MS Access does a much better job at managing data integrity. Moving data storage to Access brings many benefits. Since the primary purpose of Access is as a database, it is a much more efficient and robust choice once the more elementary data management capabilities of Excel have been exhausted. The difference between Access and Excel is that Access is the next step up on the data evolution ladder. Beyond all of the above, on a gut level, everyone involved knows there has to be a better way. And the pure volume of information demands a more robust and solid data storage solution. Folks are no longer sure the formulas work properly because the application has been copy/pasted so many times for new reporting periods.
There may be copies of the workbook for each reporting period dating back years, making it difficult to synthesize the information for reporting purposes. Within the world of data management, changing conditions alter information management needs.Īt some point the small manageable spreadsheet application may morph into a complex workbook with multiple spreadsheets. Data management solutions which worked yesterday are not guaranteed to work tomorrow. The one universal truth about data management is that information evolves over time.
However – as anyone who has ever worked with spreadsheet applications can confirm – storing data in Excel can become unmanageable. As an example, someone might start a spreadsheet to track a new mailing list. Spreadsheets are – in fact – the first level of data management.
However straight-forward the difference may seem on paper, it isn’t that cut and dry in the real life of data management.Įxcel can (and often is) used to store data. In short Excel is a spreadsheet program designed for analyzing data and Microsoft Access is a database program designed for storing and manipulating data.