, so new records appear automatically.

The choose layout step is where most formatting happens. Layout of data decides how records are arranged, such as tabular in rows and columns, or columnar with one field per line. Layout of headers and footers sets the look of the title and the top and bottom of each page. Orientation can be Portrait, which is tall, or Landscape, which is wide. If your report has many columns, choose Landscape so they fit.

A report must look neat on paper, so check it before printing. Grouping and sorting make a long list easy to read, like all Class 10 A students together. To change a finished report, right-click it in the Reports list and choose Edit. There you can adjust headings, fonts and column widths. Also check the page size, margins and orientation, so nothing is cut off.

Now print it. Double-click the report to open it with the latest data. Use Print Preview to see exactly how the pages will look. Then choose File, Print, pick the printer and the number of copies. To share it instead, export it as a PDF and send it by email.

Let us revise what we learned today. A form is a friendly screen for entering data, one record at a time. The Form Wizard asks for fields, arrangement, data entry mode, style and name. A report presents data neatly for printing and cannot change it. The Report Wizard asks for fields, grouping, sorting, layout and a title, and orientation decides how it fits the page. Try making a form and a result report for your own class.