Many experienced Microsoft Office users steer clear of Access for one reason or another. The biggest misconception that people have is that Access is difficult to set up and operate. Another misconception is that you have to be an experienced database administrator to use the program. Anyone can use Access; the program serves many data functions and most of the set-up is relatively easy.
Project managers need reliable programs to keep track of different aspects of projects. Installing and using new project management software is a way to go, but precious time is needed to learn the program. Creating your own database program that will serve the same functions, is time-effective, and gives the user the freedom to customize it to fit their specifications and needs.
In this series of articles, we will be creating a project management database. First, you need to understand the objects that will be used to complete the project. Listed below are the items we will be creating and their purposes:
1. Tables — You can look at tables as the containers that hold the data. The next article in this series focuses on setting up the tables needed for the project management database.
2. Forms — For an Access database to be more like any software program, forms are used as a user interface to insert and lookup data.
3. Queries — Queries are a way to find data based on criteria. When we get to this section, you will fully understand their power and functionality.
4. Reports — In business, you know the importance of reports. In Access, creating your own reports allows you to present your data in a way that better serves your purpose.
5. Modules — This is a bit more advanced, but easy to create. Behind every software program there are code modules that automate tasks. We will be doing this to our own database so that you will have a fully-functional project management system.
Don’t panic, these articles will take you through the entire experience with ease and understanding. When you are finished, you will not only have a complete project management system, but an increased understanding of Access that you can use in years to come.
Before starting on this project, you need to have Microsoft Access 2003 installed on your computer. Access comes standard with the Office suite, so you are set if you have the suite. If your company has upgraded to the new Microsoft Office 2007, see my series for this program. Do not try to use this series for Access 2007 because you will only confuse yourself; the setup is completely different.