Editing Microsoft Access (section)

==Features==

Users can create tables, queries, forms and reports, and connect them together with [[Macro (computer science)|macros]]. Advanced users can use [[Visual Basic for Applications|VBA]] to write rich solutions with advanced [[data manipulation]] and user control. Access also has report creation features that can work with any data source that Access can access.

The original concept of Access was for end users to be able to access data from any source. Other features include: the import and export of data to many formats including [[Microsoft Excel|Excel]], [[Microsoft Outlook|Outlook]], [[ASCII]], [[dBase]], [[Paradox (database)|Paradox]], [[FoxPro 2|FoxPro]], [[Microsoft SQL Server|SQL Server]] and [[Oracle Database|Oracle]]. It also has the ability to link to data in its existing location and use it for viewing, querying, editing, and reporting. This allows the existing data to change while ensuring that Access uses the latest data. It can perform [[Heterogeneity|heterogeneous]] [[Join (SQL)|join]]s between data sets stored across different platforms. Access is often used by people downloading data from [[Enterprise software|enterprise level databases]] for manipulation, analysis, and reporting locally.

There is also the [[Access Database Engine|Access Database]] (ACE and formerly Jet) format (MDB or ACCDB in Access 2007) which can contain the application and data in one file. This makes it very convenient to distribute the entire application to another user, who can run it in disconnected environments.

One of the benefits of Access from a programmer's perspective is its relative compatibility with [[SQL]] (structured [[query language]])—queries can be viewed graphically or edited as SQL statements, and SQL statements can be used directly in Macros and VBA [[Modular programming|Modules]] to manipulate Access tables. Users can mix and use both VBA and "Macros" for programming forms and logic and offers [[Object-oriented programming|object-oriented]] possibilities. VBA can also be included in queries.

Microsoft Access offers [[Parameter (computer science)|parameterized queries]]. These queries and Access tables can be referenced from other programs like [[Visual Basic|VB6]] and [[.NET Framework|.NET]] through [[Data Access Objects|DAO]] or [[ActiveX Data Objects|ADO]]. From Microsoft Access, VBA can reference parameterized stored procedures via ADO.

The [[Desktop environment|desktop]] editions of [[Microsoft SQL Server]] can be used with Access as an alternative to the [[Jet Database Engine]]. This support started with [[MSDE]] (Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine), a scaled down version of Microsoft SQL Server 2000, and continues with the [[SQL Server Express]] versions of SQL Server 2005 and 2008.

Microsoft Access is a [[file server]]-based database. Unlike [[client–server]] [[relational database management system]]s (RDBMS), Microsoft Access does not implement [[database trigger]]s, [[stored procedure]]s, or [[transaction log]]ging. Access 2010 includes table-level triggers and stored procedures built into the ACE data engine. Thus a Client-server database system is not a requirement for using stored procedures or table triggers with Access 2010.
Tables, queries, forms, reports and macros can now be developed specifically for web based applications in Access 2010. Integration with Microsoft SharePoint 2010 is also highly improved.

The 2013 edition of Microsoft Access introduced a mostly flat design and the ability to install apps from the Office Store, but it did not introduce new features. The theme was partially updated again for 2016, but no dark theme was created for Access.

=== Access Services and Web database ===
{{See also|Web form|}}

[[ASP.NET]] [[web form]]s can query a Microsoft Access database, retrieve records and display them on the browser.<ref>{{cite web|title=Create ASP.NET Web Forms to Use a Microsoft Access Database|url=https://www.aspfree.com/c/a/asp-net/create-asp-net-web-forms-to-use-a-microsoft-access-database/|access-date=June 13, 2017}}</ref>

[[SharePoint]] Server 2010 via Access Services allows for Access 2010 databases to be published to SharePoint, thus enabling multiple users to interact with the database application from any standards-compliant Web browser. Access Web databases published to SharePoint Server can use standard objects such as tables, queries, forms, macros, and reports. Access Services stores those objects in SharePoint.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff402351.aspx|title=Creating Web Databases with Access 2010 and Access Services|publisher=Msdn.microsoft.com|date=July 22, 2009|access-date=April 24, 2013}}</ref>

Access 2013 offers the ability to publish Access web solutions on SharePoint 2013. Rather than using SharePoint lists as its data source, Access 2013 uses an actual SQL Server database hosted by SharePoint or SQL Azure.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://access-templates.com/tutorial/microsoft-access-2013-web-applications-and-examples.html|title=Microsoft Access 2013 Web Applications and Examples|website=access-templates.com|access-date=September 4, 2017}}</ref> This offers a true relational database with referential integrity, scalability, maintainability, and extensibility compared to the SharePoint views Access 2010 used. The macro language is enhanced to support more sophisticated programming logic and database level automation.<ref name="New in Access for developers"/>

===Import or link sources===
Microsoft Access can also import or link directly to data stored in other applications and databases.<ref name="ms-import"/> Microsoft Office Access 2007 and newer can import from or link to:
* Microsoft Access
* [[Microsoft Excel|Excel]]
* [[SharePoint]] lists
* [[Plain text]]
* [[XML]]
* [[Microsoft Outlook|Outlook]]
* [[HTML]]
* [[dBase]] (dropped in Access 2013; restored in Access 2016)<ref>{{cite web|title=Back by popular demand—dBASE file support in Access|url=https://blogs.office.com/en-us/2016/09/07/back-by-popular-demand-dbase-file-support-in-access/|website=Office Blogs|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|access-date=August 20, 2017|date=September 7, 2016}}</ref>
* [[Paradox (database)|Paradox]] (with Access 2007; dropped in Access 2010<ref name=HA101806473 />)
* [[Lotus 1-2-3]] (dropped in Access 2010<ref name=HA101806473>{{cite web|title=Discontinued features and modified functionality in Access 2010|url=http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access-help/discontinued-features-and-modified-functionality-in-access-2010-HA101806473.aspx|work=[[Office.com]]|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|access-date=January 17, 2014}}</ref>)
* [[ODBC]]-compliant data containers, including:
** [[Microsoft SQL Server]]
** [[Oracle database|Oracle]]
** [[MySQL]]
** [[PostgreSQL]]
** [[IBM Lotus Notes]]
** [[IBM i]] [[IBM Db2]]