Database Project

After working on the database project, I learned a wide range of new skills since I have never used Microsoft Access before. Although the project had its tough points, it wasn't as bad as I thought it was originally going to be. I found Access to actually be an interesting new tool for preparing reports and forms. I like how it allows users to create a multitude of information and store it all together. It is also useful for when a user only needs/wants to display or report certain information about a customer, for example. Microsoft Access allows the user to still keep the data within the database, but to hide it so that other users who don't need the information, won't be able to see it. The designs also make Access a little more fun and quirky, so that the forms and reports aren't just plain and white like any other document. All of the features of Access were new to me, so the fact that you could build new data off of older data was also really interesting. It also helps that Access allows for an easy way to import and export data.
Although I really enjoyed using Microsoft Access, and many of its parts were fairly simple and straight forward for the most part, there were some confusing points. Since there are so many features and ways to tweak the forms, queries, reports and tables, it can get a bit overwhelming, not to mention difficult to find certain things. For example, when completing the report activity portion of the project, the last step of putting the footer was a little bit difficult since there is a text box option and a label option as well. Not only that, but since there were about twenty little buttons in the group, it made it a little bit difficult to find. I also thought that the import function was wonderful, but a little confusing the first couple of times around, especially trying to append the imported information to the already existing information. Other than those minor setbacks, I liked trying out Microsoft Access and now view it as a potentially useful tool in the future.