Databases
StackOverflow2013
Postsdbo
POCreate an excel spreadsheet that actively modifies an access database
 

Note that there are some explanatory texts on larger screens.

plurals
  1. POCreate an excel spreadsheet that actively modifies an access database
    primarykey
    data
    text
    <p>My client wants to store basic relational data in Access. So far, so good. However, ideally, he'd like for me to create an Excel spreadsheet that would allow users to create and modify data types without having to work with Access software or know about databases. To be more specific, he wants a single master spreadsheet that would let people manage data for several different "projects." Each project would have basic attributes and other related data such as employees working on it, numbered to do items with associated data, etc. I've worked with databases before and it's a neat, textbook example of a relational database. I have a model for the data already, and making an Access form to fill it in would be straightforward. </p> <p>However, here's the thing: he wants creating new attributes and tables completely intuitive within the Excel spreasheet--as easy as clicking an "add student" button or even add a new category of data. For instance, in the future, he may add a list of contractors working on the project, and it would be nice to be able to have a button that would allow you to essentially create that new table. There won't be a great amount of data, though, and I'm not sure if referential integrity and normalization is crucial. For instance, the list of contractors he creates wouldn't need to be perfectly linked up so that each company only appears once in the database.</p> <p>So, what should I do? Can I accomplish this within Excel spreadsheets using macros? Can you make buttons in Excel that would say "create a new table," which would (run a VBScript to) create a new database table to be associated with each project, and then allow you to format it? Should I not bother with Excel at all and basically write a Visual Basic program? I'm familiar with general programming and databases, but I am fairly new to Excel, Access, and Visual Basic. If you could point me in the right direction--to tutorials, examples, advice, general concepts, etc--it would be much appreciated.</p>
    singulars
    1. PO
      singulars
      1. PTAnswer
    1. This table or related slice is empty.
    1. PTQuestion
    1. This table or related slice is empty.
    1. USSlothario
    plurals
    1. This table or related slice is empty.
    1. This table or related slice is empty.
    1. This table or related slice is empty.
    1. PO
      singulars
      1. PTAnswer
    2. PO
      singulars
      1. PTAnswer
    1. This table or related slice is empty.
    1. COIt seems like you will be creating the Access UI inside of Excel. Viewing or updating data from an existing structure in Excel makes sense if Access is scary or buying Access licenses for everyone is too expensive. If you do recreate the entire UI in Excel, it will be just as scary as the Access UI, and probably cost more than the Access licenses. Distributing Access with a customized Ribbon that hides all the things the client currently believes that they don't need (but probably will want eventually) seems like an easier and cheaper solution.
      singulars
      1. POCreate an excel spreadsheet that actively modifies an access database
      1. USMatt
    2. CO@Matt Agree with you, however it is possible to distribute the application as runtime with no need for Access licence to deploy: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/bb501030(v=office.12).aspx
      singulars
      1. POCreate an excel spreadsheet that actively modifies an access database
      1. USunitario
    3. COAccess runtime is free, there is no license fee: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=10910
      singulars
      1. POCreate an excel spreadsheet that actively modifies an access database
      1. USFionnuala
 

Querying!

 
Guidance
A row detail

Detail views are divided into sections. All the information in the data section comes from columns in the selected row. The other sections display data from other, related rows.

Related data can be related in a to-one or a to-many fashion. Captions of data related in a to-many fashion link to a list view showing a filtered view of the table.

Try moving around until you find a non-empty to-many entry and click on the label to get to one. You can move back to the root by clicking on the database name in the header.

SQuiL has stopped working due to an internal error.

If you are curious you may find further information in the browser console, which is accessible through the devtools (F12).

Reload