MS Access As A Dev Tool
Access continues to be a highly efficient tool for business database development.
- (323) 285-0939
Microsoft Access Programmer Mesa, Arizona
Call (323) 285-0939 Microsoft Access Programmer
Services In Mesa, AZ
MS Access Solutions has over 25 years of experience as a leader in MS
Access database programmer services, including database repairs,
performance tuning, split front-end/back-end deployments, SQL Server
integration, forms and reports redesign, VBA automation,
data migration, dashboards and reporting, and ongoing support.
Don't let database issues slow your Mesa team. We fix crashes and data errors,
streamline slow screens, move and clean data where it belongs, and bring older
files up to the latest version so work stays on track. We also set clear buttons
and simple menus that make everyday tasks easier for everyone.
Call (323) 285-0939 now for a FREE consultation.
Access Programmer In Mesa, AZ
MS Access Solutions
Microsoft Access
MS Access is a highly flexible, robust, and reliable database program. Microsoft Access is the leading relational database management system in the world. Find out more about Microsoft Access programming at our Access Tech Talk section. We are your expert Microsoft Access programmer in Mesa.
Access + SQL Server
SQL Server is an enterprise relational database management system from Microsoft. We use SQL Server as the database server for data storage and data retrieval to and from Microsoft Access as well as other software applications, like ASP.NET or Azure.
Access Repair
Slow, bloated, or corrupted Access databases cost time and money. We diagnose issues, run Compact & Repair, rebuild indexes, optimize queries and forms, and recover data where possible. The result is faster load times and fewer crashes in daily use.
VBA, Forms & Reports
Automate the work your team does every day. We build custom forms, reports, and VBA procedures that validate data, generate documents and emails, and integrate
with Excel/Outlook/ODBC sources. Fewer manual steps mean fewer errors.
Microsoft Access Programming For Mesa
Hire The Expert Microsoft Access Programmer
What Mesa Clients Ask For
Mesa businesses want fast, stable multi-user apps, clean forms, and reporting that matches the way work really happens-no more waiting on slow screens or fixing broken exports.
We improve existing Access databases, split front-end/back-end for reliability, and connect to SQL Server for security and scale. Your staff keeps working while we upgrade.
Need to move data from Excel, enforce field validation, or standardize reports for Power BI? We implement the changes, test with your real data, and document every step.
From quick repairs to phased rebuilds, our goal is a stable system your team can trust every day.
Typical Mesa Requests
Here are the most common tasks we deliver for Mesa organizations:
- Split Access front-end/back-end for multi-user stability
- Move large tables to SQL Server with row-level security
- Form redesign with required fields and data validation
- Repair/corruption recovery and index cleanup
- Power BI / Excel export pipelines
- Role-based navigation and audit trails
- Excel → Access conversions and de-duplication
- Version upgrades without disrupting daily work
- Quote-to-build flows for aerospace suppliers (Falcon Field)
- Clinic intake + billing exports (Dobson Ranch area)
- Change-order tracking for Eastmark / Las Sendas contractors
- Document/email automation with VBA
- Barcode-ready inventory cycle counts
- Scheduled reports and weekly email summaries
- User training and handoff documentation
- Ongoing support with phased feature rollouts
Tell us what's slowing your team down. We'll deliver a practical plan and a stabilized first build, then phase in high-impact features. Call (323) 285-0939 or contact us to get started.
We Are Your Microsoft Access Database Experts
MS Access Solutions has delivered dependable Microsoft Access development for small and mid-size teams since 2003. Our Mesa work focuses on fast, stable multi-user applications that match real-world workflows.
Our founder, Alison Balter-author, speaker, and Microsoft Access expert-sets the standards for design, security, and maintainability on every project. We bring that rigor to clinics near Dobson Ranch, contractors in Eastmark and Las Sendas, and aerospace suppliers around Falcon Field.
You get clear communication, phased delivery, and production-ready documentation. Whether you need a repair, a performance fix, or an Access + SQL Server hybrid, we make sure your team can keep working while we improve the system.
When you need a Microsoft Access programmer, contact us at (323) 285-0939 or use our Contact Form.
Example Projects
Corporate Database
Microsoft Access front-end and SQL Server back-end database
Access Forms Development
Access data entry form connecting to SQL Server back-end database
Accounting Company
ASP.NET website with SQL Server back-end database
Corporate Reports
MS Access Report created with SQL Server database
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 to ensure that our employees can properly
keep up with the ever-changing technologies. MS Access Solutions has also provided our staff with mentoring on an as-needed basis, providing expertise that helped our in-house programmers
to overcome various hurdles. More Reviews
Lisa Dosch, Motion Picture Editors Guild - Local 700
Alison Balter at MS Access Solutions developed the application
system automates many tasks that were previously performed manually, allowing our employees to more cost-effectively use their time. This client/server system is used by employees in our
Mesa, Arizona and New York offices. MS Access Solutions and their staff worked with us to develop the necessary specifications and design documents, and 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.
- Corporate Office Los Angeles, California
- Phone: +1 (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 - Mesa
Normalize What Matters, Index What Moves
Good table design in Microsoft Access starts with clear entities and relationships. We begin by mapping the nouns that actually exist in your operation-patients, payers, authorizations, procedures; or for contractors, projects, cost codes, change orders, approvals; or for aerospace suppliers, items, BOM lines, vendors, quotes. We favor a pragmatic third normal form: pull repeating groups into their own tables, avoid free-text categories, and model many-to-many links with junction tables (e.g., QuoteItems, ProjectCostCodes). That prevents duplication, stops silent data drift, and makes reporting consistent across teams.
Keys matter. We typically use surrogate integer keys (Autonumber in Access, INT/IDENTITY in SQL Server) and place natural keys (e.g., payer plan code, vendor part number) under a UNIQUE constraint so business rules are enforced without risking key churn. Referential integrity is always ON, with cascade updates used sparingly and cascade deletes almost never enabled unless we have a narrow, audited case. For Mesa clinics and suppliers who pass audits, this is critical: auditors look for proof that records cannot "fall out of" the system.
Indexes are added for what actually moves: foreign keys, lookup columns, and filter columns used in key workloads. Composite indexes follow the query shape-typical patterns are (ProjectID, Phase, Status) or (VendorID, ItemID, EffectiveDate DESC). We also add narrow covering indexes for heavy read paths so common reports avoid table lookups. On SQL Server back ends, we assess fragmentation weekly and rebuild where needed; inside Access, we compact/repair on a schedule and keep temp tables out of the front end.
We document the model with a simple ERD and data dictionary that non-developers can read. Column naming is boring on purpose (no abbreviations that future staff won't decode). For integrations, we add staging tables and versioned import specs so Excel/CSV loads are repeatable. Net result: forms become simpler because the model carries the rules, queries become faster because joins are predictable, and reports become stable because the same fields mean the same thing every time.
When you need a Microsoft Access programmer, contact us at (323) 285-0939 or use our Contact Form.
Split FE/BE, Push Heavy Work to SQL
Reliable performance starts by splitting the Access front end (forms/queries/VBA) from the back end (data). For many Mesa teams we then migrate hot tables to SQL Server for row-level security, better concurrency, and server-side optimizations. On the Access side we link with DSN-less ODBC and keep connections warm to reduce renegotiation overhead across your network. Wherever possible, we avoid dynaset operations that drag entire tables to the client-filters and joins are pushed down.
Queries get reshaped to be sargable: no functions on indexed columns in WHERE clauses, no wildcard prefixes that kill indexes, and no SELECT * in production. We parameterize frequently used queries and convert the worst offenders into pass-through SQL or stored procedures so the optimizer can cache plans. For BOM explosions and price roll-ups common near Falcon Field suppliers, we use set-based updates, temp tables for staging, and computed columns where appropriate to pre-aggregate expensive math.
On SQL Server we add covering indexes for top read paths and targeted nonclustered indexes on foreign keys. We monitor IO and logical reads with SET STATISTICS IO/TIME during tuning sessions and capture actual execution plans to spot key lookups and spool operations. If the plan flips because of parameter sniffing, we use OPTIMIZE FOR hints or re-compile strategies on specific procedures rather than globally turning off a good cache.
Inside Access, we keep recordsets as snapshots when data is read-only, set form RecordsetType appropriately, disable subform automatic requery where it isn't needed, and use unbound search controls to avoid chatty traffic. We also trim combo rowsources, cache reference lists locally, and page large result sets. Finally, we measure: we add simple timers around slow actions, log durations to a tiny diagnostics table, and review with stakeholders weekly. This turns "it feels slow" into a short list of reproducible steps we can fix and verify with before/after timings.
When you need a Microsoft Access programmer, contact us at (323) 285-0939 or use our Contact Form.
Make the Right Thing the Easy Thing
Great forms reduce thinking where thinking isn't needed. We start by mapping the user's flow: what they see first, what's required, and what can be defaulted. Fields that drive downstream rules are surfaced early; optional fields move later or behind a clear "More" affordance. For Mesa clinics, we pre-validate insurance plan and member IDs before a record can advance; for contractors in Eastmark/Las Sendas, change-order forms capture the who/what/when with a signed approval and photo attachments that travel with the job.
We keep controls consistent: labels align, tab order is tested, and keyboard users can move quickly. Required fields are visually distinct and technically enforced in the form's BeforeUpdate with specific messages ("Select a payer plan") instead of generic errors. Combo boxes are limited to relevant rows (e.g., active vendors only), with cascading combos for hierarchical choices (Project → Phase → Cost Code). Date pickers carry business logic: default to today, block weekends if your policy says no weekend work, and apply service-area rules when addresses are captured.
For performance, we favor unbound search forms that load results into a subform; users select a record to open a bound detail form. Subforms don't auto-requery unless the parent changes; we explicitly refresh when needed. We avoid large continuous forms with dozens of calculated controls; instead we compute once in queries or in the back end. Attachment handling is deliberate: we store images and PDFs as files on SharePoint/SMB with a pointer in the database to keep the front end lean, but we can use Access attachments when offline access is critical.
Auditability is built in. We stamp CreatedBy/CreatedOn and UpdatedBy/UpdatedOn in the form logic rather than asking users to type names. We add lightweight usage logs for sensitive actions (status changes, price overrides) and capture the reason code. Finally, we ship with a one-page form guide: screenshots, field definitions, and common tasks. That handoff keeps support requests low and adoption high because the system matches how your staff actually works on the floor and at the front desk.
When you need a Microsoft Access programmer, contact us at (323) 285-0939 or use our Contact Form.
Microsoft Access FAQs
Question: What database engine does Access use, and how does that affect design?
Answer: Access uses the Microsoft ACE (formerly Jet) file-based engine. It's fast for small to mid-size apps when split FE/BE, but it shares a single file across users. We design with normalized tables, narrow rows, proper indexing, and keep large blobs out of the back end.
Question: Why split the database into a front end and back end?
Answer: Splitting isolates forms/queries/VBA in the front end (per user) and data tables in a shared back end. This improves concurrency, reduces corruption risk, enables versioned rollouts, and lets us move hot tables to SQL Server without rewriting the UI.
Question: Should we use DAO or ADO in Access, and when?
Answer: DAO is native and ideal for ACE/linked tables and form-bound operations. ADO shines with OLE DB/ODBC to SQL Server and pass-through work. We pick per task, avoid mixed reference bloat, and keep object lifetimes tight to prevent leaks and locking issues.
Question: How do pass-through queries help performance?
Answer: Pass-through queries send SQL directly to the server, bypassing the Access query parser. This lets SQL Server optimize joins, use indexes, and return only needed rows. We parameterize safely, avoid SELECT *, and index the filter/sort columns used most.
Question: What's the right record-locking strategy in multi-user scenarios?
Answer: We favor optimistic locking with short transactions. In Access forms, we limit bound edits, use row-level locks, and avoid long-running edits. Heavy write workloads move to SQL Server with constraints, triggers where needed, and clear retry logic.
Question: How do you handle ODBC/connection strings without DSNs?
Answer: We use DSN-less connections with stored, encrypted credentials or integrated security. This removes per-machine DSN setup, speeds deployment, and keeps connection options consistent across Runtime and full Access installs.
Question: What are common pitfalls with OneDrive/SharePoint and Access?
Answer: Sync tools can lock or partially sync the back-end file, causing corruption or write failures. We never place the shared back end in a synced folder. If cloud storage is required, we host on SQL Server and link via ODBC instead of sharing an ACE file.
Question: How do you manage 32-bit vs 64-bit Office, references, and API declares?
Answer: We standardize bitness when possible. If mixed, we use conditional PtrSafe declares, late binding where safe, and compile ACCDEs per target. We validate references and avoid deprecated libraries to prevent "Missing Reference" startup errors.
Question: What's your approach to error handling and logging in VBA?
Answer: We use structured handlers with a central logger that records user, procedure, error number, source, and call stack. For SQL Server work, we capture server errors and durations. Logs feed a small admin report so issues can be triaged quickly.
Question: How do you keep the front end lean and maintainable over time?
Answer: We ship a compact ACCDE, remove unused references, prune hidden objects, and modularize VBA. An auto-updater checks a version table and refreshes the front end from a network share so users always run a validated build.
Question: When do you move data to SQL Server, and what changes then?
Answer: We lift tables when data or concurrency outgrows ACE. We add keys, constraints, and indexes; convert heavy queries to views or procedures; and use pass-through for hot paths. Access remains the UI; SQL Server provides scale, security, and backups.
When you need a Microsoft Access programmer, contact us at (323) 285-0939 or use our Contact Form.
Service Area Map - Mesa, AZ
When you need a Microsoft Access programmer, contact us at (323) 285-0939 or use our Contact Form.
Find out more about our programming drvices on the Microsoft Access Programmer Austin, Texas web page