Top 10 Qualities of the Best Microsoft Access Database Developers


  1. Communication: Does the developer listen to your needs and provide everything you want, and only what you want, without charging you for extras you don't need? Do they explain exactly what they will do in advance in clear business terms? Do they create prototypes for you to view, and provide progress reports?
  2. Security: Does the developer keep your information and your customers' information secure, and do they take the preventative steps to avoid attacks and data loss?
  3. Reliability: Does the developer provide realistic schedules and meet deadlines? Can you count on the developer to be there when you need him or her? Does the developer test all changes thoroughly? Or will the developer let you find the problems and just hope that no data gets lost or your customers won't get too upset?
  4. User experience: Does the developer offer a great user experience, making the user process intuitive?
  5. Flexibility: Does the developer plan ahead for changes and anticipate your future needs? Does the developer separate the presentation layer (front end) from the back end database layer, therefore making changes and enhancements straightforward? If the back end is split out, does the developer allow you to copy the front end and back end to any test directory so you can verify it works corrrectly? Or does the developer expect you to test all changes with your valuable live data?
  6. Maintainability: Does the developer's software record errors, and where appropriate, provide user actions to be able to solve any problems quickly, and ideally preemptively? Does the developer follow naming conventions, coding standards, and best practices so that he/she or others later will quickly understand the design?
  7. Education: Does the staff have a formal education in software engineering and object-oriented design? Do they use VBA code, or are they limited to what they can do in macros?
  8. Reusability: Does the developer have existing libraries of software so you only pay for what is unique to you? Do they have custom development tools, such as a tool for updating your back end database, or do they require you to send them your back end database for any changes?
  9. Experience: Has the developer done similar work to what you are seeking? Or will they be learning as they go?
  10. Business Awareness: Does your developer understand your business, including marketing, customer needs, fulfillment, and customer service? Does the developer think like a trusted business partner?

Microsoft Access Pros has all of the above qualities. Be sure anyone you choose does too.

Handles the Hardest Tasks Easily

One of our customers needed a variety of complex graphs, with custom colors and labels. Microsoft Access Pros, Inc. delivered quickly, giving this demanding customer exactly what they were looking for, making us look good too.

— Geof Kohler, Dallas Help Desk