Is Access the right tool for this job?

[NAHolmes]

Could someone advise whether Access is capable of creating a database for
running a manufacturing operation with the following criteria:

Component Tables
Product Tables (made up from Component Tables)
Order Table (including data from Product Tables)

Sounds fairly simple & I'm hoping it is suitable but having had a look over
the past week, I'm not so sure.

Thanks.

 

[Jeff Boyce]

From my experience, there are three separate learning curves you'll want to
consider in deciding to use Access...

1) relational database design and normalization (this would also apply if
you use a different relational database)
2) using the tools, tricks, features, functions in Access
3) graphical user interface design (who will be using this, and do you
really want to force them to learn Access?)

Notice that I didn't mention tables. They would fit under that first
category, but I wouldn't make them the deciding factor.

Oh yes, one more thing ... project management ... have you undertaken a
software development project before?

Good luck!

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

Could someone advise whether Access is capable of creating a database for
running a manufacturing operation with the following criteria:

Component Tables
Product Tables (made up from Component Tables)
Order Table (including data from Product Tables)

Sounds fairly simple & I'm hoping it is suitable but having had a look
over
the past week, I'm not so sure.

Thanks.

I think a MS access is a perfect tool for this task. There are some issues
of how many users you plan to have using this information at the same time,
but MS access can be used with sql server if users and amounts of data are
going to be very high.

Have you played around with sample northwind database that ships with MS
access? it has all kinds of examples of order taking and selling of
products.

Keep in mind however an MS access can have a long learning curve, it's very
much like learning music or perhaps even better example would be learning
carpentry. I can quite easily build a shelf with a few tools out of wood.
However building a birdhouse will be a little bit more challenging, and
trying to build a garage is even more challenging.

You can usually learn Excel, or word by trial and error.

Learning MS access is a more difficult challenge. It's not that the tool is
hard to use, but learning WHICH way to use it is difficult. Just like it's
not hard to use a hammer and saw to build a simple shelf. However, building
some really nice furniture with those SAME tools is very challenging.

I can operate a hammer or a saw, but for me to build NICE furniture with
those tools is not going to happen anytime soon....I simply don't have the
skills.

I would suggest that you play around with the northwind database in MS
access to get some ideas. You can also find some sample database designs
here that'll give you some ideas as to how the data modeling will look for
such an application:

http://www.databaseanswers.com/data_models/index.htm

if you haven't already, you might want pick up a book are two on learning in
using MS access, it really will help you.

 

[Arvin Meyer [MVP]]

Jeff's advice is right on the money. The one thing that you didn't mention
is how it will be used.

Access is a good tool if the database is well designed (a few design flaws
will be forgiven), there are a moderate number of users, (often considered
to be about 20 or less, but I've had more than 50) and a small capacity
(under 500 MB which is large for most small and departmental databases, but
tiny for huge databases like ones required to run multiple plants in an
enterprise) and not mission critical. (If the database goes down for an hour
once in a while, will that shut down the entire operation?) If you can't say
"yes" to all those questions, consider an Access front-end running with a
SQL-Server back-end.

 

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per NAHolmes:

Sounds fairly simple

"Ding ding ding... AAAAoooooga! AAAAoooooha! RED ALERT! RED
ALERT! THIS IS AN ACTUAL EMERGENCY REPEAT... THIS IS AN ACTUAL
EMERGENCY!"....

Seriously, though, it might be fairly straightforward as
applications go, but I have yet to encounter an application that
I'd call "fairly simple".

Might be more a reflection of my limited brainpower than anything
else.... but that's my experience.

 

[Larry Linson]

Seriously, though, it might be fairly straightforward as
applications go, but I have yet to encounter an application that
I'd call "fairly simple".

<CHUCKLE>

In a previous incarnation as a corporate technical support person, I had a
client, Vice President of a modestly large life insurance company, who
declared an absolute ban on any of her staff uttering or writing the phrases
"piece of cake" or "duck soup" for that very reason.

Larry