[AnotherBoomer]

I want to learn Access, and the best, more clearly organized book I've found so far is for Access 2002. I have Office 2003 on my PC, and I assume that when I have to learn 2007, I will. But I have a bunch of 2003 texts and they all seem overwhelming to me.

But I wanted to know if there were major differences between Access 2002 and 2003 that a non-power user would care about. In other words, are the procedures for performing various functions markedly different between the two versions. I just want to know how to use the program but I don't want to learn routine things that are done differently in post-2002 versions of Access.

Can I use my 2002 textbook? Or would it be a waste of time? Hopefully someone here already knows.

Oh, and to the people who helped me get onto the CPA website, I did finally get through! I also found out I passed the second test, so all I have to worry about now are the Regulation and Auditing exams! I am a little in shock that I passed Financial Reporting, but I'll take it!

Thanks, all, and Happy Holidays to you who are celbrating holidays.



AnotherBoomer

[JessOnTechComps]

Hey Boomer!

OK, so the short answer is: No.



The long answer is: I'm a Microsoft Office Specialist Master Instructor. The best textbooks to find about Access are the ones designed to the examination standards. These are easy to spot as they have a small Microsoft Office logo on the front or back, with the words 'Approved Courseware' underneath, and surrounded by the words Microsoft Office (User) Specialist. You want one of these, as opposed to "Dummies" this and "Idiots" that, because they actually follow a set of guidelines offered by Microsoft and will give you tangible skills in an easy-to-understand manner. :)



For 2002 textbooks, I can only recommend the Prentice Hall Test Prep Series. They are cheap enough to find online (try Better World Books or Alibris for $10 books), are in colour, and provide LOTS of great exercises at the end of each chapter, as well as throughout.



For 2003 and 2007 textbooks I'd recommend almost anything published by Course Technology (www.course.com). Anything except the Illustrated Series should work well.Yes, it has pretty, colour pictures, but it is almost impossible to follow if you want to ask practicle questions. The Shelley Cashman Series is very good. Please message me if you want any more specific advice re: textbooks.







Jess

[AnotherBoomer]

Jess, thanks for the scoop. I had wondered whether my question had actually been posted. Usually I get answers within minutes. But this was an oddball question for anyone who's had no reason to think about 2002 software in quite a while, I imagine :)

Could you please answer one or two more questions? Is MS going to stop giving the MOS designation for Office 2003 in the near future? I'm unemployed now and I really don't want to buy Office 2007 (or upgrade to it) if I don't have to. I have the full 2003 Office on my home computer. But do you think I should get the 2007 version?

Thanks for your help!



Mary (Another Boomer)

[JessOnTechComps]

No problem Mary! It's not often I have a captive audience for the ridiculous amount of info I have regarding the MOS exams! :)

So about the 2003 exams. Well, if you write any of the 2003 exams, you are a Microsoft Office Specialist. There's no changing that. That's what the exams are called for 2003. Period. For 2007, they have a new name, to tie in with the different organisation of the exams. They're called MCAS now (Microsoft Certified Application Specialist). So now there's one exam per application, instead of the Core and Expert levels there used to be for Word and Excel. But the skills are basically just the same, with the new 2007 stuff added in.

If you're looking for 2007 textbooks, to see what the changes are, I'd recommend starting with your local library. Our library has the ability to order books in on demand, and also to share them as eBooks online. Not all of them, but it's a start. I'd see if they have the Step by Step series, which is published by Microsoft Press. It's a good series, and it's only real let down is that it's not in colour.

If you've got 2003 on your home computer, don't buy 2007 yet. There's a compatibility pack available from Microsoft here which will allow you to at least read those pesky.docx files (and it will give you my favourite font ever Calibri!). Try your local community colleges and such to see who has 2007 where you can try it out. Maybe your lobrary has computer access too, with 2007 already? It's worht a try, because 2007 is AMAZING. I absolutely love it. It takes a little getting used to, but the best way to learn about it to to actually use it. Grab a book and a library computer and explore to your hearts content. I don't usually rave about MS products this much, but I find Word 2007 a genuinely easy product to get used to!

Good luck Mary. Please let me know if you have any more questions!

Jess

[vbor23]

Hey Jess! you still didn't answer the original question. It was "is there any big differences between the two versions?

[JessOnTechComps]

Hey vbor23,

Basically there is no difference for regular users between 2002 and 2003, other than visually. There are some differences with how 2003 interacts with other Office programs, and the internet, but essentially it's the same thing. Microsoft don't seem keen on makin fundamental changes to Acces, and even in 2007, there aren't a whole lot of differences.

Hope that helps!

Jess