Microsoft Access 2003 Upgrade

The popularity of Access is based on several strong features. The interface is clean and uncluttered, and you can open data tables in a familiar spreadsheet-like view. There is a visual query builder, or you can write queries in SQL, the standard database query language. Advanced features let you enforce relational integrity between tables and set validation constraints on fields. There is also an excellent report designer. The Access database engine is not suitable for very large databases, but you can scale up by switching to Microsoft's SQL Server or an ODBC database while still using the same visual tools. New in Office Access 2003 is automatic error-checking in forms, integrated support for transforming data with XSL (an XML standard), and the ability to link to lists in SharePoint Services as a convenient way to share data. A small but welcome detail is control over the font used in the SQL editor, which was fixed at a small size in earlier versions.

This is a capable product and generally a pleasure to use. The main gripe against it is that even Microsoft's wizards do not make relational database applications easy to build. FileMaker is better for non-specialists, but Office Access 2003 wins on Office integration and more comprehensive features. --Tim Anderson

Improved Features
Incorporate a wide range of data sources.
Access 2003 supports a variety of data formats, including Extensible Markup Language (XML), OLE, Open Database Connectivity (ODBC), and Microsoft Windows® SharePoint Services.
Link business systems.
Link tables so that you can access data from multiple databases at one time in Access 2003 forms, reports, and data access pages. Link tables from other Access databases, Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, ODBC data sources, Microsoft SQL Server databases, and other data sources.
Get the most from your enterprise data.
Incorporate Microsoft SQL Server-based data into your Access solutions. Use the Stored Procedure Designer to create and modify simple procedures stored in SQL Server without having to learn Transact-SQL.
Give your forms a new look.
Microsoft Office Access 2003 supports themes from Microsoft Windows XP to give your forms a consistent design.
View dependency information.
Quickly find tables, queries, forms, or reports that depend on a particular database object.
Update properties automatically.
Change a field property in a table and all the forms or reports that have controls bound to it can be updated automatically.
Analyze your information in powerful ways.
Drag controls onto your Access form to create a Microsoft PivotTable or Microsoft PivotChart view, or a spreadsheet.
Easily back up your information
In Access 2003, you can save a copy of the database you're working on to another location.
Design Web pages using powerful tools.
Publish forms and reports on the Web and bind your information to a record source to display, update, and work with data from your database.
Use compatible file formats.
Microsoft Office Access 2003 uses Microsoft Access 2000 as the default file format for new databases. Because Microsoft Access version 2002 and Microsoft Access 2000 can use and modify the same database, organizations can roll out Microsoft Office Access 2003 while maintaining capability with existing Access users and solutions.
Find the help you need.
From the Getting Started and Help task panes, you can access Assistance on Microsoft Office Online. It provides help and assistance articles that are updated regularly from requests and issues of other users. Some functionality in these task panes requires a connection to the Internet.