Microsoft Access Programmer Los Angeles, California

Question: What Is Microsoft Access?

Answer: Microsoft Access, also referred to as "MS Access" or simply "Access", is a Database Management System (DBMS) developed by Microsoft Corp. MS Access combines relational technology, named Microsoft Jet Database Engine, with a graphical user interface(GUI), plus a number of very useful software development tools. Microsoft Access is one of the software programs that are included within the Microsoft Office suite of applications. Microsoft Access is packaged with other Office software in the Professional and higher editions packages. Microsoft Access is important software because it is a major component of Microsoft's overall data management product strategy.

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Question: What Are The Features Of Microsoft Access?

Answer: Access is composed of many unique and powerful features that make it so useful as a small database and custom database software program.

• It stores data in its own format based on the Access Jet Database Engine.
• As a relational databases, Microsoft Access provides you with the ability to link related information easily. For example contact names and contact information. However, Microsoft Access also complements other database products because it has several powerful features that provide the means to connect to several database systems.
• Microsoft Access can also import or link directly to data stored in other applications and databases.
• Microsoft Access can directly connect to and manipulate data from other sources, including many popular database programs, with many Structured Query Language (SQL) databases, data located on servers, data stored on minicomputers or mainframes, and it can work with data stored on Internet web servers and Intranet web servers.
• The Microsoft Access database software can also understand and use a wide variety of other data formats inlcuding other database file structures.
• MS Access has built in features that allow a user to export data to and import data from spreadsheets (like Microsoft Excel), word processing files (like Microsoft Word), and other database files directly.
• Microsoft Access can be used with most popular databases that utilize the Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) standard, including SQL Server, Oracle, and MySQL.
• Software developers can use the Microsoft Access database program to develop stand alone application (apps) software.

Steps In Using Microsoft Access

Microsoft Access stores data that collectively creates information which is called a "database." To use MS Access, you will need to use a minimum of four steps:

• Database Development: This is the process of programming a Microsoft Access database including the specific types of data stored within the database.
• Data Input: After creating a Microsoft Access database, the data items (singular: datum) for a business or organization can be entered into the Access database. This process is often referred to a "data entry."
• Query: Queries are database code that are used to retrieve and manipulate data within the database to make the data useful and visible.
• Reports (optional): Report development creates an object for viewing specific information from the database in a format that can be rinted; a Microsoft Access Report, also referred to as a Microsoft Access database report.

Microsoft Access Database Architecture

A Microsoft Access database refers to any entity that can be names as an "object." The primary objects within an Microsoft Access database are:

• Tables
• Forms
• Queries
• Reports
• Macros
• Data Macros
• Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) Modules

Technically, the term "database" refers only to the files where data is stored. However, in Microsoft Access, a database that uses the file extension .accdb, includes all the other major objects that are related to the stored data as well as all objects created to automate the use of the data.

Microsoft Access Field Types

Call MS Access Solutions at (323) 285-0939 for your FREE consultation.

The material below originally appeared in Alison Balter's book Mastering Microsoft Office Access 2007 Development and is reprinted here with the author's permission. There may be references to "Figures" or "Chapters" that are not reprintable and are not used on this page.

Selecting the Appropriate Field Type For Your Data

The data type you select for each field can greatly affect the performance and functionality of your application. Several factors can influence your choice of data type for each field in your table:

• The type of data that's stored in the field
• Whether the field's contents need to be included in calculations
• Whether you need to sort the data in the field
• The way you want to sort the data in the field
• How important storage space is to you

Selecting Data Type

The type of data you need to store in a field has the biggest influence on which data type you select. For example, if you need to store numbers beginning with leading zeros, you can't select a Number field because Access ignores leading zeros entered into a Number field. This rule affects data such as ZIP codes (some begin with leading zeros) and department codes.

If the contents of a field need to be included in calculations, you must select a Number or Currency data type. You can't perform calculations on the contents of fields defined with the other data types. The only exception to this rule is the Date field, which can be included in date/time calculations.

Considerations For Sorting Or Indexing Data

You also must consider whether you will sort or index the data in a field. You cannot sort by OLE, Attachment, and Hyperlink fields, so don't select these field types if you must sort or index the data in the field. Furthermore, you must think about the way you want to sort the data. For example, in a Text field, Access would sort a set of numbers in the order of their left most character, then the second character from the left, and so on (that is, 1, 10, 100, 2, 20, 200) because Access sorts data in the Text field in a standard ASCII sequence. On the other hand, Access would sort the umbers in a Number or Currency field in ascending value order (that is, 1, 2, 10, 20, 100, 200).

You might think you would never want data sorted in a standard ASCII sequence, but sometimes it makes sense to sort certain information, such as department codes, in this fashion. Access 2007 enables you to sort or group based on a Memo field, but it performs the sorting or grouping based only on the first 255 characters. Finally, you should consider how important disk space is to you. Each field type takes up a different amount of storage space on your hard disk, which could be a factor when you're selecting a data type for a field.

Ten field types are available in Access: Text, Memo, Number, Date/Time, Currency, AutoNumber, Yes/No, OLE Object, Attachment, and Hyperlink. Each field type has appropriate uses and each requires a specific amount of storage space.

The most difficult part of selecting a field type is in knowing which type is best in each situation. At MS Access Solutions, we know how to use every Access field type correctly so your database runs smoothly.

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Author Attribution

This material originally appeared in Alison Balter's book Mastering Microsoft Office Access 2007 Development and is reprinted here with the author's permission.

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Expert Microsoft Access Programmer In Los Angeles, CA

When you need a Microsoft Access programmer for your Los Angeles California business, call MS Access Solutions at (323) 285-0939. We have over 25 years experience in Microsoft Access programmer solutions. We create Access database applications for all business sectors, including hospitals and medical clinics, government agencies at the federal, state, and local levels, the United States military, universities, junior colleges and school districts, agriculture including organic farming and specialty livestock, employment agencies, human resources departments, and insurance agencies and large insurance companies.

Your business depends on data, and when your systems aren't working the way they should, productivity slows down. That's where we can help you. Whether you're running a large, enterprise-level Microsoft Access or SQL Server database, or managing a smaller office application, we provide the technical expertise to keep everything running smoothly.

We handle advanced programming tasks involving complex database logic, multi-user environments, and secure connections between Access and SQL Server. If you're dealing with data growth, slow queries, or legacy systems that need modern updates, our team is ready to design or refine a custom solution tailored to your operations.

We Work On Smaller Projects, Too

Not every project needs a full rebuild. If you have an existing Access database that's acting up, we can help with that too. Many of our clients come to us with forms that no longer work, reports that won't open, or Access macros and VBA code that need fixing or rewriting. These smaller tasks are just as important because they affect your day-to-day workflow.

Our goal is to remove the frustration from database issues so you can focus on your business, not your software. Here's what we can help you with:

• Advanced Microsoft Access and SQL Server database design


• Custom VBA coding and automation


• Fixing broken Access forms and reports


• Upgrading old databases to work with current Office versions


• Improving performance and reliability of your database

If your system needs a refresh or a full redesign, or if you're just trying to fix a specific issue, we're here to support your goals with dependable, professional service.

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Find out more about our Microsoft Access prgrammer services on the Microsoft Access Programmer Glendale, California web page.