ABCD
Microsoft Access Business & Contact Database
Introducing the ABCD
The Access Business & Contact Database (ABCD) is designed to be a professional, full production-quality database to cover all of your information management needs. I have been building and teaching Access databases for over 25 years. Now, I'm finally building a solid, professional database system that you can use to run your business.
Parts
Downloads
Note, this is a split database. You want to open the "ABCD Core" file which is the front-end. As soon as it loads, it will prompt you to specify the location for the back-end file. Just pick the "ABCD Backend" file which is included in the ZIP file. And of course, you must run the database from a trusted location.
Resources
 ABCD Part 1: Core
- Entities (People, Organizations)
- Multiple Phone, Address, Email Addresses
- Helper Data (Prefix, Suffix, Title, Gender, Marital Status, etc.)
- Entity List, Main Menu
- Custom Entity Code
 ABCD Part 2: Core
- Helper Data Edit Popup Form
- Helper Data Editor
- Groups (Students, Employees, Parents, etc.)
- Relations (Parent/Child, Co-Worker, etc.)
- Automatic Reverse Relations
 ABCD Part 3: Core
- Misc Data (Shoe Size, Favorite Sports Team, etc.)
- Required Misc Data
- Free Text Entry or Pick From List
- Admin Menu & Simple Security
- Open Form Right
- Group Editor
- Slide Out Sections for Tabs
 ABCD Part 4: Core
- Sorting & Filtering the Entity List Form
- Search on Helper Data Fields
- Search on Related Data (Address, Email, Phone, etc.)
- Search on Misc Data (Baseball Team, Rank, etc.)
- Printable Report
 ABCD Part 5: Core
- Document Management
- Create a Profile Picture
- Select a File, Copy to Server Folder
- Conditional Format Expiration Dates
- Custom Image Thumbnails
- Add Multiple Documents
ABCD Part 6: Core
 The ABCD Part 6 is currently under development. This section will include contact management and a letter writer with bulk mail and email capabilities. Enroll now you can join in, watch videos as they're released, ask questions, and make suggestions!
ABCD Add-On Modules
 After the Core package is finished, I will be releasing new Modules on a regular basis. These will be designed so that you can pick and choose which features you want and don't want in your database. Install only what you need. Some of these will include:
- Task Management
- Schedule & Calendar
- Importing & Tracking Leads
- Orders, Quotations, Invoicing
- Recurring Memberships
- Employee Time Tracking
- Inventory & Barcoding
Plus, the ABCD will have full enhanced search capabilities, split database options, possible cloud-based data storage, and full security to lock the database down. I'll be adding these and a lot more features - pretty much everything I've covered in my classes - to the system, eventually.
I'll even be adding custom Modules for specific vertical markets like insurance (tracking clients, leads, policies), automotive (vehicle & fleet maintenance), schools (students, attendance, grades), budgeting, and lots more.
Work in Progress
Please note that the ABCD is still a work in progress. While my goal is to eventually have a full, working, production-quality database, it's still not completed. I'll be adding more to it soon.
Pre-Requisites Required
In order to purchase any level of the ABCD, you MUST have purchased all previous levels. For example, you cannot buy only Level 5. You must first have Levels 1 through 4, then you can buy Level 5. Sorry, but this is a hard pre-requisite.
Videos
I am recording videos showing how the database is built, but mostly so that you can understand the construction and be better equipped to make any modifications or additions you may need on your own. This will be marketed as a finished database without the need for any enhancements, but, of course, one of the main reasons to use Access is so that you can make changes yourself. The videos will be a quick run-through of how each feature is built, as I'm building it. I will be using advanced features like SQL and VBA from the start, so you may want some SQL or VBA Developer Lessons under your belt if you're going to try to follow along. This is NOT a teaching database. Free Technical Support will NOT be offered.
Tech Support
There is NO free Technical Support provided on the ABCD if you have not taken ALL of my previous Developer lessons. There are a lot of very difficult, advanced programming concepts used in the construction of this database. I do not have the time to provide free support if you get stuck trying to make modifications. All I will do is point you to the appropriate Developer lesson(s) that cover the issue. There is a reason why (a) I say this is NOT a teaching database, and (b) there are pre-requisites. Feel free to ask questions, but I can't spend half an hour explaining concepts that are already covered in my other lessons.
Licensing
Unlike my other courses and seminars which provide you with royalty-free databases that you can modify and distribute yourself, the ABCD does NOT come with a royalty-free license. You may only customize the database for your business needs and for use within your organization. You may not resell or distribute it to others without express written permission. In addition, if you are using it in an organization with more than 10 users, you must purchase additional licenses. Contact me for additional information. I will post additional details when the Core database is completed.
Ordering
There are two purchase options available for the ABCD.
- You can purchase a fully editable and customizable copy of the database in addition to the video tutorials that show how it was built. This is the option you should pick if you want to make changes to the database for your own business needs, and you want to learn how the database was constructed to assist you. As a reminder, these are not teaching videos. They are simply provided to show you how the database was built. Free support is not guaranteed if you have questions. I do my best to answer questions, but I can't promise anything. You must purchase any pre-requisite parts or modules required. For example, you may not purchase Core Part 4 without first having parts 1 thru 3.
- Once the Core is finished, you can optionally purchase a use-only version of the database. This is the best option if you only plan on using the database for your personal or business needs, but do not intend on modifying the structure of the database. Free instructional videos will be provided to teach your staff how to use it.
Your Feedback
I will be releasing new Core features and modules on a regular basis. You can see the list of features that are scheduled for development on the Coming Soon page. I would very much like your feedback on what features you think should be available. If you have a specific interest for your business type, let me know.
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Intro In this video, I introduce the Access, Business, and Contact Database (ABCD), a professional Microsoft Access database designed in modules to help you manage people, companies, and organizations. We will cover how to build the Core Database, including creating tables and forms to track various entities and their details, managing multiple addresses and contact methods, setting up helper data tables, generating custom entity codes, and building an entity list form for easy navigation. This is part 1.Transcript Introducing the Access, Business, and Contact Database, Part 1, the Core Database, brought to you by AccessLearningZone.com.
Hi, my name is Richard Rost. I have over 25 years of experience building and teaching Access databases. I was a Microsoft MVP in 2014 and 2015. I have been busy teaching Access and building custom databases for other people, but I have always wanted to take the time to make a good, production-quality database that everyone could use to run their businesses.
That's when I decided to build the ABCD. It is a professional-quality database designed in modules. Part 1, the Core Database, has already been released. Additional modules will follow soon. You can pick and choose which modules you need. If you need scheduling and contact management, install those. If you do not care about invoicing, do not get that one. You decide.
Part 1, the Core Database, is currently available. It covers building all the tables and forms required to track entities, which are people, companies, organizations, and so on. Each entity can have an unlimited number of phone numbers, email, and physical addresses.
We construct helper data tables to store data that does not need to be in a table of its own. This keeps us from filling up our database with tons of small tables for things like name prefixes, suffixes, phone number types like home, cell, work, and so on.
We write a function to generate random entity codes, which we use to identify people. Each customer will have his own person number. Yes, we will still use autonumbers for all of our table relationships, but you do not want your customers seeing those. If someone gets customer ID 6, then they know you only have five other customers.
Finally, we will build an entity list form in a main menu, so we can display a sorted list that shows people and companies together. We will be doing a lot more with this form in the future, including adding multiple sorting options and full search capabilities.
I have lots of other modules planned, including adding groups, relationships between entities, contact management, mailing lists, a letter writer, an email blaster, invoicing, and lots more. The database will have full search capabilities, split database options, cloud storage potential, and of course a full security lockdown with user log-ons and activity tracking.
Plus, I have special modules already planned for insurance agents and budgeting. If you would like to see a module built for your industry type, contact me.
Each module I build will come with step-by-step video, so you can see how the database is built. However, this is not meant to be a teaching database. The videos are so you can understand how the database is built in case you want to customize it for your own needs. The true benefit of an Access database is being able to customize it yourself.
I will point out which other lessons that I have that cover the features in the database in more detail, so if you want to learn more about combo boxes, for example, I have lessons on that. The ABCD videos are designed to get right to the point, but even so, part one, the Core Database, still has over three hours of video.
If you would like more information on the Access, Business, and Contact Database, please visit my website and feel free to contact me.
Thank you.Quiz Q1. What is the main purpose of the ABCD database discussed in the video?
A. To provide a professional-quality, customizable Access database for business management
B. To offer a free, web-based email client
C. To replace Microsoft Excel spreadsheets
D. To automate PowerPoint presentations
Q2. How is the ABCD database structured for users?
A. It is composed of independent modules that users can choose as needed
B. It is a single, monolithic application with no modularity
C. It is only available as a cloud service
D. It cannot be customized
Q3. Which types of information can each entity in the Core Database have an unlimited number of?
A. Phone numbers, email addresses, and physical addresses
B. Passwords and login attempts
C. Web browser cookies
D. Payment methods and credit cards only
Q4. Why are helper data tables used in the database?
A. To avoid creating many small tables for minor types of information
B. To increase the size of the database
C. To manage complex database passwords
D. To provide cloud syncing capabilities
Q5. What is the purpose of the function for generating random entity codes?
A. To give each customer a unique, non-sequential identifier
B. To randomly assign database passwords
C. To create unique login URLs for the users
D. To sort entities alphabetically
Q6. What is NOT a reason given for not using autonumbers for customer-facing IDs?
A. Customers could guess how many others exist based on the number sequence
B. Autonumbers are not secure for public display
C. Autonumbers are too short
D. Customers should not see sequential numbers
Q7. What feature does the main menu entity list form provide in the Core Database?
A. Displays people and companies together in a sorted list
B. Tracks inventory levels
C. Sends automated emails to all users
D. Processes PayPal payments
Q8. What are some planned additional modules mentioned in the video?
A. Groups, relationships, contact management, mailing lists, invoicing
B. Web hosting, website design, and e-commerce
C. Video conferencing and instant messaging
D. Social media posting automation
Q9. According to the video, what is the primary advantage of using an Access database like ABCD?
A. Its ability to be customized by the user
B. Unlimited free online storage
C. Built-in video editing tools
D. Automatic mobile app conversion
Q10. What is the intended purpose of the step-by-step videos included with each module?
A. To help users understand how the database was built for customization purposes
B. To serve as a full, in-depth teaching course on Access
C. To show off advanced computer programming languages
D. To provide entertainment unrelated to database design
Answers: 1-A; 2-A; 3-A; 4-A; 5-A; 6-C; 7-A; 8-A; 9-A; 10-A.
DISCLAIMER: Quiz questions are AI generated. If you find any that are wrong, don't make sense, or aren't related to the video topic at hand, then please post a comment and let me know. Thanks.Summary Today's video from Access Learning Zone introduces the Access, Business, and Contact Database, or ABCD, and focuses on Part 1: the Core Database. My name is Richard Rost, and with over 25 years of experience designing and teaching Access databases, I have long wanted to create a professional-quality database that can serve as a useful tool for anyone running a business.
The ABCD is designed using a modular structure. This means you can select and install only the modules you need. For instance, if your business needs scheduling and contact management, you can use those modules. If you do not need invoicing, you can simply skip that part. This lets you customize the database to fit your specific requirements.
Part 1, which is the Core Database, is already available. In this release, I walk you through building all the essential tables and forms necessary to track various entities. Entities can be individuals, companies, organizations, or similar groups. The system allows each entity to have an unlimited number of associated phone numbers, email addresses, and physical locations.
To keep the database organized and efficient, I show you how to build auxiliary data tables to store information that does not need its own full table. This method prevents clutter from too many small lookup tables for data like name prefixes, suffixes, and different types of phone numbers, such as home, work, or cell.
I also demonstrate how to create a function to generate random entity codes. These codes are used to identify people and companies without exposing the underlying autonumber IDs used for relationships. This is important because displaying internal customer IDs can reveal information about your database that you may prefer to keep private, like the total number of existing customers.
A big component of Part 1 is developing an entity list form that becomes the foundation of your main menu. This form lets you view a unified, sorted list of both people and companies. In later modules, we will add more advanced features to this form, such as additional sorting options and comprehensive search functions.
Looking ahead, there are many more modules planned. These will cover topics like grouping entities, managing relationships between entities, contact management, mailing lists, writing letters, sending bulk emails, invoicing, and more. The final product aims to offer extensive search capabilities, options for splitting the database, cloud storage features, and a robust security system with user logins and tracking of user activity.
I am also developing specialized modules for certain industries, including insurance and budgeting. If you are interested in a module tailored to your specific field, please let me know.
While every module comes with a step-by-step video guide showing exactly how the database is built, these videos are not intended to replace full educational courses. Their purpose is to help you understand the database structure so you can make changes to suit your own needs. Customization is one of the main strengths of using Access.
Throughout these tutorials, I will reference other lessons available on my site for those who want a deeper understanding of particular features, such as how to set up combo boxes. The ABCD video series is focused on practical application rather than lengthy instruction, but even so, Part 1 contains over three hours of video content.
If you want to learn more about the Access, Business, and Contact Database, or have questions about how it can work for you, please visit my website for more details.
You can find a complete video tutorial with step-by-step instructions on everything discussed here on my website at the link below. Live long and prosper, my friends.Topic List Building core tables for entities (people, companies, organizations)
Tracking multiple phone numbers, emails, and addresses per entity
Creating helper data tables for prefixes, suffixes, and phone types
Generating random entity codes for customer identification
Using autonumbers for table relationships
Creating a main menu with an entity list form displaying people and companies together |
