We basically run our fruit and veg distribution business on Access. From Payroll to day to day operations of each company in our organisation. Reporting has a strong focus.

We are currently using Access 2000 and have approx 40 users.

I use Access mainly for extracting data from Odisy, manipulating it with queries etc, exporting to Excell and then reloading the changed data back to Odisy.

Hi


We develop for clients and our biggest client is a group of IFA's and the software onthe market doesnt fit the business at all. So, along I come and build them a system to track policies, client management, commissions, contacts, todo's/diarys, management information, etc. It also functions across VPN's. Just starting to put Web pages (ASP) linking into the database now for those external users not on broadband yet. THose that are on broadband use the main application. We also have a very smart synchronisation tool with no loss of data of conflict resolution to be done across all of our IFA's across multiple offices - some of which are out in the country with no hope of broadband ever and dodgy phone lines.

We Use: macros, VBA, Access 2002 Front End, SQL Server back end (MSDE for remote users) stored procedures, no xml, no data pages but ASP web pages that link into the SQL Server, report and forms of course, piles of subforms on reports, pivot charts, pivot tables, etc.

For distribution, we use Access XP Runtime and MSDE 2000 that comes with the Office XP Developer kit.

We also have data importers to take data from our competitors and link it into our systems.

Thats a lot of stuff we use and it all works - which is the most amazing part of it all!!

IFA's are independant financial advisers BTW!

Just another note for above... i have just put together a document manager for every client that goes onto the tracking database as well. since every document for the IFA business must be kept for life (even beyond a client's life) there is a lot of paperwork to keep - so, its all being scanned to PDF's and then anything without signatures on, goes through the industrial shredder.

Use: Purely for fun and self development - the love hate relationship as mentioned by others has become easier to accept when there are so many other all suffering the same.

The taking of others code and trying to understand how it can be used in some way with what I'm working on brings so much satisfaction.

AT Sherman Indian High School, (an off reservation NAtive American Boarding High School that is part of the Bureau of Indian Affairs education system) I am the counselor for the PASS program - for students 18 and older in their 5th or more year of High School - a type of continuation school program. The PASS program is not compatable with the school computer system. So I use ACCESS to Load transcripts; Track weekly testing activities (each course has five books and tests) ; build student summeries of what they have done and what is left including the exact volumn; Do the progress reports and report cards; do an inventory of needed courses and the exact number of specific volumns needed; and provide registrar reports on periodic basis.

Fell in love with Access several years ago. It is now the main item in my job description with a Marketing Research Co. Local school could only take me so far....had to learn the rest by flying by the seat of my pants. Thanks to you, I learn more and more each day.

Wow, what a neat post. I just spent an hour reading the whole thing.

Basically, I use Access to make money. I'm an independent developer.

Here are some of the things:
Training - tracks all the classes and procedures for a big company - uses replication, complete audit trails (yes, I know everytime someone changes a record, when they changed it and what the old value was) and signature captures on palm pdas. .mdb front and back. It will probably go to SQL Server.

Cheese storage - only three users. But, if you've eaten any cheese in the last year. It was probably in this db in bulk form. It was a lot bigger db then it sounds. Billing went from a stressful event to a no brainer.

Reporting - import data from mainframe to produce reports

Budget - single department, 20 users, hopefully not more then 3 - 5 at a time. One complex form with about 7 subforms. But they are happy. I might have upsize to SQL Server.

Forms - company picks a product, container, etc... the application opens word and fills in values for that particular run. Opens many word documents. ADP FE/SQL Server back end.

Horse registration/ membership system - This uses VB front end/Access BE

Load system - helps sales department figure a load of boats on a truck. VB front end/ DB2 be. It used to be Access, but the db corrupted many times per day.

Client Tracking system for disabled - I just started this one. It will have an Access FE (ADP) with SQL Server BE

I've also got this browser based contact management system where the server side programming is done in RPG IV. Now that's just weird.

How's that Gord?

Later

Bob

Hi Bob,

Indeed - the thread and now your contribution to it, o! make this a really good read. Awesome.

Thanks Bob,

Gord (IMG:http://www.utteraccess.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/thumbup.gif)

My database is used for an insurance company with about 5 employees. The company is going on eleven years old and has taken over much of the region's needs, even with only 5 employees. The database is used to keep track of what the company is responsible for: policies. It performs all calculations and generates reports (soon - yearly and time-specific reports).

I suppose it's a pretty common use.

I consult for Eaton Hydraulics in Hutchinson, Kansas, so I will try to make my comments generic... I do wish to keep their secrets secret, but we are doing some neat stuff with Access...

We are using it for a myriad of purposes but the primary use is quality control on the shop floor. We have one application that is used to display assembly instructions, drawings, and photos to assemblers which consists of 8 different databases hung together with a main front end. What assembly table you are building on will dictate which backend database(s) you may connect to. Currently there are 40+ users up on the application running on a dedicated T/S server. The response time is super.

We also have an application that does ODBC to an Oracle database (with no intervention by the user).

Another application is used to track changes to manufacturing documents (assembly instructions, drawings, etc).

Several of these applications are in the various stages of being rolled out nationwide in other Eaton plants.

We also use it for "local need" situations as well (such as tracking on-the-job training and tracking parts / assemblies that failed quality tests). One of those applications pulls drawings from another system and feeds them to a document printer in the background - and an immediate pause button that can be pressed if the printer acts up.

All of the databases are developed in Access 2000. Virtually all of them have the same look and feel because we use a common color scheme and a common modified switchboard interface. We also make use of an extensive internally developed procedural library (which is yet another Access database).

The switchboard differs from the generic version that is globally available because the users can click either on the button or the function name... There is a master "printer option" switch (preview mode?) and there is a backdoor that allows access to the hidden database window. The switchboard also supports 11 different functions with a uniquely displayed stop button (so you don't have to waste a menu entry to "exit the application"). It will automatically suspend the switchboard when you select a report or a macro and wait for that option to complete. Finally, there is a built in function that disables the use of special keys in a production environment.

(That particular piece of code can be put back into the "general" world once I make a few minor documentation corrections...)

Currently our organization (a composites manufacturing firm) uses Access almost solely to pull data from an Oracle database. One engineer uses it to track mechanical and physical data on materials and parts.

I've been using Access regularly for about 6 years now. I started designing databases about 20 years ago teaching myself dBase III. Went from there to dBase IV and then FoxPro. Stopped with FP at 2.6 and moved to Lotus Approach. Along the way I worked with SQL on VM platform. I tried Access at version 1.0 and hated it. Wasn't till I was forced to learn it because of a merger that I went back to it at A97. Doesn't use Approach much anymore.

I use Access for anything that needs data processing and/or analysis. I've written several applications in my last 3 jobs as well as some free lance stuff (I wrote an HRIS app for a client that is still in use 3 years later). Currently I work in a corporate services department. We are running apps to produce purchase orders, track invoices, track work orders, produce mailing labels, track messenger requests, process car service invoices, monitor equipment service requests, track lateness, assign file numbers to new business, and a bunch of reporting functions for various data. All of which I developed and mantain. I also wrote a system for our records management department, but management decided to go with an outside vendor instead.

I use it to create small data collection tools for people doing audits of healthcare. I've been doing this for a couple of years, and every time I feel as though I'm becoming "expert", Access knocks me back with a problem that takes weeks to solve.
Once in a while I come up with something great - but since the little applications are of narrow interest, they're not worth spreading around. What a buzz you can get by developing an unusual concept, then putting it into practice!
I'll probably use it as a front end for SQL-server databases, too.

i tend to use it most days for a coaster

Well, my first db was in Access 2.0 back in 94. My first position as a PFC was in the Program Section of our personnel shop. We had these things called TACCs boxes, can't remember exactly what that stood for anymore but it contained all the personnel info for the soldiers. We had TPF reports on them that when queried took forever and then printed out on a big dot matrix that constantly jammed. I figured out how to write a small extraction program to convert the file from BTOS to CTOS and back so I could move the file from TACCS box to the PC and back. Then I used Access, created an import table and pulled theinfo into Access. Then I created the common queries that the NCO's (Sergeant's) usually requested. When it was done they walked in one day and asked me to runone such query, expecting it to be about 30 minutes or so until I would be back to them they left and went to their desks. I was a minute behind them with a nicely formatted report printed with a LaserJet on 8.5 by 11, timestamped. I reached god status in the office that day (IMG:http://www.utteraccess.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/notworthy.gif) and fell in love with Access.

Since then I have used it to make hand reciept db's, work order db's, and a really great leader's db that I use to keep track of all the important info on my soldiers. I created a grading db for my Dad at his school that got the administration interested but they ended up already being in the works and bound to purchasing some other system which was fine with me, this was designed specifically for his shop. I find it hard to find a product that efficiently encompasses every aspect of each individual shop and teaching method to accuratly grade a student. So he uses his db and just plugs in the stuff from it to the system they are using and the other teacher's are jealous.

I also use Access for personal fun. I am working on a HotWheels db to track my boys cars. It's worthless other than a testbed for ideas and inspirations from UA. I am getting ready to start a home inventory db and a cookbook for my wife.

So I use it quite a bit but want to get better with VBA.

Jason

I have used Access for around three years now. First it was just an alternate tool for browsing SQL Server shemas that made up the backend of several different applications. Later I started creating MDBs for dumping misc logs and domain information to via script. Not too long ago I started started tutoring a grad student in Access development and ended up developing several small workgroup applications for his department. The latest project I have completed is an Access 2k3 frontend with SQL 2k backend Asset Management system for my office. Bar code scanning and printing, reports, the whole works. Oddly enough, Access remains my most important network administration tools. I refuse to let any log to go to CSV!!!

I am constantly advising management and clients on the power that Access has and how it can be a cost effective solution to many workplace applications.

We use it as a means to analyze fisheries management data, for both commercial and recreational fisheries. Landings, species, boats, permits, quotas, all kinds of things, from who caught what and when, is there fishing occuring in certain areas, does this person qualify for a permit? Basically when anyone has a question, we use Access to answer it. Also for our own data entry of fisheries data collected in the field.

Hello All,

I use MS Access 2000 at work and Access XP at home.

The # of people using Access at work approaches 50. I have two different databases each used by about 10 people. I also do some work with some databases we had contracted out.

Access is for business and fun... I created a database at home to help build HTML for a website. I just like learning more and more, so it is quite fun at times. *g* I'm not using data access pages. I'd rather learn to use Dreamweaver with an Access ADP database as the back-end. Just waiting for a friend to come over and teach me some things!

I jumped in at A97, and now am using A2000 mainly. I like how it is becoming more and more web enabled and I like the potential of the ADP databases. I also like the ability to program powerful databases using VBA with minimum programming experience!

Thanks to all in this forum who have helped me learn what I know today!

Cheers!