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Microsoft Access

Brief description

Microsoft Access is a database program. It can be used to store, edit and analyse research data with a clear, well-defined structure in a structured manner. Especially for data that are complex in nature, working with a database program such as Access is preferred over working with programs like Excel (or Word). Access includes features such as:

• systematic data input;
• data sorting, search and selection;
• data editing, processing and presenting;
• various types of data analysis.

Key concepts when working with databases are: (research) data inventorization, data management (especially in the case of large amounts of data), improving data accessibility and analysis of stored data.

Manual and practical introduction

Introductiepracticum databases: analyse van onderzoeksgegevens m.b.v. Access  
This document provides a brief introduction to working with Microsoft Access (in Dutch). The emphasis is on working with existing databases.

There are many books available on this program for beginners as well as advanced users. There is also lot of information available on the Internet. Two examples are Microsoft Access 2013: An Essential Guide and Microsoft Access 2013: An Intermediate Guide by the University of Reading.

Availability

Microsoft Access 2010 can be accessed on all VU PCs. It is part of Microsoft Office Professional 2010 (and is therefore not included in all versions of Office). Microsoft Office Professional 2010 can be purchased by staff and students for a small price through Surfspot.

More information

For more information, please visit the database sections in this Workbench.

Further remarks

When designing a database, it is important that the data is stored in the most efficient way possible. In many cases this cannot be done in one table, which means that programs such as Word and Excel are usually not suitable for storing (complex) data. Incorrect database design can lead to a high level of redundancy in the data and may, in the worst case, lead to an unusable data set. The document Inleiding database-ontwerp provides basic information on database design (in Dutch).

The Faculty's ICT Support Unit advises staff and students regarding the use of databases in their research and supports them in designing databases and data entry forms, as well as converting and creating web databases. For more information, please contact Eric Akkerman (e.akkerman at vu.nl).