1) An efficient, easy and accessible way of creating relational databases

Microsoft Access allows one to create relational databases in an efficient and expedient manner. Getting started in Access is very simple and quick, once one has mastered the relational database theory needed to create a relational database, one simply has to open Access in order to get started creating tables and relationships. There is no additional software, system resources, or IT professionals needed to help with the installation of components like there are with other database management systems.

2) The learning curve is not as difficult for Access, as it is for other DBMS packages

There are many database management systems on the market that allow one to create powerful databases. One can find both open source and paid industry-level database management systems. However, the learning curve, in order to master using these systems, can be quite complex and time-consuming. If one has decided that a career as a database administrator or developer is one’s aim, then as a student or someone learning relational database theory, Access is a great place to get started and one can easily master the theory without being overwhelmed by the actual package itself. Once one has mastered all the skills and theories needed to create databases in Access, one can adapt to more industrial-level packages since one has already mastered the foundation-level concepts.

3) The user interface is the familiar Office interface

Often when distributing databases, end users can be put off by or alienated by unfamiliar user interfaces. The advantage of designing and distributing a database developed in Access is that end-users or other developers who want to work on or update the database, will not be alienated by the interface. The interface has all the elements of the Office standard software as well as some of the familiar shortcut keys such as CTRL-S for saving and CTRL-Z for undoing. Often what stops the adoption and usage of database-centered applications and applications in general, is an unfamiliar user interface, so with Access databases, one is unlikely to encounter that particular issue.

4) Functional Form and Report Creation Ability

Forms are attractive front-end interfaces that you can create in Access for data entry and a multitude of other purposes and functionality. In most cases, for example, one would not want to allow end-users direct access to the back-end tables that make up the fundamental and critical units of the database, so one can use front-end data entry forms that allow the user to only enter data in certain tables for this purpose. One can also create navigation forms and other types of application-centric forms of Access. You can also format these forms quite extensively and add conditional formatting, charts, pictures, web browser controls, and a variety of other features to the forms you create.

Reports, on the other hand, allow one to display data from your tables or calculated fields in a printable manner, as with forms, reports can be customized and displayed in a multitude of ways in Access. In fact form, design, and report creation in Access is quite an exciting topic all on its own. Form design and report creation, is really where the advantages of using Access for data database creation and data analysis become quite evident. A database administrator can, for example, using Access Reports, create printable reports and documents to show management the top customers, regions, and sales amounts from one’s tables on a monthly basis.

Learn more: MS Access

Additional info: Microsoft GCC

Regards, Bruce