Newbie Q: linking tables

I really am a newbie with this and I am struggling to follow the way all the parts connect. First of all I wonder how tables are linked or for that matter constructed?

I gather that forms are the basis of tables and views are used to display the data. But really I want several forms to send data to one table and I need some data to be created automatically, for example an ID field.

Then I need to link tables, for example that ID field.

I have a whole lot more questions but to start perhaps this will help.