Concept in Definition ABC

Microsoft is the North American multinational software company that is present in a greater number and diversity of fields with regard to computer applications. In the field of databases, one of its consumer and professional products is Access.

Access follows the relational database model, organizing the information in tables, each one of them which is structured in various fields that are the attributes of the object that the table seeks to model

Relationships are established between the different tables, which can be from 1 to 1 (each record in a table is directly related to a record and only one from another table), from 1 to N (a record of a table is related to several records of another table), and from N to N (by means of an intermediate table, a record of one table can be related to several of another and vice versa.

Its operation is highly visual, having a table design tool that allows you to easily create its definition as well as the relationships between the different tables.

It is not a database excessively powerful, but to manage personal files and small businesses, it is more than suitable.

Access is one of the programs included in the Office suite.

History beginning in 1992

The first version of Access was launched in 1992, culminating in a series of initiatives by Microsoft to equip itself with a DBMS (Database management system) for the end user and that could also serve as a front-end for SQL Servers (at that time, available for the operating system OS / 2).

Since then, more than a dozen versions of Access have evolved while maintaining the initial simplicity that makes it ideal for those novice users with little knowledge of relational databases, as well as a perfect tool to study and learn how to create databases relational.

Features / capabilities

• Table and relationship designer. In a simple and very visual way, we can define fields, each one with its corresponding data type and a description, define the key field or fields, and establish relationships between tables.
• Forms. It allows the creation of a user interface, based on forms, through which we can enter new data and consult those already entered.
• Reports. We can define different report formats, initially intended to be printed on paper, but obviously we can also present on screen.
• Programming. If we know something about programming (you don't have to be a professional programmer, and we can learn a little programming if we don't know anything), we can refine the capabilities of our database, creating true Applications.
• Networking. Access is not only prepared to work locally, but also to accept network connections to a database from other computers, with which it is possible to operate with it for companies and organizations of small and medium size that have several computers.
• Export data and support for other formats. As required of modern applications, Microsoft's DBMS is capable of interacting with other database applications and file formats. file, and not only from other Microsoft programs, but also from the competence, like MySQL, Oracle, DB2, or Lotus Notes.
• Runtime. In some versions of Access, this piece of software standalone is able to allow the execution of applications built in Access without having to install the application on the computer of destiny.