Ok im new to this so please bear with me.. I got a ?

[mr.madison]

Ok I use to use Access a lot when I was younger but now im not really as familiar with it as I once was. So I need a little guidance on this one. If im asking this in the wrong section please let me know.

I have a series of files for my company that we would like to have setup in an Access database to access them all at once with out going through each file. Now im not 100% if this is possible or not with this program. It would need to be broken out by each account and then there’s PDF files associated to this customer as well as excel files, txt files and doc. files. We would like to have one master program for us to go into and then be able to access these files by the category and customer they are associated with. Is something like this at all possible with access? I just don’t know the full scope of what access can do any longer. If more details are needed please let me know. Thanks!

 

[CrystalSurfer]

Yes you can do that. Im new to Access also but experienced in DB design.
I'm doing a similar thing to you and have had to:
create new tables with primary keys,
'normalise' data (clean it, clear out duplicate data, setup new tables for codes, etc, etc)
setup relationships between tables,
Create Forms to allow access to the data, which can automatically display related data (eg; Company details can also show a list of contacts for that company),
..the list is endless..
I'd start with some of the help in Access via a search on "Database design" and on this forum of course

hope that helps

 

[mr.madison]

thanks... at least i know it can be done.. now i just have to do it.. thanks!

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Access has grown in its abilities. But the basic concept is that you still have to design the app with certain important features UP FRONT. On the theory that piss-poor prior planning presages pathetic products. (The 7 P rule.)

Issues to decide:

1. How to decide which file is associated with which customer...
a. Separate sub-folder per customer. Expensive but then all files in the folder are clearly related to customer.
b. File name contains marker related to custmer. Like file_nnnnn.typ - where the nnnnn is your customer ID. Cheaper in number of folders but you will have a really big folder that will take forever to search.
c. You have a separate list of files already stored somewhere that shows who belongs to what file. Cheaper and most general - but a real bear to build the list.

2. When you have the files, what do you want to do with them (if anything) other than just identify them?
a. Launch the app
b. Build a list
c. Something else related to your business model

3. Do you have the .DLL files available for each of the possible file types so that you could even OPEN the files via Access?
a. If you do, you can build a way to view files using Access Automation
b. If not, you have to do an external launch.