Is MS Access right for me

G

Greenthumb

I have a small service company and would like to develop some applications
for my use. Would you please advise me about which Microsoft office version
to purchase and where I might find the best price? I would like to use ACCESS
for program development. Will I also need to purchase VBA or is it included
with the office package?

Thanks in advance!
 
T

Todd Shillam

Access performs well for less than 20-30 concurrent users. If you are
building a client-only application (just for yourself), then Access should
work just fine (I like 2003 myself). If you are building a client/server
application that includes a back-end database and client application (also
called a front-end), then you need to do a little homework. You should check
and find out what version(s) of Microsoft Access your co-workers have
whereas everyone should ideally use the same version, but it isn't
necessarily required. Regarding your question about VBA, if you have
Microsoft Access installed, you're good to go--its not a separate product or
application; its part of Microsoft Office products. Regarding price, can't
help you there.

Best regards,

Todd
 
G

Greenthumb

Todd;

Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me. There doesn't seem to be any
software available for what my needs are. I've searched the internet and have
asked around with other folks in my profession and they don't know of a good
package.

Initially, my requirement are as following.

create a customer data base, service type data base and a customer services
data base. Basically, I'd like to track the different services each customer
has, the schedule of the service, print work orders for the routes and then
capture information when the service is complete for static purposed. Most
clients have at least one service done weekly and then other services are
based on season of the year. Obiviously, most customers don't subscribe to
all of the services, so I'd like to be able to see when things are to be
scheduled and for whom.

The application would be run on my office Dell computer using the "MS XP
home edition. I will be the only user and will use the Access data base for
storing the information.

If the application works well for me, perhaps in the future I might be able
to market it.

Thank again for your time and the information.
 
T

Todd Shillam

Ok...so you want to create a client-only application (including database
tables). If so, then Microsoft Access is a viable option. Given your
description, I would say that Microsoft Access is very well suited and
capable to meet your need whereas it is capable of building relational
tables to store data; moreover, Microsoft Access also provides integrated
tools to build a user interface.

Best regards,

Todd
 
G

Greenthumb

Todd Shillam said:
Ok...so you want to create a client-only application (including database
tables). If so, then Microsoft Access is a viable option. Given your
description, I would say that Microsoft Access is very well suited and
capable to meet your need whereas it is capable of building relational
tables to store data; moreover, Microsoft Access also provides integrated
tools to build a user interface.

Best regards,

Todd
Click to expand...
 
J

John Vinson

Todd;

Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me. There doesn't seem to be any
software available for what my needs are. I've searched the internet and have
asked around with other folks in my profession and they don't know of a good
package.

Initially, my requirement are as following.
Click to expand...

Just to agree with Todd: Access is quite capable of doing this for
you, and with a bit of help up the rather steep learning curve,
there's no reason you shouldn't be able to use Access to build it.

You're not likely to find your application all written ready to go;
Access isn't a program for running small businesses, any more than a
lumberyard is a supplier of custom-built houses - but like the
lumberyard it's got all the components you need to assemble what you
need. We'll be glad to help; or there are folks here who design such
systems for a living, and would be willing to make you a proposal on
being asked.

John W. Vinson[MVP]
 
V

Van T. Dinh

Access is fine for what you need. However, you need to consider the effort
and time you need to invest to have a workable database. Unlike Word and
similar software packages where you can just jump in and start typing,
Access _will need_ some development effort and your valuable time. Unless
you are familiar with Access (or even when you are ...), the development
costs (i.e. your time) may be much more expensive than buying a 3rd-party
ready-made package. Some of these packages allow certain modifications to
suit your needs. Put it this way: I a potential client asking for a fairly
standard accounting system, I would recommend a ready-mande accounting
software package rather than developing one.

I would recommend you have a look-around for some small CRM pakages and see
if any of them is suitable for your need.

Note: I am not degrading Word or similar since Word has lots of features
that need to be learnt to be efficient in Word.

--
HTH
Van T. Dinh
MVP (Access)
 
M

M.L. Sco Scofield

John,

I love your lumberyard analogy. I've never seen you use it before. Can I
steal it?

Sco

M.L. "Sco" Scofield, Microsoft Access MVP, MCSD, MCP, MSS, A+
Denver Area Access Users Group Communications Director www.DAAUG.org
MS Colorado Events Administrator www.MSColoradoEvents.com
Useful Metric Conversion #18 of 19: 8 nickels = 2 paradigms (My personal
favorite)
Miscellaneous Access and VB "stuff" at www.ScoBiz.com
 
J

John Vinson

John,

I love your lumberyard analogy. I've never seen you use it before. Can I
steal it?
Click to expand...

Sure! All my posts are free for the taking (unless I put on a
copyright notice). © John W. Vinson 2005, all rights reserved

John W. Vinson[MVP]
 
D

Dirk Goldgar

John Vinson said:
Sure! All my posts are free for the taking (unless I put on a
copyright notice). © John W. Vinson 2005, all rights reserved

John W. Vinson[MVP]
Click to expand...

So that post is copyright, then? <G>
 
G

Greenthumb

I have to agree with the experts - but. I do currently use quickbooks pro for
my finanical side of the business. However, it does not offer a means to
define services for each client, schedule services, print work orders, store
detailed information concerning the completed work, etc. My searching of the
internet and seeking information concerning packages for this industry with
my fellow competitors has not yielded a solution to date. Therefore, knowing
that it would take considerable time on my part to attempt to develop my own
application, I have an interest to at least taking a shot at it. It's
possible that I determine after getting into the project, that I made the
wrong decision to pursue it on my own rather that seeking professionals to
develop it for me.

I welcome information on what books or where I can get information
concerning programming in Access. Also, do most agree that Access 2003 is the
version to go with?

Any other helpful information will be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Harold
 
M

M.L. Sco Scofield

Thanks John.

Sco

M.L. "Sco" Scofield, Microsoft Access MVP, MCSD, MCP, MSS, A+
Denver Area Access Users Group Communications Director www.DAAUG.org
MS Colorado Events Administrator www.MSColoradoEvents.com
Useful Metric Conversion #18 of 19: 8 nickels = 2 paradigms (My personal
favorite)
Miscellaneous Access and VB "stuff" at www.ScoBiz.com
 
T

Tony Toews

Greenthumb said:
Initially, my requirement are as following.

create a customer data base, service type data base and a customer services
data base. Basically, I'd like to track the different services each customer
has, the schedule of the service, print work orders for the routes and then
capture information when the service is complete for static purposed. Most
clients have at least one service done weekly and then other services are
based on season of the year. Obiviously, most customers don't subscribe to
all of the services, so I'd like to be able to see when things are to be
scheduled and for whom.
Click to expand...

FWIW there is a dispatch system at my website you can download and
review. Not exactly what you want but fairly close. It doesn't do
scheduling.

http://www.granite.ab.ca/dispatch/

Anyhow feel free to review it and steal ideas for your own app.

Tony

--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
 
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