An Ez Software Review of
Microsoft Access 2010

Rating: *** (3.5/5)

Microsoft Access is one of the most popular database programs in the world. The Access database is part of the Microsoft Office suite. The Access database is easy to install and most users are able to create databases that utilize tables, forms and reports fairly quick. Access 2010 is easier to publixh to the web, has improved micros for complex tasks and calculations, plus the familiar interface makes it easy to navigate.

The major strength of Access is its wizards, which help your create and manage your Access databases. Even the novice user can build a working database in very little time. The Form Wizard makes creating data entry forms a snap. Simply select the data fields to be included on the form, the look you want for the form, and the form style. Once you select “Finish”, you’re ready to enter your data.

Once you’ve entered some data, you use queries and reports to view and analyze your data. Queries help you to retrieve the exact data your looking for. You enter the criteria for Access to use in collecting the data. This is usually a subset of all the data. For example, you can retrieve information for a specific range of dates, a specific zip code or amount of dollars. The wizards help you step by step to select the specific information you need.

With a little experience, you can use the Design mode to create your own queries. This is done graphically or by using SQL statements. While queries collect the information from the databases, Reports let you present the data in some meaningful way. For example, you can create a query to gather all your sales between the first and last day of the month. However, using the Report Wizard, you can choose how to sort and group the data. For example, you can get all the sales, by zip code for a specific product. All reports and queries can be saved and used as needed.

Access includes some basic form templates, which you will want to customize. Access also publishes your database files to your web or intranet. However, you will have to make sure the Data Access Controls/Objects and Microsoft Office Web Components are installed on your website in order to view your data.

Using Access modules and macros, you can create some advanced procedures. Modules are small sets of program code that run within Access to collect and manipulate information from your database. A subset of the Visual Basic language is used to create these modules. Macros are simple commands that you can create to do a specific task like searching for specific information within your database.

Microsoft will help you install and setup Access at no charge. However, one drawback for Microsoft Access is the cost of support. Once Access is installed, you can basically make two support requests via phone, web or email without charge. However, after that you will be charged for each support request you make.

To summarize, Access 2010's new features make it the most polished version yet. However, it is not the app that sells Office 2010... Word and Excel is what sells Office 2010. It is not as easy to use as FileMaker Pro or even Intuit's Quickbase. If you're a long time Access user, you will find the new features to be an overall improvement due. If you are not an Access fan, there are several competitors who offer a lot of the same features without the SharePoint dependency. Filemaker Pro is the best for non-programmers, and Alpha Five still has the edge among programmers.