Changing data attributes

As you learned in the previous chapter, Access provides a number of different data types. These data types help Access work more efficiently with your data and also provide a base level of data validation; for example, you can enter only numbers in a Number or Currency field.

When you initially design your desktop database, you should match the data type and length of each field to its intended use. However, you might discover that a field you thought would contain only numbers (such as a U.S. ZIP Code) must now contain some letters (perhaps because you’ve started doing business in Canada). You might find that one or more number fields need to hold larger values or a different number of decimal places. Access allows you ...

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