Your business has unique needs that are not filled by off-the-shelf software.
Microsoft Access provides data entry forms, queries to extract and analyze data, reports, and a programming language that can be used to automate work processes. Each piece of the puzzle is customizable to perfectly fit your business needs.
There may be concurrent users of the database system.
If you are currently using Microsoft Excel workbooks to manage your data, there may have conflicts if more than one person attempts to work with the data at a time. When a Microsoft Access database system is configured properly, multiple users can work with the data simultaneously.
The amount of data you are working with may grow significantly over time.
Microsoft Access has a 2 GB size limit per database file. For most small businesses, this is probably sufficient.
This database system is meant to be split up into two parts: the front-end (the user interface, with data entry forms, analysis logic, and reports), and the back-end (the file storing the data). The front-end is installed on each user’s computer, and the back-end is installed in a shared network folder. The tables in the back-end file are linked to the front-end.
Generally, the back-end will have the larger file size, since that is where the data is actually stored. If the Microsoft Access file size becomes too large, the back-end can be converted to a Microsoft SQL Server database, while keeping the Microsoft Access front-end. Microsoft SQL Server does not have the size limitations of Access, but it usually requires some specific hardware and software.
You need a cost-effective solution.
Microsoft Access does not require specialized hardware or servers. And adding additional forms or reports does not break the bank.
Some users could have Access Runtime installed, rather than a full version of Microsoft Access. Runtime is free; it allows full run-time use of the front-end, but it does not allow changes to the Microsoft Access database objects or table structure.
You would like a solution that integrates with Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Excel, or Microsoft Word.
All of the programs in the Microsoft Office or Microsoft 365 suite share the same programming language, Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). That allows each of the programs to talk to the others. Microsoft Access can be used to create emails, import Excel data, export Excel data and format it, and merge data with Word.
If you would like to explore how Microsoft Access can work for your business, give us a call at (505) 369-1650.
Some additional articles about Microsoft Access:
Limitations of a Microsoft Access Database System
Over 100 Examples of How Businesses use Microsoft Access – Part 1