MS Access As A Dev Tool
Access continues to be a highly efficient tool for business database development.
Call (323) 285-0939 Call (323) 285-0939 Microsoft Access Programmer Arlington, Virginia
Microsoft Access Programmer Services In Arlington, VA
MS Access Solutions Has 25+ Years Of Hands-On Microsoft Access Development Experience
If your Access database in Arlington feels slow, fragile, or one click away from breaking, we can steady it quickly. We fix corruption, repair forms and reports that randomly stop working, and untangle record-locking issues that pop up when several people are in the file at the same time. Here's a real pattern we see: a small consulting office near Rosslyn tracking projects in Access plus three spreadsheets. By mid-afternoon, reports crawl. Someone clicks Run, nothing happens, and everyone waits. We clean up the queries, add the right indexes, and tighten the VBA so those reports run in seconds again. Need new features? We build practical dashboards, data entry screens, and automation that cuts re-keying. And when your data has outgrown a single Access file, we keep the familiar Access front end and move the tables to SQL Server for speed and reliability. Call (323) 285-0939 for a free consultation.
Access Programmer In Arlington, VA
MS Access Solutions
Microsoft Access
Microsoft Access is still a strong fit for many Arlington workflows - intake tracking, compliance logs, inventory, scheduling, and internal reporting. If you like practical tips, jump to our Access Tech Talk how-tos and real-world explanations. We provide Microsoft Access programming for organizations in Arlington, VA and across the DC metro area.
Access + SQL Server
When your data and user count grow, the best move is often a hybrid build: keep Access as the front end, store data in SQL Server, and connect cleanly with ODBC. You get better speed, better concurrency, and a safer path for backups and permissions - without rewriting everything from scratch.
Access Repair
Access databases don't usually “just break.” They degrade: links go stale, tables bloat, queries get slower, and one day the file starts throwing errors. We diagnose the cause, repair corruption, tighten relationships, rebuild indexes, and tune problem queries so the database stops feeling fragile.
VBA, Forms & Reports
Many Access systems rely on years of layered VBA written to solve immediate problems. Over time, that code gets harder to follow, harder to modify, and easier to break.
We step through the logic line by line, keep what still serves a purpose, and remove what no longer belongs. Then we tighten the forms and reports so users stop waiting on clicks and exports.
We step through the logic line by line, keep what still serves a purpose, and remove what no longer belongs. Then we tighten the forms and reports so users stop waiting on clicks and exports.
Microsoft Access Help For Businesses In Arlington
Arlington has no shortage of large businesses, small businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and government agencies - consulting offices, associations, contractors, and internal groups inside larger agencies. When the database behind a critical process starts misbehaving, the work doesn't just slow down. It stalls. People start exporting to Excel "just for today," and that temporary workaround becomes the daily routine.
MS Access Solutions helps Arlington organizations repair and modernize Microsoft Access systems without forcing a painful rebuild. More than once, we have been called in after a routine month-end report froze halfway through printing, leaving people unsure whether the numbers they were seeing could be trusted. We can fix broken forms and reports, stabilize multi-user performance, and clean up data so it stops duplicating and drifting. If the file is reaching its limit, we can upsize the data to SQL Server and keep Access as the familiar interface.
Not sure what's really wrong? We'll review your database and show you what we see - query bottlenecks, bloated tables, missing indexes, shaky imports, or VBA that's doing too much. You'll get a clear plan, realistic priorities, and options that fit your budget and timeline. Still nervous every time someone clicks the report button?
We Are Your Microsoft Access Database Experts
The Best Microsoft Access Database Solutions owner, consultant, and principal programmer is Alison Balter - a recognized expert Microsoft Access consultant. Alison is the author of 15 Microsoft Access training books and videos. She is a frequent guest speaker at MS Access conferences and has developed hundreds of applications for businesses of all types.
We know your business data is important. We isten to your concerns, ask clarifying questions, and gather input from the people who use the system every day. Together we define what you need from your database, why certain features matter, and how staff actually works. From there we design the right table structure, queries, forms, dashboards, and reports so you get a stable system that supports real-world decision making.
Microsoft Access & SQL Server Applications Built For You
At MS Access Solutions, our entire focus is Microsoft Access and related technologies. You are not handed off to short-term contractors or shuffled between departments. From the first discovery call through design, development, and long-term support, you work with senior programmers who learn your database, understand how your staff uses it, and stay with your project as it grows.
We build, repair, and improve Microsoft Access applications for businesses in Arlington and throughout Virginia. Often that means keeping the familiar Access front end your staff already knows, while moving data into SQL Server for speed and reliability. For example, we helped a professional services firm retire a maze of spreadsheets and replace it with a single job-tracking system. Data entry became faster, deadlines were clearer, and progress reports stopped being a weekly fire drill.
When you need secure online access, we design ASP.NET applications that connect directly to SQL Server. Staff can review and update records from the office, home, or field without emailing spreadsheets around. Role-based logins and structured permissions keep sensitive information protected while still being available to the people who need it.
Clients choose us because we specialize in Microsoft Access solutions that are practical, maintainable, and built for everyday use. Our goal is to support your operations, improve reporting, and give you room to grow without forcing you into a one-size-fits-all platform or a complete system rewrite.
- Custom Microsoft Access databases built around your real-world workflow
- Streamlined forms, queries, and reports that reduce clicks and confusion
- VBA automation that removes repetitive manual steps and common data errors
- Access + SQL Server architectures for better performance and scalability
- Data cleanup, consolidations, and upgrades from older Access versions
- Performance tuning, indexing, and multi-user setups for reliable, shared use
- Role-based security and permission management for sensitive information
- Integration with Excel, SharePoint, Microsoft 365, and Power BI dashboards
- Ongoing support and maintenance to keep your application running smoothly
Example Projects
Corporate Database
Microsoft Access front end with SQL Server back-end database
Access Forms Development
Access data entry form connected to a SQL Server back-end database
Accounting Company
ASP.NET website with SQL Server back-end database
Corporate Reports
Microsoft Access reporting solution built on top of SQL Server
Clients Love Our Work
Sheldon Bloch, Oil and Gas Company
Alison from MS Access Solutions has provided both
training and mentoring services to us over the past several years. Our developers use Alison Balter's books on programming with Microsoft Access as a desk reference. They have provided our staff members with much-needed training in Visual Basic, client/server development, SQL Server, and Microsoft Access. This has helped us ensure that our
employees keep up with evolving technologies. MS Access Solutions has also provided mentoring on an as-needed basis, giving our in-house programmers the expertise they need to
overcome tough challenges. More Reviews
Lisa Dosch, Motion Picture Editors Guild - Local 700
Alison Balter at MS Access Solutions developed the application that helps us properly service all of our members. This program handles billing, payments, tracking of jobs worked, available list, and other important data
about our members. The system automates many tasks that were previously performed manually, allowing our employees to use their time more effectively. This client/server system is used by employees in multiple offices
and has proven to be stable and dependable. MS Access Solutions worked with us on specifications and design, then programmed, tested, and implemented the application throughout our organization. More Reviews
Contact Details
When you need a truly expert Microsoft Access database development company to design and develop your mission-critical custom database, contact MS Access Solutions.
- Phone: (323) 285-0939
- Office Hours: Mon - Fri : 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Get In Touch
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Microsoft Access Tech Talk
How Access Databases Drift Out Of Alignment Over Time
Call MS Access Solutions at (323) 285-0939 for your FREE consultation.
Question: Why Do Microsoft Access Databases Drift Out Of Alignment Over Time?
Answer: Most Access databases do not fail because one person made one bad change. They drift. A form is tweaked for a special case, a query is copied to avoid breaking a report, a new field is added for a one-time request, and nobody circles back to make sure the rest of the database still agrees with the new reality. The file still opens, but the rules inside it no longer match how work actually happens.
How Microsoft Access Databases Drift Out Of Alignment Over Time
Most Microsoft Access databases do not break because of one bad change. They drift. The system continues to open, forms still load, and reports still run, but the internal logic slowly moves out of sync with how the business actually works.
Drift usually begins with reasonable decisions. A form is adjusted to handle a special case. A query is copied to avoid disrupting an existing report. A field is added to solve an immediate problem without revisiting how it affects downstream calculations. None of these changes are wrong in isolation. Over time, however, they accumulate.
As drift increases, users start compensating. They rerun reports because totals look off. They export data to Excel just to double-check. Someone learns which screen to avoid, or which button to click only after saving. Those habits spread quietly, and the database becomes something people work around instead of rely on.
What makes drift especially risky in Access is how tightly objects are connected. A small change in a table can affect multiple queries, which feed multiple forms and reports. VBA can add another layer of logic that is hard to see without tracing it. When the original developer is gone and documentation is thin, staff hesitate to touch anything, so drift keeps accumulating.
Stabilization starts by mapping today's flow: where data enters, where rules are enforced, where calculations occur, and where logic has been duplicated by copy-paste. Once the flow is clear, you can simplify safely, remove conflicting logic, and make the database reflect current business rules again. After decades working inside Access databases, Alison Balter often finds that the fastest improvement comes from aligning the rules, not rebuilding the entire application.
Arlington, Virginia - Frequently Asked Questions
Question: What Should We Check First When An Access Database Starts Feeling Slow?
Answer: We start with the basics that usually matter most: file layout, network path, and whether the database is split into a local front end and shared back end. If multiple people are opening the same front end file on a shared drive, performance and stability both suffer. Once the architecture is correct, we tune the worst queries and reports, then add or correct indexes so screens and output return fast.
Question: Why Do Multi-User Problems Show Up After The Database Has Worked Fine For A While?
Answer: Multi-user issues often appear after growth: more records, more users, and heavier reporting running during busy hours. Queries that once ran quickly can start holding locks longer, and forms may save edits in ways that increase conflicts. Stabilizing multi-user behavior usually means tightening query scope, correcting save patterns, and confirming each user runs a local front end.
Question: How Can We Prevent Duplicate Records From Imports Or Copy-Paste Entry?
Answer: Duplicates are easiest to stop at the table level by enforcing the right primary keys, unique indexes, and validation rules. Then we adjust imports so exceptions are flagged and reviewed instead of silently accepted. If you need near-duplicate detection, we can add matching logic that catches common variations without blocking legitimate entries.
Question: Is An ACCDE A Good Idea For Deployment In A Shared Office?
Answer: Often, yes. An ACCDE helps prevent accidental design edits and reduces the chance that one change breaks forms, reports, or VBA for everyone. It also encourages a cleaner update process where new versions of the front end are distributed intentionally. We can recommend when ACCDE makes sense for your setup and how to manage updates without disrupting daily work.
Question: What Is The Safest Approach For Backups And Corruption Risk?
Answer: The safest setup keeps the front end local and the back end in a stable shared location with automated backups. We also review conditions that raise corruption risk, such as unreliable network paths, long-running write operations, and file sharing conflicts. If your database is business-critical, we will outline a backup and recovery routine that is simple enough to follow consistently.
Question: We Updated Office. Why Did The Database Start Acting Strange?
Answer: Office upgrades can expose missing references, older VBA declarations, and controls that behave differently across versions. Sometimes the database was already fragile, and the upgrade simply made the problem visible. We audit references, compile and test cleanly, and confirm the database behaves consistently on the Office versions you actually run.
Question: When Does It Make Sense To Upsize To SQL Server Instead Of Staying In Access?
Answer: Upsizing is worth considering when concurrency, reliability, security, or data volume is beyond what a single Access back end should handle. The good news is you can usually keep Access as the front end so users retain familiar screens and reports. We evaluate your usage patterns first, then design a staged move that improves stability without forcing a full rebuild.
MS Access Solutions Arlington, Virginia Service Area Map
Get more information about our programming services on the Microsoft Access programmer Washington, DC web page.