Opinion - how easy is Access to learn?

I'm sure there's no single answer - depends on your background, motivation, familiarity with database concepts, and even on how you will be using the product.

That said - I do not consider Access an easy application to learn, and the fundamental concepts of databases are much different from Excel. You may need anywhere from 1 to 6 months to get comfortable with it. I believe I spent about 6 months learning the basics, which included time with database theory, SQL, and Access-specific design tools.

I wish there were a great book on Access to recommend - I've always though that the first book really should be just a great book on database fundamentals - they aren't as easy to find. Some recommend Databases for Mere Mortals and/or SQL Queries for Mere Mortals which I found to be verbose, but fills its job of a being an introduction in "ordinary" language.

HTH,
Good luck.

FWIW I totally agree with xenou

Regarding books, and looking back, I feel any money I spent on them (back in the later 1980's on) was wasted - especially considering the wealth of information on the web nowadays. Far better to have a real practical problem to work on and struggle through that.

Having said that, I still have Excel 97 "Worksheet Function Reference" and a set of 5 Microsoft Office VBA "Language Reference" books from around the same time that have been worth their weight (considerable) in gold and Price(considerable). Basically exact printed reproductions of Help file pages in book form. Being a bit old I was brought up on the printed page, (a spreadsheet was a big sheet of paper with lines and columns) so still find that easier to refer to - despite 2 side by side 24" computer screens (and an F1 key) now.

Well it depends on how quickly you can forget everything you know about excel!

If you know VBA in excel then that's a start but access has a different way of doing most things. Once you can get your head around that then it makes it a lot easier. A lot of people that ask questions on here are trying to do things the same way they would on excel and it doesn't work.

You might want to try playing around with access and design a database for something you already do (part of your job that you think a database might help) and try making it so the database makes your job easier. I found http://www.datapigtechnologies.com/AccessMain.htm useful.

Thanks for the replies guys.

My dad was going to give me a 2hr introduction at the weekend - but doesn't sound like this will get me very far.

Think I will apply for job but let them know I know bugger all about Access (for the time being).

Cheers

coincidentally you may be interested in this

http://www.mrexcel.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2286278

how easy is Access to learn? Is there any correlation between Access & knowledge of Excel?

Click to expand...

I agree with the 1-6 month assessment. Full time.

Think of columns in worksheets and then think of columns in Access tables.

Your advantage is that you are a subject matter expert on Finances. Someone like me is good in Access but when I go to my next project, I may have to learn how the business works. Good luck!

I've been working in Access since ~97 and one of the biggest hurdles I had to clear was the object model: when do which events fire. This is especially important for figuring out when/how a form opens or how a query calls user-defined code, things like that. The Getz, et al Developer's Handbook was invaluable.

I also recommend, as above, coming up with personal projects to work out issues with. I can't count the times I've had a work issue that I've already solved with my personal music database or my mom's recepie database.

Good luck,

Rich