How to Add Accent Marks to Names in an Access Table

Windows users with Microsoft Access are able to create databases of information for both personal and business purposes. Each entry in the database can be labeled with a name, such as company or client names. When entering a name, you may need to include an accented letter. While other Microsoft Office products feature an "Insert" option on the tool bar, you will need to use a character map. This map gives you a sequence of keyboard strokes to enter in order to make the accented letter appear in your database.

Instructions

1

Launch your copy of Microsoft Access from your Windows-based PC, and either begin a new database or choose an existing one. As of February of 2010, Microsoft has not released a version of Access compatible with any Mac operating system.

2

Click on the empty cell you wish to name using an accented letter. You can click on any cell within the database.

3

Click the "Start" button located on the bottom left of your computer screen and then click on the search bar. Type in the word "charmap" and press enter. The Character Map will launch. XP users can enter "charmap" into the "Run" box.

4

Select the "Font" tab on the character map and choose the font that matches your database. You can confirm the font you are using by clicking "Home" from the top menu in Access. A list of tools will appear including a box marked "Font."

5

Click on the accented character you wish to add to your database label. Notice at the bottom of the Character Map the word "Keystroke" will appear.

6

Return to Microsoft Access and enter the keystroke series that corresponds with your symbol. For example, to bring up a "u" with the umlaut, hold down "Alt" and enter "0220." Upon entering the sequence, your accented letter will appear.

7

Mark down the keystroke sequences of frequently used accents to quickly enter them into your database in the future.