By Jianpeng Deng
Updated on 20/11/2021
Microsoft Access Database
Microsoft Access
Intro straight from OpenGate Software:
“Microsoft Access is an information management tool that helps you store information for reference, reporting, and analysis.”
“Microsoft Access helps you analyze large amounts of information, and manage related data more efficiently than Microsoft Excel or other spreadsheet applications.”
Click here to Microsoft 365
What do I do with it?
File Search
There are thousands of files sitting randomly in different corners of the two-storey office. The reason I created the Access database to locate files is that it causes inefficiency to office workflow because too much time was wasted on such an unnecessary activity and most importantly, people were getting grumpy searching for files everywhere.
Project Summary
We have done more than a thousand projects and there is a need to sort them all in a way that we can use the information efficiently. For example, a client approaches us to ask how much it costs to build a house in Tassie, I can then give him a couple of construction costs based on housing sizes, housing location, years etc.
Cost Plan Preparation
Every quantity surveyor has his/her style of writing descriptions for cost plans. As a junior QS, I collect all the descriptions from past projects and chuck them in a database so that I can easily refer to them in the future when I work with any senior QS from the office.
Rate Library
Similarly, I find it difficult to memorise all the rates I have come across. Chucking them all in a database is much easier and more efficient than memorising them or looking for them from a stack of project files.
Difference between Access and Excel?
These two softwares are quite different from each other.
For example, Excel probably starts to get slow when it contains more than 5000 rows of cells; whereas Access still works as usual when it contains 50,000 rows of records.
Pediaa has a page explaining in detail the difference between the two software.
Click here to the page
Upsides
“Free” of charge as it is already included in Microsoft 365.
Fairly easy to use compared to similar software.
Applicative to multiple aspects.
Downsides
Surely require more than basic computing knowledge to use the software well.
Limited design and feature options (not comparable to professional database software).