Creating Your Database:

Planning should be done before you begin creating your database. Decide on all possible fields you may want to have in your database. It's much easier to create all field at the beginning than to add them later. The more fields you have, the more flexibility you will have in sort capabilities later. For instance; having separate fields for first and last name allows you to sort by firs or last name,or put first name first or visa versa. To create a database, open up AppleWorks and choose "Database."

Defining Your Fields:

1. The first thing to do is to define all your fields (name and type).
2. Type in each name, choose the type and click on "Create."
3. Click on "Done" once all fields have been defined.

To Modify a field:

1. Pull down the "Layout" menu and choose "Define Fields"
2. Add a field, rename an existing field, or change a field type then click on "Modify" and "Done."

Once your fields have been defined, it's timed to start entering your data.

1. Begin typing in the data into each field
2. Use the "tab" key to move from one field to another.
3. Once you fill in each field, push Apple-R (for record) to get a new record and fill in that data.
4. Continue this until all data is entered. You can come back and add more at any time.
5. You can see how many records you have on the left as well as move between records.

Making a List:

One of the easiest ways to view your data is to create a list view.

1. Pull down the "Layout" menu and choose "List"
2. You can adjust the width of the columns by clicking on the line between the field names, you will get a two way arrow. Simply drag the line to the right or left to obtain desired width. This may be necessary in order to show all data.
3. You can change the order of the field columns by clicking in the middle of a field name and dragging left or right until you get an order you desire.

Sorting your Records:

1. You can sort your records by any field you desire in either ascending or descending order.
2. Pull down the "organize" menu and choose "Sort Records"
3. Move any field you want to sort by from the left box to the right box in the order you want to sort.
4. Choose ascending or descending for each field. Click OK.

You will see your data sorted in the order you wanted. *If you want to do another sort, you need to make sure to click on the "Clear" button before a new sort.

If you want to pull out certain records that all have the same data in a particular field, you can do so easily. For instance; you might want a list from your address book of everyone who live in San Diego.

1. Pull down the "Layout" menu and choose "Find"
2. Choose which field you want to find (ie: City)
3. Type in what ever data you are looking for (ie: San Diego), make sure you type it exactly. Remember, computers don't understand close.
4. Click on the "Find" button on the left side of the screen.
5. Go back to "List" view (under "Layout") and you will see all the record that matched you request in a list.
6. You can see how many records matched at the left.
7. If you want to see all the records again, pull down the "Organize" menu and choose "Show All Records"

Another way to pull out certain records is to do a match.

Pull down the "Organize" menu and choose "Match Records"

You need to create a formula of records to match, for instance; if you had a weather database and wanted to find all cities whose high temperature is greater than 85 degrees, you could set up a formula.

Click on the field you wish to use and it will automatically move down into the formula.

Click on an operator symbol and it will move down

Type in a value (no spaces)

Click on "Match"

In your list, you will see the records that match highlighted with the number matched on the left.

You can make different layouts with your data,(ie: address labels).

1. Pull down the "Layout" menu and choose "New Layout"
2. Name the layout so you can access it later (ie: labels)
3. Choose what type you want.
4. Move the fields you want included from the left box to the right box in field order.
5. Pull down the "Layout" menu and choose "Layout"
6. Drag and resize the field boxes as desired
7. Pull down "Layout" and choose "Browse" to see how it will look
8. You may need to do some trial and error until you get it right.

Personalize letters or other forms using mail merge to enter personal data into a form.

1. Have your database complete and open
2. Have your word processing form complete and open.
3. Place your cursor a the exact location you want a field entry (ie: name) to be placed.
4. Pull down the "File" menu and choose "Mail Merge"
5. Find the database you want to use.
6. Select the field(s) you want to insert into your form.
7. Click on "Insert Field"
8. You will notice on the form that the field appears on your form between delineators<<field>>
9. This is where the data will be printed when you merge.
10. When ready, click on "Print Merge"
11. The form will print and any location you have placed a field delineator it will print the personal data.