About exporting data and database objects to another database or file format
This topic provides reference information about:
What is exporting?
Exporting database objects
Mailing database objects
Exporting to a Web page
Exporting to or exchanging data with Microsoft Word
Exporting to Microsoft Excel or another spreadsheet program
Automating export operations
What is exporting?
Exporting is a way to output data and database objects to another database, spreadsheet, or file format so another database, application, or program can use the data or database objects. Exporting is similar in functionality to copying and pasting. In general, you use the Export command on the File menu to export data or database objects, but there are other commands you can use as described below. You can export data to a variety of supported databases, programs, and file formats.
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Exporting database objects
You can export most database objects from a Microsoft Access database or Microsoft Access project to another Access database or Access project.
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Mailing database objects
By using the Mail Recipient (as Attachment) command on the Send To submenu of the File command, you can e-mail the output of a database object by attaching it to an electronic mail message in several different file formats, including Microsoft Excel (.xls), Rich Text Format (.rtf), MS-DOS text (.txt), HTML (.html), IDC/HTX, ASP, or data access page.
By using the Mail Recipient command on the Send To submenu of the File command, you can also send a page as the body of an e-mail message.
To send a database object in e-mail, you need Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Mail, or another electronic mail application that supports Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI).
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Exporting to a Web page
There are three ways you can use Microsoft Access data or database objects to create a Web page:
- In a Web browser that supports Dynamic HTML version 4.0 or later, you can use data access pages. You do not output data access pages; you create a data access page as a database object that contains a shortcut to the location of the data access page's corresponding HTML file. Use data access pages to view, edit, update, delete, filter, group, and sort live data from either a Microsoft Access database or a Microsoft SQL Server database. Learn about creating data access pages.
- You can output server-generated HTML files, either ASP or IDC/HTX, from tables, queries, and forms. Server-generated HTML files are displayed in a table format in a Web browser. Use server-generated HTML files when you want to use any Web browser, your data changes frequently, and you need to see live data in a table connected to an ODBC data source, but you don't need to update or interact with the data.
- You can create output HTML files from tables, queries, forms, and reports. In a Web browser, reports display in a report format, and tables, queries, and forms display in a datasheet format. Use static HTML files when you want to use any Web browser that supports HTML version 3.2 or later and your data does not change frequently.
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Exporting to or exchanging data with Microsoft Word
There are four ways you can use Microsoft Access data with Microsoft Word:
- In an Access database, you can use the Microsoft Word Mail Merge Wizard to create a mail merge document in Microsoft Word 2000 that links to Microsoft Access 2000 data by using the Merge It With MS Word command on the Office Links submenu of the Tools menu. Once the link is established, you can open your document in Microsoft Word at any time to print a new batch of form letters or labels using the current data in Microsoft Access.
- For any version of Microsoft Word, you can export Microsoft Access data to a mail merge data source file that can be used with the mail merge feature of Word.
- You can save the output of a datasheet, form, or report as a Rich Text Format (.rtf) file. A Rich Text Format file preserves formatting, such as fonts and styles, and can be opened with Microsoft Word and other Windows word-processing or desktop-publishing programs.
- You can save the output of a datasheet, form, or report as a .rtf file and automatically load the file into Microsoft Word by using the Publish It With MS Word command on the Office Links submenu of the Tools menu.
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Exporting to Microsoft Excel or another spreadsheet program
There are three ways you can use Microsoft Access data with Microsoft Excel or another spreadsheet program:
- You can export the datasheet as unformatted data to Microsoft Excel or another spreadsheet program.
- You can save the output of a datasheet, form, or report directly as an Excel (.xls) file or worksheet .
- You can save the output of a datasheet, form, or report as an Excel (.xls) file and automatically load the file into Microsoft Excel by using the Analyze It With MS Excel command on the Office Links submenu of the Tools menu.
In the latter two cases, you can preserve most formatting, such as fonts and colors. Report group levels are saved as Microsoft Excel outline levels, and a form is saved as a table of data.
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Automating export operations
To make frequent export operations more convenient, you can automate them by creating a macro or creating a Visual Basic for Applications procedure. This is useful, for example, when you export data on a regular schedule or you are building a Web site by using multiple database objects.
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