Any Synergy between Access 2007 & Business Contact Manager (Outlook)
2007?
Don't know that much about either, but understand Business Contact
Manager 3 (Outlook 2007 add on) stores data in SQL Server Express
file(s) and I would think Access to be a good GUI tool for designing
screens and accessing SQL data etc.
Acutely, ms-access has had some "native" sql server support since access
2000. In fact, the office cd shipped with the desktop edition of sql server,
and a version of ms-access specifically designed for use with sql server.
So, ms-access does have some well defined support options for sql server.
Further, there is a new wizard in access to import outlook contacts...
I'm an old FoxPro hack, and never spent much time with Access. I know
a lot of people love FileMaker Pro.
Access doesn't seem to have become the universal everyman's tool, that
Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, or even Publisher have.
Well, either did any database product. (FoxPro used to be very popular).
I don't think any database system has become even close to how popular
ms-access is today. So, I think for a database environment, ms-access is
likely the tops by a wide margin in the marketplace..
However, ms-access is still a different beast then the other office programs
since access has strong developer abilities. Also, databases by their nature
are more complex then the other office suite programs, and thus has a
steeper learning curve by nature.
However, a2007 is addressing ease of use even further. The new ribbon
interface make it much easier to find things. There is also features like
multi-value data (complex data). This "complex data" is just a fancy term
for the database being able do many to many joins, but not having write code
in forms or do special join in a query. This feature will allow a LOT of
people who don't understand relational databases to do things that were not
possible before without learning sql joins. (and, for forms, often to have
to write some code). Also, the report writer has become more interactive
(you can change things while in view mode). All of these are pointed towards
more "mainstream" acceptance of a database product.
You can view a video of this stuff in action here:
http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/programs/access/demo.mspx