The Northwind database and Access project (available from the Sample Databases command on the Help menu) contains the sales data for a fictitious company called Northwind Traders, which imports and exports specialty foods from around the world. By viewing the database objects included in the Northwind database, you can develop ideas for your own database application. You can also use the Northwind data to experiment with Access before you enter your own data. For example, you may want to practice designing queries using the Orders table in Northwind, since it contains enough records to produce meaningful results.
About creating the NorthwindCS.adp SQL Server database
Unlike the sample Microsoft Access database (Northwind.mdb) , the data and data definitions for the sample Access project (NorthwindCS.adp) need to be created the first time you open the project from the Sample Databases command on the Help menu. However, Access can automatically create the Northwind SQL Server database for you the first time you open the Northwind Access project.
The Startup form first asks you to log on to SQL Server, looks for Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Personal Desktop Engine or SQL Server running on your computer, and then does one of the following:
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If the Startup form finds SQL Server running on your computer, it asks if you want to create the NorthwindCS SQL Server database so that you can connect to it.
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If the Startup form doesn't find SQL Server running on your computer, it prompts you to enter a server name, user name, and password so you can connect to a SQL Server database on the network.
In either case if you say yes, the Northwind sample Access project runs the SQL installation script (NorthwindCS.SQL), located in the \Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office 11\Samples folder. This SQL script is a sequence of SQL statements that creates the SQL Server database data structure, extended properties, queries, and database diagrams, and then loads the sample data. Once the script has finished running, the Northwind sample Access project connects to the newly-created SQL server database.
Microsoft Access also includes a Database Wizard that you can use to create common types of Access databases. You can use the databases exactly as created by the Database Wizard or as learning tools to help you design your own databases.