Is Microsoft Access a viable application development platform? This is a question that always seems to trigger much debate and disagreement in the software development community.

Microsoft Access is a key member of the Microsoft Office productivity software suite. There are literally tens of thousands of Access databases in use around the world.

Access has a very wide range of applications, from the creation of simple mailing lists to the development of robust, menu-driven software solutions.

However, largely due to this versatility, many programmers do not consider Access a real development platform and therefore frown upon its use for the creation of software applications.

But, in reality, this could not be further from the truth.

If used under the right set of circumstances by skilled programmers, Microsoft Access offers an incredibly cost-effective alternative to ‘higher-end’ programming platforms.

First of all, Access often includes all of the components required by a software project right ‘out-of-the-box’. This includes a database, robust querying and reporting tools, customizable menus and toolbars and installation package deployment tools. The ability to use one platform to create an entire solution, as well as the multitude of RAD (rapid application development) tools and features, allows programmers to use Access to create applications much faster than with other development platforms.

But, at the same time, Access has a robust programming language and allows programmers to integrate other higher-end programming technologies in order to create more robust, extensive applications.

So under what circumstances should Access be used for application development? Access definitely does have limitations related to scalability and support. For applications with a limited number of users and data and where hands-on deployment and support can be provided, Access can be a cost-effective alternative to more cost and time-intensive programming platforms.

And, even if an Access application does reach its scalability limits, there is often no need to replace it in its entirety. Access is really two separate pieces of software, a user interface application and a database. If an application outgrows the Access database, either due to the number of users or the amount of data, the database can be converted to a client/server database, such as Microsoft SQL Server, while retaining most of the original Access-based application user interface. While this will require some reprogramming, the cost is usually a fraction of recreating the entire solution from scratch.

So, regardless of what you might hear, Microsoft Access can be a very cost-effective software development platform. The keys to success when using Access are to use it in the right situations and to utilize appropriately skilled programmers from the start of the project. This will result in a robust software application that can be effectively expanded upon and supported, resulting in a high return on investment at a relatively low cost.


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