Microsoft Access 2007 Basic Training
Software
RDBMS
Relational Database Management Systems
Benefits
Customizeable
Easy to Use
Intuitive Import/Export
Part of Microsoft Office suite
Is this like MySQL?
MySQL (and Oracle/PostgreSQL/etc)
are database servers. Access is a desktop
RDBMS.
What can I use it for?
Store and manage
> employee data
> customer data
> marketing data
> much, much more
Isn't this hard to learn?
It can be a bit challenging to learn at first
if you are unfamiliar with computers and
the types of objects Access uses. Once you get 
the hang of where to put your data and why
it will literally become second nature.
What is the best way to learn?
Some learning options:
> Buy a book
> Watch online videos
> Attend classes
Learning Access from a book

This is called self-training
Advantages:
- Very low cost...downright cheap
Disadvantages:
- Unless the author is really nice
you are on your own with questions.
Watch online videos
Advantages:
- You can watch the instructor as he/she
flows through the material
- You can hear the instructor's voice
- Videos can be short and to the point
(like on YouTube) so the point is easy to get
Disadvantages
- You cannot ask the instructor a question
- Body language constitutes a large part of learning, and
normally you cannot move your eyes back and forth between
the instructor and the screen...you are locked into staring at the
screen
- The instruction is linear.  The instructor cannot spend more time
on something that class participants do not understand or expand
upon it in ways that are meaningful to you as an individual
Attend Classes
Advantages:
- You can ask questions
- Instructor can start, stop, and then start again
- Instructor can listen to your concerns and
react to improve the lesson or get back to you
- Instructor can use body language, vocal inflection, 
eye contact, and other techniques to engage your mind
more fully
Disadvantages:
- Cannot be done at any time (like self-instruction 
or online videos)
- Probably has to be done during business hours (takes 
you away from  other activities)
So which option is best?
It depends on who you are and what you
want to do with the tool.
Want to work heavily with the tool?
build databases
make applications
program?
Do all three
>
Just use applications 
and run reports?
>
Use online videos
>
Try a book. If that
doesn't work, attend
advanced classes.
Decided that you need classes?
Visit www.forwardphase.com/training