How to Use Aggregate Functions in Microsoft Access on Windows 11

Posted on 16th June 2023

Introduction

Aggregate functions are mathematical operations that are applied to a set of values in order to return a single value. These functions are commonly used in databases, as they allow you to perform calculations on multiple rows of data without having to write a complex query.

There are a number of different aggregate functions available in Microsoft Access, including SUM, AVG, COUNT, MIN, and MAX. In this article, we’ll show you how to use these functions to perform calculations on your data.

How to Use the SUM Function

The SUM function is used to return the sum of a set of values. To use the SUM function, you must specify the field that you want to sum, as well as the criteria that will be used to determine which rows of data to include in the calculation.

For example, let’s say that you have a table of data that includes a column for sales figures. You can use the SUM function to calculate the total sales for a specific period of time, such as a month or a quarter.

To do this, you would first need to specify the field that you want to sum (sales figures), as well as the criteria that will be used to determine which rows of data to include in the calculation (dates).

Example

To calculate the total sales for the month of January, you would use the following SQL query:


SELECT SUM(sales_figures)
FROM table_name
WHERE date BETWEEN '2019-01-01' AND '2019-01-31'


How to Use the AVG Function

The AVG function is used to return the average of a set of values. To use the AVG function, you must specify the field that you want to average, as well as the criteria that will be used to determine which rows of data to include in the calculation.

For example, let’s say that you have a table of data that includes a column for sales figures. You can use the AVG function to calculate the average sales for a specific period of time, such as a month or a quarter.

To do this, you would first need to specify the field that you want to average (sales figures), as well as the criteria that will be used to determine which rows of data to include in the calculation (dates).

Example

To calculate the average sales for the month of January, you would use the following SQL query:


SELECT AVG(sales_figures)
FROM table_name
WHERE date BETWEEN '2019-01-01' AND '2019-01-31'


How to Use the COUNT Function

The COUNT function is used to return the number of rows that meet a specific criteria. To use the COUNT function, you must specify the field that you want to count, as well as the criteria that will be used to determine which rows of data to include in the calculation.

For example, let’s say that you have a table of data that includes a column for sales figures. You can use the COUNT function to calculate the number of sales that were made for a specific period of time, such as a month or a quarter.

To do this, you would first need to specify the field that you want to count (sales figures), as well as the criteria that will be used to determine which rows of data to include in the calculation (dates).

Example

To calculate the number of sales that were made in the month of January, you would use the following SQL query:


SELECT COUNT(sales_figures)
FROM table_name
WHERE date BETWEEN '2019-01-01' AND '2019-01-31'


How to Use the MIN Function

The MIN function is used to return the minimum value of a set of values. To use the MIN function, you must specify the field that you want to find the minimum value for, as well as the criteria that will be used to determine which rows of data to include in the calculation.

For example, let’s say that you have a table of data that includes a column for sales figures. You can use the MIN function to calculate the minimum sales figure for a specific period of time, such as a month or a quarter.

To do this, you would first need to specify the field that you want to find the minimum value for (sales figures), as well as the criteria that will be used to determine which rows of data to include in the calculation (dates).

Example

To calculate the minimum sales figure for the month of January, you would use the following SQL query:


SELECT MIN(sales_figures)
FROM table_name
WHERE date BETWEEN '2019-01-01' AND '2019-01-31'


How to Use the MAX Function

The MAX function is used to return the maximum value of a set of values. To use the MAX function, you must specify the field that you want to find the maximum value for, as well as the criteria that will be used to determine which rows of data to include in the calculation.

For example, let’s say that you have a table of data that includes a column for sales figures. You can use the MAX function to calculate the maximum sales figure for a specific period of time, such as a month or a quarter.

To do this, you would first need to specify the field that you want to find the maximum value for (sales figures), as well as the criteria that will be used to determine which rows of data to include in the calculation (dates).

Example

To calculate the maximum sales figure for the month of January, you would use the following SQL query:


SELECT MAX(sales_figures)
FROM table_name
WHERE date BETWEEN '2019-01-01' AND '2019-01-31'


Conclusion

Aggregate functions are a powerful tool that can be used to perform calculations on data in a database. In this article, we’ve shown you how to use some of the most common aggregate functions in Microsoft Access.