Choosing Excel or Access

[Guest]

I am not an expert in Excel and Access, but after trying to create Macro
using VBA in Excel and I also have developed a simple Access database in
tracking supplier invoices including it's aging. I do not know what is the
difference between excel and Access in term of it's capacity and best fit
with our:

1. Supplier Inivoice monitoring, outstading, payment, aging
2. ROM ( Reguset of Material) Monitoring, starting from request until
opening P.O
3, P.O ( Purchase Order) issuing based on approved ROM, but before we open
it, if possible we can be automatically seeing the lowest price from each
supplier

Appreciate any idea on this. I will try to do it myself, I have finished
number one, using Access database, but item 2 and 3 above are currently done
in excel, but I see to many work repetions. I just joined this company and I
want to improve the system, my specialist is Finance and Accounting but I am
interested to know more about Office programs

Frank
Jakarta, Indonesia

 

[Guest]

Hi Frank,

The main difference between Access and Excel is that Excel is a flat file
structure, and Access is relational.

If you are after a database solution, use Access. If you have a bunch of
data that you want to perform financial calculations on use Excel. Don't try
to use Excel as a "database" as once you get past anything more complex than
a few items you will find yourself tied in knots.

Hope this helps.

Damian.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Damian for your idea. One thing that I want to ask you, how can I
reduce number of records, say for all paid invoices I want to archive it. I
notice that if we delete supplier A which is linked to invoices, all the
invoicess also will be deleted.

Can you explain what is the best way in archiving the records which are
linked in our databased.

Thanks a lot

Frank S

 

[Todos Menos [MSFT]]

you should use access until you understand how databases work.. then
you should move to SQL Server

 

[Joseph Meehan]

Thanks Damian for your idea. One thing that I want to ask you, how
can I reduce number of records, say for all paid invoices I want to
archive it. I notice that if we delete supplier A which is linked to
invoices, all the invoicess also will be deleted.

Can you explain what is the best way in archiving the records which
are linked in our databased.

Since you can have a database up to 2 gig total size, few users need to
"archive" there data anywhere. The usual thing is to add a binary (yes no)
field and use that to archive (hide) the data you would normally remove and
store someplace else. That works well with access.

 

[Joseph Meehan]

you should use access until you understand how databases work.. then
you should move to SQL Server

Frank, there are reasons to use an SQL server including very large data
requirements, but few people have any need to. Aaron (aka many other names)
tends to believe Access is a false religion and not a good database tool.

 

[Todos Menos [MSFT]]

Isn't the limit for a single table.. uh 1gb? and 2gb is the database
size limit?

and you can't enforce referential integrity between linked databases?

what a crap solution; just use SQL Server... it's FREE KIDS

 

[Todos Menos [MSFT]]

CORRECTION!

EVERYONE SHOULD USE SQL SERVER AND ACCESS MDB IS A TOY DATABASE

I'VE SUPPORTED HUNDREDS OF USERS ON MDB.
BUT IT SUCKS AND IT IS NOT RELIABLE ENOUGH FOR REAL WORLD USAGE

LISTEN TO THE TRUTH; NOT THIS PROPAGANDA

 

[Todos Menos [MSFT]]

Access is not a false religion.

Access is a great frontend to SQL Server

but Access sure AINT a goddamn database; and it hasn't been for a
decade

 

[Todos Menos [MSFT]]

CORRECTION

If you have to perform a bunch of financial calculations; THEN USE A
DATABASE INSTEAD OF REINVENTING THE WHEEL

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

Isn't the limit for a single table.. uh 1gb? and 2gb is the database
size limit?

and you can't enforce referential integrity between linked databases?

what a crap solution; just use SQL Server... it's FREE KIDS

Note that this person is really A a r o n K e m p f and that he is not an employee
of Microsoft.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/

 

[Joseph Meehan]

CORRECTION

If you have to perform a bunch of financial calculations; THEN USE A
DATABASE INSTEAD OF REINVENTING THE WHEEL

I guess Aaron's knowledge of Excel and spreadsheets is equal to his
knowledge of Access. Not too good.

 

[Joseph Meehan]

Access is not a false religion.

Access is a great frontend to SQL Server

but Access sure AINT a goddamn database; and it hasn't been for a
decade

No comment needed. However why do you use different names? It seems
everyone knows who you are just by looking at your responses.

 

[Todos Menos [MSFT]]

joseph

are you ****ing kidding me?

why does anone use Excel for anythnig? BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW A
BETTER TOOL?

 

[Todos Menos [MSFT]]

no comment needed?

because you finally admit that Access isn't a database?

SQL Server isn't any harder to use thn Access; if anything it is
easier