Microsoft Access as a primary tool for Project Management

it's a relational database and it's bare-bones with object oriented programming and in the background different networking abilities can be added using the SQL Server. I'm not that intense with that aspect of programming, and I know , there are many others who could tell you in more detail; but in a nutshell after visual basic came out and started doing what access now does and then access and DB for those were the ones that people tend to use more often to manipulate the user interface, the GUI.

So when Microsoft began developing all of their applications including project, the last 34 years, they had to meet all of our desires and needs to compete, and what we ended up getting was a system that runs brilliantly code – relationally, and now with cloud allowing us to communicate through one program retrieving data from another and visualizing it in another, i.e. Visio.
personally I think too much is too much, meaning we have a tough job as project managers and program managers, and process manager/engineers, that we are tending to get over technologically inclined, searching for everything to make our job easier, when in reality our job is not easy anyway. So notebooks and binders and hand-written or printed pages, will still be there.

Correct me if I'm wrong, Larry, but I think MS Project uses the Access engine to store its data?

I have use MS-Access, and FileMaker Pro, both interesting but if you want to use it for many person you need a skill programmer. Also use Omnis 7 from Blyth for about 20 user, was great.

MS-Access would let you link with MS-Project.

wow, is filemaker still around?? I used that for TBT Express back in 90s to create a hub schedule protype!

Hi Edmon! This post was what I was looking but I am a little late to the game! I am much like you and have used Access for years to do and track just about everything. The only downside is that many others don't understand how to use Access. I am in the process of creating a training for our chapter to show them how it can be used. Do you have a sample (without any confidential data) that I might be able to share? I have some of my own but would like a variety of types of industries to show how it is useful. I think Access is very powerful for many reasons...customization for starters and the ability to query for information as well as to report out! If you know how to use the software, it outweighs anything I have ever tried!

I am a little late chiming in here but I think I can add some value and this may be helpful to some…at least for those that have some basic knowledge of MS Access. I have used MS Access for several years in many different capacities. In line with this topic, I use Access to manage tasks, project data and provide better reports to the stakeholders. The way I do this is I create and manage my project plans with MS Project. Most stakeholders would hate to see a Gantt chart and MS Project is NOT a task management tool. So, in comes MS Access. I export my MS Project Database to MS Access. Now I have all of the data of my projects and can create queries that are not available in MS Project. I can create a task list for a particular resource that are due in the next two weeks and provide them with this information. I have total control of the data, how it looks and how it is used. I maintain my updates in MS Project and do regular dumps of MS Project. I use Access to review with the team or provide management with great status reporting. If you have not dumped a Project database and opened it with Access before, try it out and you will never use a MS Project report again…they are awful anyway. Good luck and have fun.

I would love to share with you but PM me your email