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New to Access

Michael Horowitz

4 years ago

I am building what I think is a medium complexity "outreach" database for OJT opportunities at contractor's locations with my limited knowledge. I am using Access (despite the "dinosaur" status) because it is included in my forms 365 subscription. For tables I have companies; contacts at those companies; phone calls, emails, and interviews (with those contacts) made; listed job descriptions, job candidates (participants), and placement opportunities, along with a few tables with some date ranges or status states and descriptions. Obviously there are many relationships between the tables, the company being the most common foreign key. After a month of self teaching, I have a decent knowledge of relationships, and queries, but having a hard time with creating forms as my UI when they need to draw from multiple tables. Only three people will use this. I have put the tables into SharePoint as lists. Essentially the DB is now my "front end." How do I "fill in" my knowledge without watching hours of information I have already discovered?

	Kevin Robertson @Reply 4 years ago
Start with Access Beginner 1 and work through each class in order.

Richard Rost @Reply

4 years ago

Access is by no means a dinosaur. It's been around for nearly 30 years, sure, but it's constantly growing and evolving.

Try NOT to design forms based on multiple tables. If you need data from additional tables, your best bet is using subforms. These are the things I teach in my course. Since I don't know what you know, I really can't tell you where to start, except from the beginning. Sure, you might have to sit through some lessons with material you already know - but at least this way you make sure you don't miss something important.

Michael Horowitz @Reply

4 years ago

I am going to hire a consultant (Landau Consulting from Bridgewater, NJ) to look at what I am developing, listen to what I already know and what questions I have, then direct me to keywords and aspects of Access so I can pinpoint what I need to get training about. Not to say I won't come back and take an entire course, but I really do not have time to be thorough right this moment. And thanks, I appreciate the way you have created a learning space.

Richard Rost @Reply

4 years ago

I understand completely, Michael. The worst thing is to need a database yesterday and try to cram something together ill-prepared and then have to go back months later and re-invent the wheel. Sometimes having a consultant get you started is best. I used to work in that space too... or people would take databases that I had already built (my templates) and then I would customize them with some additions they wanted, and then they would take it from there. Nothing wrong with that.

I'm familiar with Stephan Landau. Seems like a good guy. Knowledgeable. While I don't know him personally, we've chatted online and in forums together. You're in good hands.

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