4-5 Differences and Similarities between Excel and Access

Store Information

Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and Access tables both provide a format to store information in a single set or in multiple sets. In Excel, multiple sets of data can be placed in separate tabs of the same Excel file. Similarly, you can separate data into multiple Access tables in an Access database. Excel spreadsheets and Access tables have the same recognizable features, including cells organized in columns and rows, column headings, and row selections.

What is Excel ?

Sort and Filter

What is Access?

• Excel is a software program capable of creating and editing spreadsheets that are saved with a .xls file extension.
• For example, with a spreadsheet you could create your own payroll, balance your check book, organize a large amount of data in an easy to read format, and much more.
• This is done by adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing the values in the spreadsheet to view overall totals and create graphs based on that data.
• Unlike a word processor such as Microsoft Word, the Excel documents are created with several hundred columns and rows that break down to several thousand cells. These can be modified by color, number format, size, fonts, layout, and thousands of additional available options. In the picture below, is an example of what Microsoft Excel may look like.

• Microsoft Access is an information management tool that helps you store information for reference, reporting, and analysis. Microsoft Access helps you analyze large amounts of information, and manage related data more efficiently than Microsoft Excel or other spreadsheet applications. This article shows you when to use Access, and how it can help make you more effective.
• Microsoft Access is a part of the Microsoft Office Suite.

Excel spreadsheets and Access tables allow you to customize the way your information is listed. You can sort alphabetically or numerically by one or more columns. For example, you can sort a product listing by product ID number, then by name and then by distributor in both programs. Also, you can view a limited amount of information by filtering your table or spreadsheet. This doesn't remove any records, but it temporarily displays records based on criteria.

4-5 Differences and Similarities between Excel and Access

Data Type

You can set specific data types for cells and columns in both Excel spreadsheets and Access tables. Setting the type of data improves the readability of your data set, as the user can distinguish different types of information. The default data type in both programs is text, which doesn't impose any particular formatting. But you may want a column listed "Cost" to contain currency-based numbers. If you set the data type to currency, the appropriate format is displayed.

Text and Cell Formats

Similarities between Excel and Access?

Your Excel spreadsheets and Access tables will benefit from custom text and cell formatting. In both programs, you can set text formatting, cell height and column width. You can also set the text alignment to the left, center or right. Grid lines can help distinguish cells from each other and can be set to be displayed vertically, horizontally or both. Customizing these formats improves the usability of spreadsheets and tables and provides a professional appearance to your spreadsheet

• Both Microsoft Excel and Access provide data sheets with rows and columns which allow you to store, sort and format records.
• Excel spreadsheets contain powerful tools for storing information and using formulas. Access tables are the foundations of a database and provide a starting point for inputting and viewing information.
• Both programs provide many of the same basic features.