How to Create A Switchboard in Access

To begin—what is a switchboard? Simple, it is the graphical interface you design so people can use your system to assist them with their particular jobs. This does require a little knowledge (and sometimes guesswork) in determining what their requirements might be. Conducting personal interviews when possible with different company employees can diminish this guesswork. The biggest key is to create a switchboard that is easy to understand, inclusive of all foreseeable needs, and visually appealing. Once you have conducted the background information, the creation of the switchboard is an easy process.

Step One Select Tools—Database Utilities—Switchboard Manager

Now if you have never created a Switchboard you will receive the following message:

At which point you will want to select YES, which will bring you to the Switchboard Manager screen.

Click on Edit to view the following screen and begin to create your Switchboard.

Clicking on NEW will provide you with the following options:

All you will need to do at this point is click on COMMAND, Select what type of action to engage in and then select the corresponding FORM/REPORT (if this is what you want to have on your switchboard, ie, if you want the switchboard to open up the form you created then you will select that form—however you may want to add an exit button in which you won’t have to select any switchboard item)

OR

When Completed Click OK and you’ll see the following screen:

Complete this process as many times as you have items you would like to add to your switchboard. When finished Click on Close—also keep in mind that you will want to edit the text for each button that you create.

When you are completely finished, after hitting close you should see the following screen:

To view your Switchboard Click on FORMS—SWITCHBOARD

Congratulations you have successfully created your switchboard.