Difference Between Microsoft Access & Excel
Microsoft produces two different products---Access and Excel---that many people use interchangeably. However, each has its own purpose and one may be better for your needs than the other. While both cost the same, they are vastly different. Knowing those differences can help you pick the right one for your needs.
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Purpose
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The most important difference between Microsoft Access and Microsoft Excel is the purpose. Access is a relational database management system, while Excel is a spreadsheet. Access manages large amounts of data, and Excel does math.
Availability
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Both Access and Excel may be purchased separately. If you want to buy an Office package from Microsoft, Excel is available in the Home, Student and Professional packages, while Access is included only in Professional.
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Relational Data
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If you need to create relationships between your data, Access is the only choice. Because it uses only flat files, Excel has limited functionality and cannot make the connections that Access can.
Ease of Use
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Excel is more user-friendly and intuitive than Access, with a GUI that resembles Word, a commonly used program.
Size
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Excel can only handle up to 15,000 records. Access is meant to handle thousands of records, all related through multiple tables.
Querying
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Access is meant to create calculated queries, making connections based through a "wizard" or through user programming. Excel does not have the ability to do so, although it can create charts, graphs and pivot tables.
Calculations
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Excel is meant to handle numerical data and run equations. Access is capable of doing so, but that is not meant to be its main function.
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