I have a general question and am looking for input. The company I'm currently employed with is using several different MS Access databases for recording and reporting. There are several problems, 1)they are all seperate databases, 2)people are using different versions of Access, 3) we have no one person who know hows to rewrite/create new reoprts. Now I have been asked to see if there is a better way. I understand and can get around the different Access version issues. I know we could with some help combine all the databases into one. The purpose of the databases is to track jobs, sales quota, commission etc... We need to keep the data for historic/comparison etc.. I'm somewhat good with excel but wasn't sure about keeping history. So here is my question: What do think would be the best choice for us? excel access, sql, or something else.
Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!
Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!
-
Congratulations SkipVought on being selected by the Tek-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!
General Database Question 3
- Thread starter modmac
- Start date
>> SQL 2005 Express and MySQL 5.0 do not
That is incorrect. I have Oracle Express running and the management tools are horrid compared to SSMS for sql server and the many management tool available for MySQL at absolutely no charge or license agreements
Where did you read that? Can you please post links to references when you state those things please. It helps discuss them
[sub]____________ signature below ______________
You are a amateur developer until you realize all your code sucks.
Jeff Atwood[/sub]
That is incorrect. I have Oracle Express running and the management tools are horrid compared to SSMS for sql server and the many management tool available for MySQL at absolutely no charge or license agreements
Where did you read that? Can you please post links to references when you state those things please. It helps discuss them
[sub]____________ signature below ______________
You are a amateur developer until you realize all your code sucks.
Jeff Atwood[/sub]
03Explorer
Technical User
actually the link is from above...
Sorry, I really don't feel like registering especially if they stated out there allegations like that. Surly if this is true the resource can be found at the dozens of respectful free viewing community sites or more importantly the companies themselves.
[sub]____________ signature below ______________
You are a amateur developer until you realize all your code sucks.
Jeff Atwood[/sub]
[sub]____________ signature below ______________
You are a amateur developer until you realize all your code sucks.
Jeff Atwood[/sub]
Olaf Doschke
Programmer
I don't think lespaul meant database management tools like SSMS is for SQL Server but IDEs to create the GUI to the database. Exactly there are very few of them. Access could also handle data from MS Sql or any database providing ODBC access plus it's already the GUI to those small local systems you want to pull together. And a userbase of 3 users is not hard to handle with a GUI like Access.
Bye, Olaf.
Bye, Olaf.
Sorry about that "Jeff." I forget sometimes about which sites are registration required...
What it actually said about Included GUI Management Tool was that:
SQL 2005 Express: No, available separately
Oracle Database XE: Yes; Web based
MySQL 5.0: No; third party available
< M!ke >
Acupuncture Development: a jab well done.
What it actually said about Included GUI Management Tool was that:
SQL 2005 Express: No, available separately
Oracle Database XE: Yes; Web based
MySQL 5.0: No; third party available
< M!ke >
Acupuncture Development: a jab well done.
I did not go into each link and didn't want to make a blanket statement:
No other database has a Development environment
I don't know that the above is a true statement. That's why my original statement was ambiguous...As far as I know, Access is the only database that contains the development environment, but I don't KNOW that it really IS the only one.
Sorry for the flurry.
Leslie
No other database has a Development environment
I don't know that the above is a true statement. That's why my original statement was ambiguous...As far as I know, Access is the only database that contains the development environment, but I don't KNOW that it really IS the only one.
Sorry for the flurry.
Leslie
No worries 03Explorer. I just hope you do not take that article seriously because it really is wrong. I work with all of them (MySQL in the past) and to be honest I can't believe it says that.
My take for what it's worth. Access has no place in a production process that there is a need to deliver critical business information. The OP pointed out some of the reasoning behind this.
My largest one is "people are using different versions of Access". You are in a completely hostile environment towards your development efforts with MS Access. Really this is not what the application was meant for. It's a user application not a fully qualified stable platform.
A comparison to SQL Server Express leaves no questions to why would even consider Access. If you look at GUI development for your data there are several points you must consider
1) n-Tier. Would you rather have your data on the same level as you GUI where the user is directly interacting and altering it? Umm...not me. If you can develop VBA code to create some forms in Access you can open up Business Intelligence that is part of the client tools installation for SQL Server (Or the Express IDE environments that are free to use by MS) and write a interface to the data. I've never seen a n-tier application architecture model where the data tier is on the same level as the GUI.
You can integrity, much better handling and layering and security. That being security of your data and security from your users breaking everything.
2) Versions and Upgrades. OK. How many times have you heard the story, "Someone opened my access database in a newer version and said yes to convert it and now it's broken and my backup is at the bottom of the Hudson cause the off-site transport avoided a car crash and went of the south bridge". Really, where is the disaster/recovery model with a desktop application?
It's critical for us as professionals in our respected fields to provide sound and stable products so we retain our image and keep going forward.
[sub]____________ signature below ______________
You are a amateur developer until you realize all your code sucks.
Jeff Atwood[/sub]
My take for what it's worth. Access has no place in a production process that there is a need to deliver critical business information. The OP pointed out some of the reasoning behind this.
My largest one is "people are using different versions of Access". You are in a completely hostile environment towards your development efforts with MS Access. Really this is not what the application was meant for. It's a user application not a fully qualified stable platform.
A comparison to SQL Server Express leaves no questions to why would even consider Access. If you look at GUI development for your data there are several points you must consider
1) n-Tier. Would you rather have your data on the same level as you GUI where the user is directly interacting and altering it? Umm...not me. If you can develop VBA code to create some forms in Access you can open up Business Intelligence that is part of the client tools installation for SQL Server (Or the Express IDE environments that are free to use by MS) and write a interface to the data. I've never seen a n-tier application architecture model where the data tier is on the same level as the GUI.
You can integrity, much better handling and layering and security. That being security of your data and security from your users breaking everything.
2) Versions and Upgrades. OK. How many times have you heard the story, "Someone opened my access database in a newer version and said yes to convert it and now it's broken and my backup is at the bottom of the Hudson cause the off-site transport avoided a car crash and went of the south bridge". Really, where is the disaster/recovery model with a desktop application?
It's critical for us as professionals in our respected fields to provide sound and stable products so we retain our image and keep going forward.
[sub]____________ signature below ______________
You are a amateur developer until you realize all your code sucks.
Jeff Atwood[/sub]
>> Sorry for the flurry
Don't be Leslie. It's a good conversation. These are the ones that we learn the most from as long as they stay under the![[flame]](/data/assets/smilies/flame.gif "[flame] [flame]")
level 
[sub]____________ signature below ______________
You are a amateur developer until you realize all your code sucks.
Jeff Atwood[/sub]
Don't be Leslie. It's a good conversation. These are the ones that we learn the most from as long as they stay under the
level [sub]____________ signature below ______________
You are a amateur developer until you realize all your code sucks.
Jeff Atwood[/sub]
Hey "Jeff" (I like your blog ;-) )
>>>Access has no place in a production process that there is a need to deliver critical business information.
I have to disagree. Access is a perfectly acceptable front end (provided that the company's IT department keeps everyone up to date on versions!). Its' reporting tools are not THAT awful either, for what it is.
Any data that I NEED to have, I am sure as hell not going to store in access. But I have no problems interacting with it and displaying it through access.
Just my 2 cents...
Alex
Ignorance of certain subjects is a great part of wisdom
>>>Access has no place in a production process that there is a need to deliver critical business information.
I have to disagree. Access is a perfectly acceptable front end (provided that the company's IT department keeps everyone up to date on versions!). Its' reporting tools are not THAT awful either, for what it is.
Any data that I NEED to have, I am sure as hell not going to store in access. But I have no problems interacting with it and displaying it through access.
Just my 2 cents...
Alex
Ignorance of certain subjects is a great part of wisdom
- Thread starter
- #34
SQL Server comes in a workgroup edition now that sounds perfect for you. Much less expensive than the standard edition and it functions well for the workgroup.
Of course, you're looking at writing some code so that may be a problem if your organization doesn't have a developer which sounds the case since you've got multiple versions of Access. Either way, getting everyone on the same version of Access is probably a must....
Of course, you're looking at writing some code so that may be a problem if your organization doesn't have a developer which sounds the case since you've got multiple versions of Access. Either way, getting everyone on the same version of Access is probably a must....
ModMac,
We had a very similar problem where I work, so I instigated some changes.
Now we have all the data tables in MySQL (free!) with access front ends (recognisable to users).
The access front ends also have password-protected forms that load new data when it is available so generally getting into the guts of the MySQL is not required.
It does, however, allow very competent users to start writing SQL directly in some cases, so gives us an obvious learning environment too.
If you want to know more - let me know; maybe I can email you directly and give some some more details. If this sounds like a good way to go to you of course...
Good luck!
Fee
The question should be [red]Is it worth trying to do?[/red] not [blue] Can it be done?[/blue]
We had a very similar problem where I work, so I instigated some changes.
Now we have all the data tables in MySQL (free!) with access front ends (recognisable to users).
The access front ends also have password-protected forms that load new data when it is available so generally getting into the guts of the MySQL is not required.
It does, however, allow very competent users to start writing SQL directly in some cases, so gives us an obvious learning environment too.
If you want to know more - let me know; maybe I can email you directly and give some some more details. If this sounds like a good way to go to you of course...
Good luck!
Fee
The question should be [red]Is it worth trying to do?[/red] not [blue] Can it be done?[/blue]
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked
- Question