Aug 20

Deploying Microsoft Access Databases Linked to SQL Azure Databases

SQL Azure A few weeks ago, I discussed how Microsoft Access could link to databases hosted on SQL Azure. Here’s a new paper discussing How to Deploy Microsoft Access Databases Linked to a SQL Azure Database. Details on how this works and how to distribute your databases are covered. The people who receive your database don’t need a license of SQL Server but do need to have its ODBC driver installed on their machines.

Here’s the original blog on Microsoft Access and Cloud Computing with SQL Azure Databases.

Aug 19

Speed Up Microsoft Access and Visual SourceSafe Integration

Microsoft Visual SourceSafeMicrosoft AccessUsing Microsoft Visual SourceSafe (VSS) with Microsoft Access for system development is great for tracking old versions, maintaining a professional Access development platform, and multi-developer environments. Being able to quickly see old versions of individual objects, differences over time, and check-in and check-out objects to prevent multiple developers from changing the same object are all wonderful features. Visual Source Safe is part of MSDN. By installing the Office/Access developer extensions/edition or Visual Studio Tools for Office (VSTO), VSS gets added to your Access menus.

Unfortunately, as Access databases get more objects, VSS slows down and can sometimes take minutes to add a new object to the database. Waiting for VSS to prompt you for every new object not only wastes time (especially if you don't want to add a temporary object to VSS), it disrupts the rhythm of system development. Fortunately, there's an easy way to work around this. Read this paper Speed Up Microsoft Access and Visual SourceSafe Integration for details, including Access 2010.

Jul 16

Guest Speaker on Radio Show: Start Up or Shut Up

On Monday July 19, 2010, I’ll be live on the local radio show Start up or Shut up! which covers creating and running a small business.  It’ll be from 2-3PM on 1580 AM in Northern Virginia.

Start up or Shut up! is a LIVE radio show Monday afternoon from 2-3pm on the Big Talker 1580 AM hosted by Mark Bucher & Tom Gregg.

Jun 24

Microsoft Access Tip: Problems Converting a Database in Access 2007 from ACCDB to MDB

From Access 2007, you may want to convert an Access ACCDB database to a legacy MDB format. You may have done it several times before but all of a sudden, you get this message:

 

It turns out this occurs if the database was opened with Microsoft Access 2010.

Learn more about the issue and workaround on our web page, Error in Microsoft Access 2007 when saving an ACCDB Database as MDB Format.

May 26

Invitation to Preview Version of Total Access Statistics for Microsoft Access 2010

We are pleased to announce the availability of the preview version of Total Access Statistics for Microsoft Access 2010. Total Access Statistics is the most popular data analysis program for Microsoft Access. It extends the data analysis capabilities of Access queries to let you perform advanced numerical analysis on your data. Use any Access table, linked table, or query to perform calculations such as percentiles, regressions, frequency distributions, t-Tests, correlations, non-parametrics, rankings, moving averages, etc. It can also perform data normalization and let you select random records. As you would expect in a query, you can specify Group By fields so analysis is performed on each set of records with identical group fields.

Microsoft Access 2010Total Access Statistics runs within Access with all output in Access tables. It supports MDB, ACCDB, and ADP databases.

In addition to supporting Access 2010, we’ve added financial calculations for cash flows. It now calculates net present value (NPV), present value (PV), future value (FV), internal rate of return (IRR), and modified internal rates of return (MIRR).

This FREE preview is available with support for both the 32 and 64 bit versions of Access 2010. It includes both the interactive wizard that runs as an add-in, plus the programmatic VBA library so you can embed statistical analysis in your applications.

The preview version is fully functional through September 1, 2010. Download it here: http://fmsinc.com/MicrosoftAccess/dataanalysis/preview2010.asp.

May 11

Streamlining Communications with Your Contacts

Microsoft Access Email BlasterTotal Access EmailerMicrosoft Access Email

We have a long history of leveraging existing data to improve decision-making and communications.

Many of you are already familiar with how our Total Access Emailer program automates the sending of personalized emails with recipient specific data and reports. This amazing product lets you leverage the power of your data to significantly improve how you communicate with your contacts.

With our experience creating Total Access Emailer, our Professional Solutions Group has helped many organizations incorporate the product and implement advanced, custom features.

We’ve also taken this technology to the next level by creating web sites to host files rather than emailing them to your contacts. If you’re interested in learning more about how we can extend your Windows desktop files to the web, please let us know. We can make it easy for your contacts to privately log in and see their files.

Can we help you with a project? Contact us for a Risk Free Assessment.

May 11

Microsoft Access 2010’s New Feature to Web Enable Access Databases

Microsoft Access 2010

One of the most compelling features of Microsoft Access 2010 is its ability to post an Access database on a SharePoint 2010 site and have it run over the web. Some people hear this and think they'll be able to take their existing Access application, all its VBA code, etc., and make it web enabled. Unfortunately, that's not the case. What you can expose to the web is forms and reports that don't use VBA code. That's obviously a severe limitation, but on the plus side, what is possible is the deployment of databases that have automation through Access macros. The macros are automatically converted to JavaScript code. That's pretty cool.

An Access database that's hosted in this way can still be used locally on a desktop that has Access 2010 installed with all the rich functionality of Access, VBA, etc. The data is then hosted in SharePoint which exposes it to the web. So while it's not making it possible to publish an entire Access application with VBA to the web, at least a portion of it may be exposed with little to no additional effort. Letting people browse data, filter, and generate simple reports is all available and possible by non-programmers. It's a big step forward for the Access community.

Mar 22

Total Access Statistics User Manual for Microsoft Access

Total Access Statistics is the most advanced and popular data analysis program for Microsoft Access. Total Access Statistics makes it easy to calculate percentiles, regressions, confidence intervals, correlations, t-tests, probabilities, ANOVA, Chi-Square, etc. You can even normalize tables, rank records, and select random records, plus much more without any programming.

To maximize your use of Total Access Statistics for analyzing the data in your Microsoft Access databases, a professionally written and printed user manual is included. The user manual is 176 pages and fully indexed to make it easy to learn about Total Access Statistics, how to use it, definitions of its calculations, its programmatic interface, and tips for optimal use.

The Total Access Statistics user manual is now available for your review. Check it out to see how Total Access Statistics extends the power of Microsoft Access queries so you can analyze your data better than ever. To see it action with your own data, download the trial version.

Mar 03

Updated FMS Consulting Site for Microsoft Services

Microsoft Programming ServicesThe FMS Professional Solutions Group continues to create innovative software solutions that are making an impact on organizations and lives. Check out our updated consulting site to learn more about our solutions in action. See how we are making a difference from disaster relief in Haiti and Chile to the recent snowstorms in Washington DC. Here are some other highlighted solutions:

Let us bring this expertise to help you use data to make better decisions.

Jan 27

Considering Cloud Computing with Microsoft Azure?


The Microsoft Azure platform is now available for production use!

We’ve been using Azure over the past year for web/asp.net hosting and SQL Server solutions. We have been very impressed with its features and capabilties. We believe it will revolutionize how we create and deploy applications, and look forward to providing commercial and custom solutions and services with Azure.

We’re already working on several projects including the merging of the Windows desktop/Microsoft Access/Office with the web. We look forward to sharing more with you in the near future.

What do you think about Azure and cloud computing?