I am new to acccess, we thought we would try it to see if it would be easier
for what we are trying to do in excel.

In excel I made a workbook up with multiple worksheets for every job. eg:
every workbook has its own job with invoice, quote, takeoff, job costing and
work orders in different worksheets. I got them all linked to update
information automatically as we enter stuff in eg: when i do up my invoice it
automatically updates the job costing as what i have invoiced.

My question is, is it possible to do something like this in access? Can i
build my invoices, quote sheets etc. in there to the way I want them? and can
have a database for every job? Or should I just stick to my excel?

Access will do what you want, and do it better and more efficiently all in
one database. The downside is that it's more difficult to comprehend how a
relational database works in comparison to a spreadsheet. You will need to
get a book on database basics and design the database properly. I have done
something similar.   I have a small service business and I use Access to
store and sort all job information and invoicing. It took a lot of time and
effort, but it was worth it in the long run, as it does exactly as I want
and I can amend and update functionality as the need arises.  If you are the
type of person that likes messing around with stuff like that and would
enjoy the challenge, go for it, otherwise I'd advise to pay someone else or
stick to the spreadsheets.

Regards
John

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Hi Tess,

In an Access newsgroup you'll likely get the answer that Access is the best
tool for the job you're doing.  Actually, you'll get that answer from anyone
who knows the rest of the MS applications and Access.

You're using Excel to do Access kinds of things.  The power of Excel is in
calculation.  The power in Access is in data management and presentation.

Access has a much steeper learning curve than any of the other Office apps.
Once you do learn it, you can soar!  If you are an advanced user and
programmer of Excel you're going to start in better stead than a casual
Excel user.  Part of the problem in crossing over is that an Access table
looks like an Excel spreadsheet.  Excel users then feel cheated when they
can't put formulas into the "cells" and do a lot of stuff in the tables.  To
make it worse they'll hear the experienced Access developers harping that
getting the tables right is the most crucial element in the building of an
Access application.  You have to follow a bunch of rules that seem pretty
arbitrary - later you find that they're all necessary.  There are newsgroups
for different aspects of Access:  tablesdesign and gettingstaarted are a
couple of great ones for newbies to lurk.  Believe me, I'm not trying to
discourage you.  I encourage anyone with the desire to become more
proficient in Access.  Anyone who is dedicated enough to make multisheet
Excel workbooks play as a coherent application is a great candidate for
Access.  The hardest things  to assimilate are the required changes in
mindset.  Although I've developed Excel applications wherein the user never
interacted at the worksheet level, Excel applications usually invite the
user into the worksheets for data entry and modification.  In Access it's
downright sinful to require (or even let) your users into the tables.  All
contact with the data is via forms.  Plan to read a lot.  You'll be much
more aware of the object model in Access than you were in Excel..

Post back if you have more questions.

HTH
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Tess,

Access is built to do what you described. When designed properly, it does it
better, faster, and more efficient than Excel. It is easy for me to say yes
this will definitely work, but your subject line concerns me. You dont
design Access like Excel or Excel like Access. Each has its own place and
does very well on things it's designed for.

My response to you would be:
EITHER:
- For you yourself to learn more about Access, relational database theory,
its benefits and strength. Armed with this, you would be the one who can
decide the merits or lack thereof of converting an already working Excel
system to an Access based application.
OR:
- Get an Access consultant (maybe even several different ones to get second
opinions) to help you assess your current system and give you cost/benefit
of converting to an Access based application.


The point is:
1. You want to make sure that the benefits of converting from your current
system, if any, exceeds the cost of the conversion.
2. Get someone competent to make the above cost/benefit analysis. Either
train yourself to be competent to do this or get someone who is.



HTH,
Immanuel Sibero




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Hi Tess,

I am in business to provide customers with a resource for help with
Microsoft Access, Excel and Word
applications. You can view my website at www.pcdatasheet.com. I have done
numerous conversions from Excel to Access for customers. I don't need to
even look at what you have in Excel to unequivocally tell you that whatever
you are doing in your Excel workbook can be done much more easily in Access.
Your invoices, quote sheets etc will at least look as good and most likely
look better in Access. Contacy me at my email address below for further
help.

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