About this article
This article was created using an automated generation workflow leveraging generative AI. By verifying current Microsoft 365 Enterprise plan information and official Microsoft resources, it frames Access not as an "advanced version of Excel," but as a Windows-based database for structuring small-scale business data.Verification Status: 📘 Official Microsoft Information Verified / Physical Device Unverified
Microsoft Access allows you to associate multiple tables and build everything from input screens, searches, and aggregations to reports within a single desktop application.relational database. "Relational" refers to the concept of separating data into different tables, such as "Employees" and "Departments," and linking them using IDs.
- Clarifying Terminology First
- How are things connected inside Access?
- Positioning in Microsoft 365 E3/E5
- A Familiar Example: Do Not Write Department Names Repeatedly in the Employee Table
- Different Perspectives: General Users, Administrative Staff, and IT Departments
- Start VBA with "Reading" Examples
- Do Not Treat Access as a "Database Server Just by Placing It in a Shared Folder"
- Points for Administrators to Verify
- Official & Primary Information
Clarifying Terminology First
| Term | Meaning for Beginners |
|---|---|
| Table | A grid that stores data in rows and columns |
| Primary Key | A unique ID that identifies each record without duplicates |
| Relationship | A link connecting different tables using IDs or other keys |
| Query | A mechanism to search and aggregate data by specifying conditions |
| Form | A screen for users to enter and view data |
| Report | Output formatted for printing or business reports |
| VBA | A programming language that automates routine operations within Access |
How are things connected inside Access?
flowchart LR
U[利用者] --> F[フォームn入力・検索]
F --> Q[クエリn抽出・集計]
Q --> T1[(社員テーブル)]
Q --> T2[(部署テーブル)]
T1 --> R[レポートn帳票・印刷]
T2 --> R
V[VBAn定型処理] -.補助.-> F
V -.補助.-> R
In Excel, people often repeatedly write department names in a single sheet, but in Access, the fundamental design is to separate "Departments" and "Employees" and establish a relationship between them.
Positioning in Microsoft 365 E3/E5
| Item | Microsoft 365 E3 | Microsoft 365 E5 |
|---|---|---|
| Access Desktop | Included | Included |
| Primary Environment | Windows PC | Windows PC |
| Web version of Access | Do not expect a web version equivalent to the current Access desktop | Same as left |
| Does Access itself gain more features with E5? | Do not view it as a difference in basic features | Do not view it as a difference in basic features |
The major differences between E3 and E5 lie in suite-wide areas such as security, compliance, and analytics. You should not choose E5 solely to use Access. Please reconfirm the actual contract SKUs and terms of service using the official Microsoft comparison table at the time of deployment.
A Familiar Example: Do Not Write Department Names Repeatedly in the Employee Table
First, consider the following two tables.
部署 - DepartmentId ← 主キー - DepartmentName 社員 - EmployeeId ← 主キー - EmployeeName - DepartmentId ← 部署表につなぐ値
Viewing Relationships with SELECT Only
SELECT
Employee.EmployeeName,
Department.DepartmentName
FROM
Department
INNER JOIN Employee
ON Department.DepartmentId = Employee.DepartmentId;
This is a read-only example that does not modify data.Success is achieved when the employee name and their department name are displayed side-by-side.
Change One Thing
Add a column to search, or add one condition, and observe how the results change. It is safer not to try UPDATE or DELETE from the start.
Different Perspectives: General Users, Administrative Staff, and IT Departments
| Role | Key Points to Look for in Access |
|---|---|
| General User | Whether the input form is easy to understand and search |
| Administrative Staff | Whether it reduces manual Excel transcription and allows report reuse |
| Development-focused Staff | Whether primary keys, relationships, and queries are well-organized |
| IT Department | Whether file locations, backups, macros/VBA, external DB connections, and maintenance ownership are clear |
Start VBA with "Reading" Examples
Simply displaying table names in the Immediate Window does not modify any data.
Sub ListTableNames()
Dim tdf As DAO.TableDef
For Each tdf In CurrentDb.TableDefs
If Left$(tdf.Name, 4) <> "MSys" Then
Debug.Print tdf.Name
End If
Next tdf
End Sub
What to look at: The table names you created.
Success criteria: The table names are listed, and the record contents remain unchanged.
Change one thing: TableDefs After examining this, you can use the same approach as an entry point to learning other objects like QueryDefs.
Do Not Treat Access as a "Database Server Just by Placing It in a Shared Folder"
Even for small-scale tools, multi-user scenarios require considering front-end/data separation, backups, network quality, concurrent access, and update methods. As the number of users or business criticality increases, alternative platforms like Dataverse, SQL-based databases, or SharePoint Lists should be evaluated.
flowchart TB
A[小規模・Windows中心nAccessで完結] --> B{利用者や重要度が増えた?}
B -- いいえ --> C[バックアップと保守を継続]
B -- はい --> D[データ層を分離]
D --> E[SQL / Dataverse等も比較]
Points for Administrators to Verify
Target users' Microsoft 365 licenses and Access deployment status
Compatibility of 32-bit/64-bit versions with existing add-ins and ODBC drivers
Handling of VBA, macros, and Trusted Locations
Storage location and backup of accdb files
Front-end/back-end configuration for multi-user scenarios
Whether user-created Access databases have turned into "shadow IT systems that only the creator can maintain"
Official & Primary Information
The value of Access does not lie in having flashier features than Excel.It lies in separating data, defining relationships, and being able to reuse the same search, input, and reporting processes. While convenient for small-scale operations, it is safer to re-evaluate the underlying data platform as the number of users, criticality, and cloud requirements grow.
