New to PC....Database Setup Problem/

[TerriB]

I have a database set up to track the usage of our videoconferencing
equipment at work. I have several tables set up that just list specific
things like "Sites." "Activity Type," etc. Each of these tables is set up
the same, two fields: ID, and Description. For example, the sites table has
Site_ID and Site_Description. Activity Type is the same way. These tables
are used to for lookup functions in the main table. I am running a query on
this data that sums the total time the equipment is used for each Activity
Type. In the query, the Activity Description is display. However, when I
create a pivot chart from this query I place the Activity Type Field in the
"Series Fields Here" section of the pivot chart. My problem comes with the
legend. It only displays the ID, 1, 2, 3, 4...etc. How can I adjust this to
show the description, the way the query does?

Thanks

 

[John W. Vinson]

I have a database set up to track the usage of our videoconferencing
equipment at work. I have several tables set up that just list specific
things like "Sites." "Activity Type," etc. Each of these tables is set up
the same, two fields: ID, and Description. For example, the sites table has
Site_ID and Site_Description. Activity Type is the same way. These tables
are used to for lookup functions in the main table. I am running a query on
this data that sums the total time the equipment is used for each Activity
Type. In the query, the Activity Description is display. However, when I
create a pivot chart from this query I place the Activity Type Field in the
"Series Fields Here" section of the pivot chart. My problem comes with the
legend. It only displays the ID, 1, 2, 3, 4...etc. How can I adjust this to
show the description, the way the query does?

Thanks

Well, you're another one of the many victims of Microsoft's misleading,
misdesigned Lookup Wizard.

Your table *appears* to contain Sites and Activity Types. It doesn't! What is
actually IN the table are the numeric ID's, so that is just what you're
gettting in the pivot chart - the actual contents of the table. The Lookup
Wizard is *VERY* limited; it works in table datasheets and query datasheets
and not much else.

Instead of basing the pivot table on your table, create a Query joining your
main table to the Sites table and to the Activity Type table. Select the
description fields from these two joined tables. That's where the description
actually resides. The wizard isn't smart enough to do so - you need to take
charge yourself!

 

[TerriB]

Thanks. I figured that it had to be something in the way that I had it set
up. I am still very limited in my Access knowledge, so I understand what
you have suggested, but it is the execution that I may struggle with.

Thanks again for your help!