If you’ve outgrown those spreadsheets or are struggling to organise and stay on top of your data then MS Access may be the answer. Access is the ideal solution for single-user and small workgroup applications to manage and share information.
Established and popular
It has long been the database application of choice for individuals, small businesses and workgroups. As part of the Microsoft Office Professional (and upwards) suite, many businesses already possess a copy, thus making it a straightforward selection when it comes to tracking, reporting and sharing information.
Capable and versatile
Access can provide you with…
- comprehensive forms for managing your data;
- validation to ensure the integrity of your data;
- multi-tiered reporting to produce information precisely as you want it;
- charts and graphs for summary and trending analysis;
- connectivity to third-party databases; and
- security to restrict access based on user credentials.
Don’t be deceived into thinking that Access is just a simple database offering simple solutions. It’s a relational database that is capable of being shared by a number of users (albeit a small number) and is underpinned by the comprehensive VBA development language. As well as working with its own database engine (Jet in older versions and a new compatible Access engine in Access 2007 onwards), Access can also interface with high-end databases such as MS SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle and Sybase. At the other end of the spectrum, Access can interface with older desktop databases such as FoxPro, dBase and Paradox.
In the right place
Having said that, Access should not be seen as an alternative to highly scalable, high concurrency, client-server databases. Nor is it a replacement for sophisticated multi-tiered or service oriented or web-based architectures. And if your requirement is for remote access, then you should consider a web-based solution.
