Overview of the Integration Capabilities of MS Access
Your new or existing database can be easily integrated with many common (and uncommon) software programs and computer peripherals. Doing so can bring significant times savings to your business process.
Hardware Integration with Microsoft Access
Access can be integrated with virtually any hardware device that can be attached to and controlled by your computer. However, there are limitations. Devices such as bar code readers, mag stripe card readers and fingerprint readers are often designed such that they can readily integrated with an Access database. The manufactures of custom computer hardware devices often provide the Device Drivers, DLL’s and ActiveX files required to “connect” such devices directly to your custom Microsoft database. Consumer devices such as digital cameras and photo scanners typically do not come with the software required for integration with most software programs. Such devices can often be integrated indirectly which will bring the benefit of using that device within your business software program, although additional steps may need to be taken by the user in regards to performing specific tasks.
Software Integration with Microsoft Access
Microsoft Access integrates nicely with most software programs. Many business programs are actually built using MS Access and many others either use Access data tables or a data format that is directly compatible. Of those programs that cannot be directly combined with an Access database, the data files and so forth can almost always be accessed and/or cataloged within your Access system.
Microsoft Office Integration
MS Office integration is in a class by itself. I am not aware of a group of programs that can be more readily integrated with one another. Access and Excel can import, export and share files with one another. Access reports can be exported directly into Word (through RTF files). Complex and simple documents can be “mail merged”, whether you’re looking to your Access data tables for MS Word mailing labels, wordy proposals or complex lab reports. PowerPoint slide shows, including graphs and so forth, can be data driven from either Access or Excel.