Data Dictionary: tblVendor (Sample)
Field Name Data Type Description Field Size Format
Default
Value Input Mask
VID Text Unique Vendor Identifier 10 >L?????
VName Text Vendor Name 50
VAddress Text Vendor Address 50
VCity Text Vendor City 30
VState Text Vendor State 2 WA >??
VZip Text Vendor Zip Code 10
VPhone Text Vendor Primary Phone Number 15
VFax Text Vendor Primary Fax Number 15
VTerms Text Vendor Payment Terms 30
VShipVia Text Vendor Preferred Shipping Method 30
VDateAdded Date/Time Date Vendor Added to Database Short Date Now()
Data Types
Setting Type of data Size
Text (Default) Text or combinations of text and numbers, as well as numbers that don't require calculations, such as phone numbers.
Up to 255 characters or the length set by the FieldSize property, whichever is less. Microsoft Access does not reserve space for unused portions of a text field.
Memo Lengthy text or combinations of text and numbers. Up to 65,535 characters. (If the Memo field is manipulated through DAO and only text and numbers [not binary data] will be stored in it, then the size of the Memo field is limited by the size of the database.)
Number Numeric data used in mathematical calculations. For more information on how to set the specific Number type, see the FieldSize property topic.
1, 2, 4, or 8 bytes (16 bytes if the FieldSize property is set to Replication ID).
Date/Time Date and time values for the years 100 through 9999. 8 bytes.
Currency Currency values and numeric data used in mathematical calculations involving data with one to four decimal places. Accurate to 15 digits on the left side of the decimal separator and to 4 digits on the right side.
8 bytes.
AutoNumber A unique sequential (incremented by 1) number or random number assigned by Microsoft Access
whenever a new record is added to a table. AutoNumber fields can't be updated. For more information, see the NewValues property topic.
4 bytes (16 bytes if the FieldSize property is set to Replication ID).
Yes/No Yes and No values and fields that contain only one of two values (Yes/No, True/False, or On/Off).
1 bit.
OLE Object An object (such as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, a Microsoft Word document, graphics, sounds, or other binary data) linked to or embedded in a Microsoft Access table.
Up to 1 gigabyte (limited by available disk space)
Hyperlink Text or combinations of text and numbers stored as text and used as a hyperlink address. A hyperlink address can have up to three parts:
Each part of the three parts of a Hyperlink data type can contain up to 2048 characters.
text to display — the text that appears in a field or control.
address — the path to a file (UNC path) or page (URL).
subaddress — a location within the file or page.
screentip — the text displayed as a tooltip.
The easiest way to insert a hyperlink address in a field or control is to click Hyperlink on the Insert menu.
Lookup Wizard Creates a field that allows you to choose a value from another table or from a list of values by using a list box or combo box. Clicking this option starts the Lookup Wizard, which creates a Lookup field. After you complete the wizard, Microsoft Access sets the data type based on the values selected in the wizard.
The same size as the primary key field used to perform the lookup, typically 4 bytes.
Field Size - Numbers
Setting Description Decimal
precision
Storage size
Byte Stores numbers from 0 to 255 (no fractions). None 1 byte
Stores numbers from –10^38–1 through 10^38–1 (.adp) Stores numbers from –10^28–1 through 10^28–1 (.mdb)
Integer Stores numbers from –32,768 to 32,767 (no fractions) None 2 bytes
Long Integer Stores numbers from –2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647 (no fractions) None 4 bytes Stores numbers from –3.402823E38 to –1.401298E–45 (negative values)
and from 1.401298E–45 to 3.402823E38 (positive values) Stores numbers from
–1.79769313486231E308 to –4.94065645841247E–324 (negative values) and from
4.94065645841247E–324 to 1.79769313486231E308 (positive values)
Replication ID Globally unique identifier (GUID) N/A 16 bytes
Format - Numbers
Setting Description
General Number
Example: 3456.789 Currency
Example: $3,456.78 Euro
Example: €3,456.78 Fixed
Example: 3456.79 Standard
Example: 3,456.79 Percent
Example: 123.00%
Scientific
Example: 3.46E+03
Multiply the value by 100 and append a percent sign (%); follow the settings specified in Regional Settings in Windows Control Panel for negative amounts, decimal symbols, and decimal places.
Use standard scientific notation.
Use the thousand separator; follow the settings specified in Regional Settings in Windows Control Panel for negative amounts, decimal and currency symbols, and decimal places.
Use the currency format, with the euro symbol (), regardless of the currency symbol specified in Regional Settings in Windows Control Panel.
Display at least one digit; follow the settings specified in Regional Settings in Windows Control Panel for negative amounts, decimal and currency symbols, and decimal places.
Use the thousand separator; follow the settings specified in Regional Settings in Windows Control Panel for negative amounts, decimal symbols, and decimal places.
Double 15 8 bytes
(Default) Display the number as entered.
Decimal 28 12 bytes
Single 7 4 bytes
Date/Time Format
Setting Description
(Default) If the value is a date only, no time is displayed; if the value is a time only, no date is displayed. This setting is a combination of the Short Date and Long Time settings.
Examples: 4/3/93, 05:34:00 PM, and 4/3/93 05:34:00 PM.
Same as the Long Date setting in the Regional Settings Properties dialog box in Windows Control Panel.
Example: Saturday, April 3, 1993.
Medium Date Example: 3-Apr-93.
Same as the Short Date setting in the Regional Settings Properties dialog box in Windows Control Panel.
Example: 4/3/93.
Warning The Short Date setting assumes that dates between 1/1/00 and 12/31/29 are twenty-first century dates (that is, the years are assumed to be 2000 to 2029). Dates between 1/1/30 and 12/31/99 are assumed to be twentieth century dates (that is, the years are assumed to be 1930 to 1999).
Same as the setting on the Time tab in the Regional Settings Properties dialog box in Windows Control Panel.
Example: 5:34:23 PM.
Medium Time Example: 5:34 PM.
Short Time Example: 17:34.
General Date
Long Date
Short Date
Long Time
Input Mask Characters Description
0 Digit (0 through 9, entry required; plus [+] and minus [-] signs not allowed).
9 Digit or space (entry not required; plus and minus signs not allowed).
# Digit or space (entry not required; blank positions converted to spaces, plus and minus signs allowed).
L Letter (A through Z, entry required).
? Letter (A through Z, entry optional).
A Letter or digit (entry required).
a Letter or digit (entry optional).
& Any character or a space (entry required).
C Any character or a space (entry optional).
. , : ; - / Decimal placeholder and thousands, date, and time separators. (The actual character used depends on the regional settings specified in Microsoft Windows Control Panel.)
< Causes all characters that follow to be converted to lowercase.
> Causes all characters that follow to be converted to uppercase.
! Causes the input mask to display from right to left, rather than from left to right.
Characters typed into the mask always fill it from left to right. You can include the exclamation point anywhere in the input mask.
\ Causes the character that follows to be displayed as a literal character. Used to display any of the characters listed in this table as literal characters (for example,
\A is displayed as just A).
Password Setting the InputMask property to the word Password creates a password entry text box. Any character typed in the text box is stored as the character but is displayed as an asterisk (*).
Input Mask Examples Examples of values
(000) 000-0000 (206) 555-0248 (206) 555-0248 ( ) 555-0248 (000) AAA-AAAA (206) 555-TELE
-20 2000
GREENGR339M3 MAY R 452B7
>L0L 0L0 T2F 8M4
98115- 98115-3007 Maria Pierre
ISBN 1-55615-507-7 ISBN 0-13-964262-5
>LL00000-0000 DB51392-0493
>L<??????????????
ISBN 0-&&&&&&&&&-0
#999
(999) 999-9999!
>L????L?000L0
00000-9999
