Hi Neil,
Outlook Express only includes the capability to send & receive e-mail and
newsgroup messages. I'm not sure how you would use OE to monitor client
activity.
Outlook includes a calendar, contacts, tasks and notes, so it could possibly
be used in this capacity, depending on the requirements of the end user (your
boss, in this case....If you don't believe me, it's because you're not
married yet <big grin>). However, I think it would be a tall order to do
invoices and quotes using Outlook.
Is Access the best application for such a diary? I hesitate to say that any
particular software product is the *best* for a given task. It is certainly a
great product, with RAD (rapid application development) capabilities. It all
depends on the familiarity of the developer with the tools that they have
available.
You originally asked people to suggest a task, suitable for a beginner but
nothing too complex, a simple database with various tables, forms, reports
etc. An application to monitor clients, prepare invoices and quotes, etc. is
certainly doable in Access and should not be too difficult. The best way to
start learning is to just dig in and get started. I'm sure you already know
from our past e-mails that the best way to start is with a pencil, a sheet of
paper and a good erasure. Create your database design on paper first, before
attempting to use any RDBMS software to implement the design. A big mistake,
in my opinion, is "just-in-time" database design, accomplished by opening
Access and just creating tables and other objects without a clear overview of
how everything is related.
I'm now in the process of learning how to use Visio Professional 2003 to
create database designs, so I guess paper and pencil is no longer a true
requirement. Visio has a really cool reverse engineering capability, which
allows one to pull in the design for JET, SQL Server, and many other types of
databases. However, I have to say that I was rather disappointed when I
learned that I need the Enterprise edition to create a new database. Oh, if I
only had an MSDN subscription....
Tom
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:
Tom,
Do you think MS Access will be the best application for such a "diary?" I
told her to just use Outlook Express, but she wants to sort it so that
invoices and quotes etc are ran automatically.....
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:
Neil,
How about a database for a freelance make-up artiste, who wants to monitor
her clients, etc....a kinda diary? <smile> If you are the same Neil
Greenough that I've been corresponding with for several months by private
e-mail, it seems like you have the perfect incentive to create such a
database.
From 4/25/05 private e-mail message:
"Just spoken to my girlfriend though, who said she's using Outlook Express
newsgroups and tried to reply to a post in the thread. She was wondering why
I am always on the internet and so I was showing her the database. Anyway,
she's kinda keen on MS Access now and so is trying to play about with it. She
wanted me to harrass you with questions but I've told her you're all mine.
She's a freelance make-up artiste and wants to design a DB to monitor her
clients etc....a kinda diary."
Tom
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:
I am currently trying my best to get used to using MS Access. I am wondering
if anybody could set me some sort of task to have a go at doing. Remember I
am beginner and so nothing too complex, but just a simple database with
various tables, forms, reports etc..... It would be even better if somebody
would want one for real and could give me a real task.
Post your request in a reply back to this posting.
