Is there a REAL advantage to using Microsoft Access v Excel? I want to learn Access, but what's the advantage?

Answer 1

While Excel is a spreadsheet it will work as a limited database.
Access is a database and doesn't work well as a Spreadsheet.
Access has such a steep learning curve and limited function, I recommend that if you can use Excel, then do so. Not only is it easier to use but the user base is ten times as large and much more help is available. I have used both and feel that I have wasted way to much time on Access when Excel would have done the job.

Answer 2

Access is a database, while Excel is a speadsheet. Speadsheets are good for doing a lot of calculations and keeping track of simple data, such as a timesheet.

Say you have a business with multiple customers, and you have all of your data on the time you spend on customers and the data you have on your customers in the speadsheet. But with Excel you would have to manually keep track of all of the data. With Excel you would have to have a sheet that has your times on it, but another sheet with the customer info. If you use a code to show what customer you worked for during that time, you have to manually look up that code on the customer info sheet.

In access you could do the same with two tables. But in Access you can link the tables. So if you have a report that is your timesheet, you could have it display the times, but also link back to your customer info table and have it automatically display the customer information, instead of looking it up manually.

This is just an example. What program you need to use is determined by what data you are working with. If its something simple, use Excel. If you are dealing with complex linked information, use Access. As you learn more about databases, you will learn when to use a speadsheet or database.

Answer 3

Microsoft Access is a database that can have many tables, queries, forms, reports, macros and programs defined.

Microsoft Excel is just a spreadsheet. While you can have more than one worksheet, it is simple in nature. Excel does have some very powerful charts and graphs.

By the way Excel and Access can be interlinked, so you can have your cake and eat it too.

Answer 4

Access is a database program whereas excel is only a spreadsheet program. You can use Access to create databases that often function as individual programs. For example, you can create a program to manage all of the information for our business, everything from inventor management, personnel tracking, finances, flight arrangements, cleric arrangements, form letters (which can be automatically populated from your client database) etc. etc. Access is very powerful.

Answer 5

MS Access is a real database, MS Excel is a spreadsheet.
A real database has a whole lot more functionality than Excel.

Answer 6

Excel is BY FAR the better...! Access is strictly a database program... You can use Excel as a database AND it has a ton of number-crunching possibilities and is sortable in a variety of ways all up to you...!... Plus, tables are easier than pie to create...! Excel is soooooo cool...!

Answer 7

Access is a database.
Excel is a spreadsheet.
Each has different applications.
There are relatively few things that function equally well in both.
Decide which your application needs and learn it.
Do you want me to explain the difference between a peach and an apple too?

Answer 8

Access allows you to build user-friendly forms for data entry. Access allows you to build reports... and queries to pull particular pieces of data. I built a great database for my company with Access.

Answer 9

Xl is 4 calculation and ACESES is 4 database and it helps u in managing data thats all but i think XL is better

Answer 10

access is very easy in database programming than othr programs