There are actually three separate learning curves you'll want to consider in
deciding if MS Access is the tool to help you.
First, Access, unlike Word or Excel, is a tool you'll use to build an
application. Word and Excel are tools/applications you use to do something
most folks aready know how to do (i.e, write text, add numbers, ...).
Learning how to use the Access features and functions can take some time.
Next, Access is a relational database. If you don't grok "normalization" or
"relational database", you'll need to be more comfortable with these before
you can get good use of the features/functions (they "expect" relational
data, not 'sheet data).
Finally, the applications you build with Access, to be used, must be useful.
Users don't really care about all of the above, they're just interested in
getting THEIR jobs done. "Easy ... is HARD!" If you don't understand user
interface design, you may still be able to build something, but if the users
don't find it friendly and bullet-proof, they won't use it.
Good luck!
Regards
Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP
