SQL View in Access- Instructions

SQL View in Access: Video

            This video lesson, titled “SQL View,” shows how to use SQL view in Access. This video is from our complete Access tutorial, titled “Mastering Access Made Easy v.2019 and 365.”

Overview of SQL View in Access

            SQL view in Access lets you see the SQL code of Access queries. When you are visually creating the query in the query design view in Access, what you are really doing is visually constructing SQL code. SQL stands for Structured Query Language. SQL is a multi-platform language used to access and retrieve data in many different relational database programs.

            If you want to learn SQL, a good way to start is by viewing the SQL code your Access queries produce. To view the SQL code for an Access query, open the query in query design view. Then click the “View” drop-down button in the “Results” button group on the “Design” tab of the “Query Tools” contextual tab in the Ribbon. From the drop-down menu of choices that appears, select the “SQL View” command. Access then shows your query as SQL code, so you can see how it works.

            If you are familiar with how SQL is constructed in Access, you can also create and edit the SQL code directly in the SQL view, if desired. If you do makes changes to the query’s SQL in this view you want to save, make sure to click the “Save” button in the Quick Access toolbar.

A picture showing a query in SQL view in Access.

Instructions on How to Use SQL View in Access

1. To view the SQL code for an Access query, open the query in query design view.
2. Then click the “View” drop-down button in the “Results” button group on the “Design” tab of the “Query Tools” contextual tab in the Ribbon.
3. From the drop-down menu of choices that appears, select the “SQL View” command.
4. Access then shows your query as SQL code, so that you can see how it works.
5. If you are familiar with how SQL is constructed in Access, you can also create and edit the SQL code directly in the SQL view, if desired.
6. If you do makes changes to the query’s SQL in this view you want to save, make sure to click the “Save” button in the Quick Access toolbar.