Is Microsoft Access Still Viable in 2024?

In this video I talk about the advantages and limitations of using Microsoft Access as a modern development environment for custom office tools in order to answer the question, "Is Access still useful?"

I take you through some of the features that make Access a very capable rapid application environment including it's table designer, relationship designer, query designer, form designer, and built-in programming language, Visual Basic for Applications (VBA).

I also talk about a very important caveat to using MS Access in the modern office environment and that is connecting it to data that resides on SQL Server or SharePoint.

If you would like to learn how to run SQL statements from within VBA code, or work with recordists in VBA, please checkout my videos below:

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[ChrisM]

Another massive plus to using Access, aside from it's use as a rapid test bed, is that you can create your own custom VBA functions and use those directly inside your sql string/query. This allows you to extend the existing query functionality in extremely powerful ways. Of course, add this to your own custom forms (and more custom VBA) and you take things to the next level.

[martinjjnoagenda]

This brings back a lot of memories. For years I used to make a lot of different MsAccess databases on a server with like users frontends. Often 20 to 40 users. Even created an automatic update system for the users based on version numbers. Very handy for the constant tweaks they wanted. After a while they became slow and you had to compress every table manually. For that I had to remove every link and connect it all back again. I always found the downside you could not turn the user frontends into an executable. Everyone had to have the whole Office Pro suite. I can't remember anything like Sharepoint already existing. Tried various SQL databases, but it somehow never worked too well. I will be watching how this works out.

[londonmeantime]

I love Access for learning, for building out simple databases. The firm I worked for, one of the largest in the UK ran most of its Supply Chain analysis off Access databases, probably still does. Just make copies and compact regularly and manage the data types

[davegoodo]

As far as I'm concerned Access is great database for the personal applications to which I put it. It's never going to be an Oracle or SQL Server but I don't believe it was meant to be that. I find Access to be very useful, especially with VBA and DAO as well as the various wizards. I'm in for the long-term. Thanks for your challenging question.

[savvaskefalas]

Pro-Office contribution. You can have an excel object on your forms to take advantage of excel formulas and data analysis tools I/O -ed to the form fields.Neat trick.I even open my workbook(s) on the form that loads when the access loads and access it in other places like functions.

[alanhunold]

This is exactly what I have been searching for! Thank you so much!

[Jojosmith]

Another Excellent tutorial. All thumbs up Rick, already subscribed. Thank you so much for your time to prepare this valuable info

[paulevans]

I use it to prototype....excellent for smaller rapid dB apps.

[excelpro_]

My problem with access is how to deploy the app, like the UI or form. I created a form that i needed the user to click on it at the start menu just like people do when they create one using UWP but Is there a way to do that?

[GroverParkGeorge]

Actually, SharePoint lists CAN be designed to support the functional equivalent of Referential Integrity between tables. They do so via the Lookup Field method. If you use Lookup fields in the local Access tables prior to exporting them to SharePoint, they are preserved. Or, if you design the SharePoint list with the appropriate Lookup Fields, Access recognizes and maintains those relationships.

[phillic]

Interested to know your thoughts of linked tables in sharepoint vs dataverse for speed and stability. I've coded MS Access databases for over 25 years and still find them to be so powerful for a data front end in many scenarios and a data backend for small/micro businesses.

[mnesevati]

One thing that I am not pretty sure I got it well, when you deletex the tables after placing them into sharepoint list, then you linked them to access...etc what about the old relationship?

[Rok_Piletic]

Active directory ... to record a person using AdB or chose from to put in record?

[davidcochrane]

Hi. I have played with Access and Sharepoint lists and I found that if data is added to the List it is not seen in access until you refresh the table manually by pressing the Refresh button. How does this pan out if there are multiple users using the front end and each is adding data? Appreciate your insight on this point.

[AndreZA]

This is going to be exciting. Thanks for sharing

[dreniarb]

I've been using Access since the mid 90s. I'm no expert but I am pretty comfortable with it. So far I've not found anything even comparable to it's ease of use, particularly with both the form builder and query builder. Even if I'm working on a php/html front end I'll still use the query builder in Access to write the sql statements.

I'm anxious to see where you go with this as I really want to move away from Access as a front end.

[justanotherbrewer]

😅Yes, it can support small scale Etl of raw data and send it to email or folders. We use access to connect to 150 views in Sql and we email these to users it works great using Vba and DAO. We're not able to email directly from sql...we prefer to persist data in Sql and also use access to front end small datasets into sql and edit data

[HT_LBC]

Thank you for the video! I have database app with 25k rows of data. If I am not mistaken sharepoint list can only take 5k rows of data. Is SQL server my only option? Or I have other option similar to sharepoint. Thanks!

[ResumeCEO]

Can I give one of my customers access to a database that has an Access front-end and a SQL Server or SharePoint back-end? They are a “Mac Only” customer too 😅

[TLDW_Tutorials]

Great video and congrats on the video doing so well. I look at MS Access as I do any tool. There a certain reasons I would use a jigsaw and certain reasons I might use a miter saw. Neither is necessarily better than the other (it depends on the project) and neither are going anywhere soon.

Anyway, great video!