Microsoft Access is an impressive program, but it does have its limitations. By understanding what these limitations are, you can get the most out of this database software. MS Access is practical, affordable and simple, so it’s possible that it may have everything you need to do your job successfully.

Let’s take a quick look at benefits to using MS Access, and then we will dive into the limitations to be aware of.

What are the Pros to Using Access

Access is a database system designed for individuals and small-to-medium-sized businesses. It’s best for capturing, managing and reporting data in a professional manner. Here are some of the key benefits to consider.

• Easy to install and use
• Easy to integrate
• Widely popular
• Economical
• Holds up to 2GB of data
• Supports multiple users
• Ability to import data

What Types of Limitations Does Access Have?

In many cases, people are dissatisfied with Access because they used it for the wrong job. Access does have its place, but it’s not the best database solution for all situations. Below are some of the limitations to be conscious of so that you can pick the right tool for the job.

• Limited Size. Any business that uses more than 2GB will discover limitations with MS Access. If you’re a large corporation or department, Access may not be big enough for you.

• Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). VBA is not as robust as SQL Server, Oracle or other databases. While the language isn’t that difficult to learn, actually using VBA effectively is the real challenge.

• Limited Users. With only around 255 concurrent users (open actions), it’s difficult to have many users on the database at once. Access works best for smaller businesses with a handful of users.

• IT Support is Required. The people creating most databases on Access are non-programmers. Though Access is easy to use, it can be difficult to maintain, and IT is needed to keep things running smoothly.

• Corruption Issues. For as long as its inception, MS Access has been vulnerable to corruption. Though it’s not likely to occur, the fact that it can (and does) happen makes people untrusting. The best thing to do is work with an Access support company. When you understand how to use the database correctly, the chance for corruption is low.

It’s apparent that Microsoft Access has clear benefits, but it also has limitations. What we can recommend is that you don’t take someone else’s opinion and ignore Access altogether. It’s a great database for certain situations, and it can save you time, headache and money from choosing a solution that is too advanced for your needs.

Get your free assessment from Arkware and find out if MS Access is the solution for your business operations.