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Microsoft Access

Microsoft Access

Overview

What is Microsoft Access?

Microsoft Access is a database management system from Microsoft that combines the relational Microsoft Jet Database Engine with a graphical user interface and software-development tools.

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Pricing

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Microsoft Access

$139.99

On Premise
per PC

Entry-level set up fee?

  • No setup fee

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services
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Product Demos

Workflow Builder for Microsoft Access Demo

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Use a File Dialog in Microsoft Access

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Open Source Simple LIMS Software for Small Lab Demo

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Microsoft Access Electronic Signature Capture Database Template

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Microsoft Access Database Tutorial - User form Login Security Demo

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Microsoft Access Project Management Database Template

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Product Details

What is Microsoft Access?

Microsoft Access Video

What is Microsoft Access?

Microsoft Access Competitors

Microsoft Access Technical Details

Deployment TypesOn-premise
Operating SystemsWindows
Mobile ApplicationNo

Frequently Asked Questions

Microsoft Access is a database management system from Microsoft that combines the relational Microsoft Jet Database Engine with a graphical user interface and software-development tools.

Claris FileMaker are common alternatives for Microsoft Access.

Reviewers rate Usability highest, with a score of 10.

The most common users of Microsoft Access are from Mid-sized Companies (51-1,000 employees).
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Comparisons

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Reviews and Ratings

(826)

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

(1-25 of 98)
Companies can't remove reviews or game the system. Here's why
January 27, 2023

Nice when is included

Jose Eduardo Escobar | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We needed a lightweight solution that could be easily integrated with our SQL server and could be installed on the user's computers
  • Easy to Use
  • Lightweight
  • Included with our office 365 licenses
  • Speed
  • Table size
  • Full text search
It fits very well when few transactions are required to be processed but for our solution we had multiple installations on user computers that were synced in batches with our sql server.It is not suitable when the transactionality is high or the access of several users is required simultaneously, nor does it support large tables without significantly affecting performance
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We used Microsoft Access as our main tool for our database management. It helps us to attend to the day-to-day tasks that a company needs to perform in order to function. Being a software company ourselves, We not only use it to store our company data but also some client information as well and do not have any negative outlook towards it yet.
  • Dattabase Management
  • Reporting
  • Analysis
  • Data Search
  • Intuitive analytics
  • Reporting structure
It is well suited for organizations that are looking for an affordable way to manage their database. Analytics and reporting are quite adequate as well. Fulfills the basic functionalities required for basic level organizations. But if you want something more refined and advanced there are other tools out there that will suit your purposes more.
Dhiman Roy | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Microsoft Access is one the best software in the database management system. In an organisation when one wants to make a report, Microsoft Access helps to do it perfectly. It is a software where graphic interface, Excel sheets are perfectly maintained. I am fully satisfied with the software. The software is very easy to use.
  • Database system can be easily done.
  • Graphical interface makes it awesome.
  • Collaboration of documents.
  • For huge amount of documents it is beaconing slower.
  • Security level is low.
  • It is available for windows user.
For me it is a magnificent software and database management system. In this software data can be easily imported as there is no need to import data manually. It also provides free templates which make our work easier. The software is cost effective for an organisation. The interface is also attractive to do work here.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
ResellerIncentivized
As a corporate trainer, it was my job to learn how a company would implement Microsoft Access and then train its employees how to build, use, and access the data relevant to their job. It was used for specific departments to collate information, collaborate with other employees and serve as the next step when excel could not provide a reporting function.
  • Reporting
  • Data gathering
  • Data manipulation
  • Easy to implement and train
  • Formula creation
  • Form creation
  • Complex reporting
Microsoft Access can be easily implemented with training. It doesn't require expert level skill for basic reporting functions - but can be scaled to a complex database with sophisticated users. Its appropriate to consider if excel needs to be used to create reports, or if there are data entry needs - with corresponding reports.
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
[Microsoft] Access has all of the functionalities needed to build concise applications for small offices or needs. The ability to utilize other database platforms like SQL Server is a plus. The ability to create full functioning applications in less than an hour is a big plus. There isn't much you can't do with [Microsoft] Access if you understand that it isn't meant to be an enterprise tool.
  • Works on pretty much same SQL scripts
  • Forms and reports are easy to customize and edit.
  • High learning curve
  • Limited support
  • No new enhancements

[Microsoft] Access allows you to create places to store data in an easily retrievable fashion, allowing multiple users and form views for display and data entry, reporting, and data analysis. Easily mitigable to SQL Server, as you continue to grow. I've turned many an [Microsoft] Access database into a front-end for SQL Server. The Application looks and behaves like the other Office products, making it's introduction to new users fairly simple and straight forward. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.


Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Having worked as a Data Analyst at a reputed retail company, Microsoft Access was one of the major tools that were used for database design, creating entity-relationship diagrams, creating mock layouts of the data schema, and writing queries to retrieve data. At the moment, Microsoft Access was being widely used across the organization. The main reason for using Microsoft Access was its usability and its usual Microsoft user interface that made it easier for nontechnical folks to write queries as well.
  • Very easy to create entity-relationship diagrams for various tables and designing mock layouts.
  • Really easy to navigate as it hold[s] the classic Microsoft UI. Another good thing is that it comes with the complete MS Office Suite.
  • It is really fast when joining multiple tables no matter what type of join.
  • Works on pretty much same SQL scripts so no need to learn a new language!
  • Need to backup very frequently, I have lost my work many times.
  • No version for Mac users, [I believe this is a] big limitation.
  • The ability to handle large database and multiple users.
  • UI is easy to use but [I feel it] can be improved a lot.
Having worked at startups, I can say Microsoft Access is most suited for their needs. Some of the reasons for that can be the ease and ability to create tables, design an entity-relationship diagram, define the relationship between different tables, feeding data into the tables, and retrieving data. All of this can be curated very easily into a process for small to medium-size enterprises. But a serious limitation can be observed where Access does not provide better features for large-scale companies. Another limitation is for companies where Mac is used as work computers.
Peggi Wolfe | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I work in the global programs department at a state university. I am not an expert, I don't know coding, but I do have extensive experience with Microsoft Access. Microsoft Access is being used in our department for databases to keep data about attendance at events, services performed, club dues and fees, the department bank account, and department orders. (I don't know if anyone else at the university uses it; most use MS Excel). I not only use Microsoft Access in my current position, I also used it extensively in my previous position (medical researcher) and built for the department an orders database, cell storage and retrieval database and a database for shipments of standardized adult bone marrow stem cells in liquid nitrogen to researchers all over the world. I am the only one in our current department who knows how to use Microsoft Access and thus I'm the only one who uses it, but I use it for the benefit of the department by quickly pulling up information that has to be tracked for reports needed for grants that we work under and other types of information. I designed and created all the elements used in the databases, tables, forms, reports, and macros. I've input all the data from the different events, clubs, services, and departmental accounts. I recently created the orders database so that the person in our department who does the orders can quickly enter all the order information that is input into our university order system into the database and then quickly find specific info about those orders. I find Microsoft Access helps our department function more efficiently.


  • Generates information about department events, services, orders, etc. quickly and in report form.
  • Easy to design forms and reports with drag and drop components. You don't need to know coding.
  • The ability to link tables and queries to get all the info needed for forms and reports
  • Forms and reports are easy to customize and edit.
  • Easily report your data grouped and sorted by any field
  • Microsoft Access has not really changed at all for several years. It might be nice to see some upgrades and changes.
  • The help info is often not helpful. Need more tutorials for Microsoft Access to show how to do specific things.
  • Be careful naming objects such as tables, forms, etc. Names that are too long can get cut off in dialog boxes to choose a table, form, report, etc. So, I wish they would have resizable dialog boxes to allow you to see objects with long names.
  • I wish it could show me objects that are not in use in the database for current queries, tables, reports, forms, and macros. That way unused objects can be deleted without worrying about losing a report or query because you deleted the underlying object.
Microsoft Access is very well suited for collecting and organizing data in tables, and then using those tables to build relationships between tables using a common field, so you can build queries to find specific types of data over several related tables. Having a relational database is the best way to customize queries, forms, and reports. There are some built-in statistical or mathematical functions, which allow you to generate meaningful statistics to a certain degree. For generating reports and forms on specific related data, Microsoft Access is much better suited. It is less appropriate for statistical analysis, creating charts, and graphs. Microsoft Excel is much better for charts, graphs, and utilizing formulae and statistical functions to visually present data in graphic form.
Alicia Barevich, bCRE, bCEE | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 5 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We use [Microsoft] Access to manage our projects and sales contacts for our small book publishing company. It is the only source of data for the company, which only has a few employees. It tracks sales pipeline, payments, projects, royalties, and everything else. Reports, queries and forms are at the center of everything that happens in the company.
  • Fully customizable
  • Forms enable customized easy entry
  • Reports can solve pretty much any need
  • Mailmerge and emails can automate any task.
  • Very high learning curve
  • Hard to code complex reports without a ton of time and skill
  • No support resources for reporting help.
[Microsoft Access is] great that it's fully customizable, and doesn't require a monthly fee, but it is annoying that it's only usable on a local network. It is exceptionally difficult to code advanced reports that are exactly how we want them. I personally find Crystal Reports and most any other reporting system easier to make deeply complex reports.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We are using Microsoft Access for abstracting data [from] multiple data resources and creating different sorts of management presentations in forms of graphical and rationale outputs. There are various applications and databases linked with Microsoft Access tool in our organization including Excel, MS SharePoint and cloud storages. It has made [...] things easier in many ways as the data is being managed and reports are being generated in [an] automated way for large data as compared to looking up and abstracting for every input manually through VLOOKUPs and using numerous formulas. We are using MS Access in all of our departments across the company and users have access to the centralized domain as per their job roles through SSO.
  • Thorough management of data and files.
  • Data queries are conducted in snap of a time.
  • Easy and simple database solution with multiple outputs.
  • User friendly customization options.
  • Cannot be use on various non Microsoft platforms.
It is [...] well organized and easy to configure and use basic database platform with multiple functions. Data management for multiple resources and abstracting and query from large data is easy and fast with MS Access. The application is good to go for any organization for initial learnings of database management procedures at low cost.
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I personally prefer to use Microsoft Access over Excel for specific data analysis tasks. I find it easier and more effective to use to cross reference and/or combine differs sets of data. For example, I often have to analyze benefit enrollment data by different demographic characteristics.
  • Find matching data points from 2 different data sets
  • Find unmatched data points from 2 data sets
  • Amalgamate data ,any different data sets
  • A little clunky
  • Not very intuitive
  • Have to take time to format data in order to import/work within Microsoft Access
Good for combining data from different sources.
Niloofar Keshvari Nia | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We have been using Microsoft Access in creating simple and medium-sized projects for many years. It’s easy to use the DB management tool for creating business applications. MS Access [has been] used in our finance department for a long time. We use it along with Microsoft Visual Basic and its features when building new applications to build and develop better apps. The launch time of new applications has been greatly reduced and this has increased the efficiency of the work.
  • Default ready templates that you can use depending on the theme of your project
  • You do not need programming knowledge or DB science to work with it
  • Simple and attractive graphical interface that you can add everything you have in mind to your application features with a few clicks
  • Ability to easily connect and store data with Azure SQL and MySQL databases, will increasing security and work efficiency.
  • Although we know that Microsoft Access was created for small and simple projects, if Microsoft expands its capabilities, it [would be] very good. For example, the size limit of the database is currently 2GB or 200K records is very small.
  • Microsoft Access is not designed for multiple users at the same time and has limitations that must be considered.
  • Designed for Windows OS only and this is a serious limitation, many users use Macs and Apple products.
When you want to automate a simple project and need to launch an application or software for it, the tool used to build it must be simple and [efficient]. Microsoft Access is a good option because it is also a graphical environment. You do not need to be a developer or programmer. Ready-made templates and good graphical features get things done with just a few clicks.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
[Microsoft] Access is being used by various departments in the organization. I use it to combine databases with joins, such as combining data within 2 Excel files. It is very useful, because a lot of people at the company manually combine data, or use vlookup. Vlookup is good sometimes, but you only get the first occurrence of the match, whereas doing a join in Access lets you get all matches so you can decide what needs to be kept
  • Easy to use, and nearly limitless potential
  • Fast when joining data sets, whether you are doing inner, outer, full or self joins
  • Widely used software. Just about every company uses Access, or at least has it installed
  • When joining data, if there could be a way to add columns for matches, instead of adding rows
[Microsoft] Access is well suited for building data input forms. It is easy to create a form that anyone can use to input data in specific formats. The data then can be modified.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Microsoft Access is being used in selective departments as of now [...] but is [...] being used in almost all branches of our company. We have data coming in from multiple sources, and Microsoft Access makes it really easy to collate and format the data [...] so that it can be processed into usable forms.
  • Easy integration
  • User-friendly
  • Very easy to use
  • Sometimes files get corrupted
  • Backups are often required
  • Slows down the system
Although Microsoft Access may have a few shortcomings, [...] the pros [really] outweigh them and make this a perfect choice for a database management software. The user interface is fairly simple and can be used by anyone, with minimal or zero knowledge about SQL. It is also easy to learn and grasp if you're just getting started with database management.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We use Microsoft Access to backlog data and information for our entire company. Microsoft Access helps keep information in a concise location for easy reference. This way, we don't have to spend hours going through filing cabinets or folders when looking for old information.
  • Stores Data
  • Groups Data for Easy Reference
  • User-Friendly
  • Marketing
  • Customer Outreach
  • IT
Microsoft Access is great for scenarios in which you have a vast amount of records/information to store. For example, we have thousands of backlogged bid proposals to different GCs for several projects. Trying to maintain all of these files in a filing cabinet or even an Excel spreadsheet would be nearly impossible. Microsoft Access makes it possible.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
For a long time, we used Microsoft Access [for] many [in-house] applications from engineering requests to IT Assets[,] etc. Over time, we migrated many of [these applications] to MS SQL server or the cloud. However, we continue to use MS Access with ODCB Data as MS Access provide[s] a quick way to build fully functional applications with the least amount of effort.
  • Quickly build forms and reports
  • Easy user interface with familiar tools
  • Least amount of programming
  • Multi-user support
  • Useful features are often removed from newer versions
Simple applications that do not require [a] huge amount of data storage.
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Microsoft Access is available to all employees through our Enterprise subscription to Office 365. Access is extremely powerful and a life saver when it comes to working with data, but it can be a bit intimidating at first to get to know.

I was able to self-teach myself the basics of the program and was able to find another power-user of the program at my university to help answer specific questions I had come up about linking to data sources on campus.
  • Matching/combining data from two or more sources. (I.e. data from a central student information system and information received from a department-made submission form
  • Finding errors between two datasets
  • Saving time when used properly instead of Microsoft Excel
  • Generally high learning curve for new users. Especially if they are not comfortable with technology.
  • Desktop only program; not available in web-format like other O365 products
  • Fewer experienced users, means it's a lot of self-teaching and troubleshooting when you run into an issue
My person recommendation is a 10 for the product!!! I love it and it is a life saver if you work with a lot of data.
However, I rated this an 8 overall because of the Learning curve and limited number of expienced users able to help with questions.
Definitely take the risk to try and learn it though. You won't regret it!
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We use Microsoft Access for low code, relational database applications where users are creating, reading, updating, and deleting data (CRUD). Access provides SQL implementation and relational database functionality in a somewhat easy-to-use environment which makes it superb to excel for data management activities. The benefits to access are that is locally stored and a standalone applications with a easy-to-user interface which makes it hard to compete against. Likewise, due to the underlying SQL and relational database architecture, it tends to handle larger sets of data much better than Microsoft Excel.
  • Rapid-application Development
  • Data Entry / Data Management
  • Local Data Management
  • Old SQL Engine (It would be great to use T-SQL Syntax!)
  • Old Forms Builder (update WYSIWYG forms builder)
  • No Cloud-based option
  • Microsoft Access is great for local low code, relational database applications where users are creating, reading, updating, and deleting data (CRUD)..
  • Access provides SQL implementation and relational database functionality in a easy-to-use environment which makes it superb to excel for data management activities.
  • Useful mostly for locally stored database and not network or cloud-based applications
  • Easy-to-user interface makes it hard to compete against
  • The underlying SQL and relational database architecture handles larger sets of data much better than Microsoft Excel.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Microsoft Access is being used in our organization as organized data access tool from databases of different functions of organization to abstract graphical reports and information distribution. We usually get data and records from different resources and use MS Access to format and compile gathered data in presenting manner. We are using Microsoft Access in IT and Engineering departments of the organization and have benefitted by this easy to use and comprehensive data access tool.
  • [Microsoft] Access can be linked directly with other Microsoft applications to get all sort of data formats.
  • Easy configuration and interface
  • Can easily import and compile data from different resources.
  • Not ideally perfect for large databases.
Microsoft Access is a decent and productive data access and analysis tool and can be well suited for small to medium sized organization. It can manage normal databases very effectively and generate business value reports for the enterprises. It is not an ideal option for the organizations with larger databases.
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Access is generally not used for core ICT solutions. It is used for 1) local solutions, 2) reporting solutions, 3) prototypes/temporary solutions pending a corporate solution.
  • All-in-one solutions (dashboard, data entry, reports/queries, relational data).
  • As much/little business logic and automation as required.
  • Can easily be tailored to specific needs of departments/individuals.
  • Can interact directly with corporate databases (e.g. SQL).
  • The need for each user to have their own instance of the front end is an obstacle to more widespread use.
  • Graphs/charts still seem more difficult to implement than they should be.
Well suited: local solutions, reporting solutions, prototype/temporary solutions (e.g. if ICT doesn't have time to build a UI but data collection needs to start now). Less appropriate: 1) more than a handful of users of the particular solution, 2) amateur developers, 3) access required over the www.
Joe Gill | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Many different use cases can be applied to Microsoft Access. More recently we have been using this to perform automatic joins when the input files will not change. This will eliminate the need for end users to utilize vlookups as they would normally. Since these types of joins can happen at any level of the organization, we are using access for the more localized locations where network connectivity isn't available and they can rely on a local database structure.
  • Combining files
  • Search large datasets quickly
  • Roll out to single or multiple locations with limited ease and implementation cost
  • Scalability between different versions
  • 2GB Size limit before SQL migration needed
  • Lack of availability to access via the web without SharePoint
  • Corruption of files can happen, leading to VB being erased. Frequent backups are needed
Can be utilized for large and small tasks, just depends on the use case. If the goal is to create a user frieldly front end for a SQL Database, this is the way to go. The size limitations can become an issue down the road, only if the system is not setup efficiently.
March 15, 2021

Teaching with Access

Balázs Kiss | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We use Microsoft Access in some of our projects, and for educational purposes mainly. The graphical interface seems to help students understand RDBMS concepts a bit easier, and also allows quick database design. This is a nice tool for smaller projects and bigger products as well - being able to download it from the cloud and part of Office 365 makes it an excellent candidate for "first database".
  • Graphical interface makes design easier.
  • Good introduction for database design concepts.
  • GUI allows less room for errors.
  • Concurrent users accessing a database makes it really slow.
  • Requires Windows, and Office.
For educational purposes, creating and maintaining an Access database can be a good introduction for new learners. The GUI allows to visualize RDBMS concepts like table, connections, queries. Non-programmer personnel can understand how this math model works without writing SQL, but also allows a smooth transition from WYSIWYG to SQL-based commands.
January 21, 2021

Microsoft Access Views

Daren Anderson, MSIS | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
ResellerIncentivized
We use it to quickly work with data and pull out required information for our customers. it is being used across the whole organization as well as with particular customers.
  • Easy to work with.
  • Easy to learn.
  • Easy to convert to SQL if the need arises.
  • Would be nice to be able to work with larger databases.
  • Certain features have changed over the years - sometimes hard to follow.
If you are working with a small company with 20 or less workstations, it would be an excellent way to share data; but if you get to be over the 30 user mark, then you need to look at something higher end like SQL. If you are a small operation and need to quickly parse some data or change it in some way, Access is the way to go.
Che Odom | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
It is used departmentally for our sales and marketing team to track our client and project history in lieu of previously using Salesforce. The business need that it addresses is creating an accurate and inexpensive database for that team to track our historical projects and clients, and track current pursuits and sales.
  • It is inexpensive compared to other database options.
  • It is versatile. You can create databases in almost any category, area, market sector, and industry.
  • It lets you customize it, and you are able to create custom input forms and reports.
  • Well, it requires a lot more training or research than other more "intuitive" Microsoft products.
  • The buildout of custom reports is highly complex, and I think that area, in particular, could be more intuitive.
  • Queries can be difficult to develop if you don't know the right language or terminology, and I think that those terms could be better visible in the ribbon.
It is best used when you want a database to track historical data with a lot of inputs and relationships. A great example is tracking information on construction projects: you can input all the information that you have about a particular historical project, about pursuits that you are tracking, etc. (the same could be said for any sales area actually), then easily pull specific types of historical information for current proposals and pursuits. That is what I use it for.
Thairy Ollarves | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Microsoft Access is being used only by a department of the company, which is responsible for working with the information databases. It has not presented problems.
The grouping of data in an organized way adapts to the company designed a set of real strategies aimed at improving the profitability of the company. To date, the results have been positive because since they agreed it was implemented, the company's profit has improved. Microsoft Access adapts well in departments where databases do not have much content, or where we do not have to have completed programs or require working with many variables. It is a program that has all the work tools required by the organization to function properly and fulfill the planned tasks.
  • Ability to manage all information
  • Tables to store data
  • Consult to search and retrieve only the data you need
  • Forms to view, add and update or analyze the internet data
  • Volume of data or users
  • Among its biggest drawbacks are that it is not multiplatform
Access is graphical, so it takes full advantage of the graphical power of Windows, offering usual methods of access to data and provides simple and direct methods of working with information. It also facilitates the administration of data, since its possibilities of consultation and connection help you to quickly find the desired information, whatever its format or storage location. If you want a more robust database, for larger environments, although a little more complicated you can use MYSQL. It's free if it is for internal or personal systems, and with a small payment you can distribute it.
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We get data from a lot of different sources for reporting purposes. MS Access helps us bring the data files into a proper relational table structure, link it and output it for reporting purposes. In other cases, it is used as our query and reporting tool linked with our data warehouse kept in SQL Server. In such cases, MS Access is used as a middle layer of data manipulation before pushing it to Excel for data visualisation.
  • Imports data from almost every common data format. Custom import specification allows more flexibility.
  • Excellent forms and report writer together query designer. Complete collection of tools in one place.
  • VBA allows complex manipulation of data and automating it to cut down repetitive work.
  • Data in MS Access can be linked directly with MS Excel, combing the powers of data management in MS Access and data visualisation in MS Excel.
  • Overall capacity, such as file size (currently 2GB max) and the number of fields allowed (currently 255) needs to be increased.
  • Needs significant enhancement to address file bloating issues.
  • It's an excellent RAD tool. Haven't been overhauled in the last 10 years or so. It's about time that Microsoft commit more resources to this brilliant product

MS Access is excellent for setting up a small scale database or to simply import data and run VBA script to automate data manipulation tasks. It's also an excellent tool to link with enterprise-level data warehouses usually kept in Oracle or MS SQL Server. In such cases MS Access simple acts as a frontend tool that can query data. You can create professional reports for publishing data.

MS Access tends to fall short while handling bigger datasets that have more than a few million records. The processing time, especially when run from a network drive can be very slow compared to running on your local machine. The file size in such cases is also a limitation. Although that limitation can be overcome using multiple backend data files it does require a bit of routine maintenance.

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