What database software should I use?

[kproccyszyn]

Hello there,
Let me give you a quick brief about our current situation and what I would like to achieve.
We are a training provider with less than 5 users (I mean employees who input information). We need to store information about our learners.
At the moment, we store all our information in an excel spreadsheets. We have really a few - qualification registrations, tracking what happens with learners, attendance registration (it is also the excel spreadsheet, which currently is fetching learners details from external spreadsheets) etc.
We have a lot of information which is unnecessary and what is worse, we have to type again and again learners' details etc.
Therefore I came up with an idea of setting up a central located file with some relevant pieces of information - a database. I have been planning to create 5 tables to store and exchange information with each other. And here comes my question - what database software should I use?
Our current software specification is:
 1 Windows SBS 2008 Server working as DC, Exchange server etc.
 All computers used by staff are in a domain
 All computers used by staff are running Office 2013 Professional Plus.
 Our network is working mainly with 1 GBit/s speed
Should I use Access 2013? Or maybe database installed on our main server?
The database will be used by a few users at the time by using forms to fill data in, and strongly relied on Microsoft office applications.

 

[kray4660]

As far as the actual database, you might be able to use an MS-SQL express version, but there are limitations (do not remember them all right now). That way it would be rather easy to build an MS-Access user interface. But I know that a number of people like using MySQL. It is the fraction of the price of MS-SQL. At least if you go with just MS-Access, be sure to separate the tables off in what is know as a Front End/Back End set up. And every user gets their own copy of the Front End.

I hope this helps.

 

[kproccyszyn]

I really would like avoid using extra software for this. I will therefore try to work with MS-SQL Express 2005 which is allready on the server, if not Access 2013.

Thank you for your help, I will come back to you once database will be up and running.