A field is a column in a table. (holds data). For instance, a table could be about "dress sales".

Field: dress_number

Field: dress_size

Field: date

Field: how_many_sold

Record is: a row of data added to this table.

Defining database fields

A field is the basic unit of data entry in a record. To define a new field, you give it a name. Then you select options that determine how the fields interprets, enters, calculates, stores, and displays data.

After defining a field, you can set validation, auto entry, and storage options. See Setting options for fields for more information on setting these options.

Traditional databases are organized by fields, records, and files. A field is a single piece of information; a record is one complete set of fields; and a file is a collection of records. For example, a telephone book is analogous to a file. It contains a list of records, each of which consists of three fields: name, address, and telephone number.