Microsoft Access as an Audit or Analysis Tool!

This post assumes that you already have an understanding of tables, queries, and reports in MS Access. Access may be used in audit or accounting analysis in two ways:

1. Provide your MS Access database with read only connection to your corporate databases. This can be accomplished by downloading an "Open Database Connectivitiy (odbc)" driver. The odbc driver must be specific to the type and version of your corporate database system. Ex. If your company utilizes Oracle 10g, then you must download Oracle 10g odbc driver. Ask assistance from you I.T. unit in connecting your MS Access after you have installed the driver in your PC unit, or seek assistance in installing the odbc driver if you are not allowed to install such drivers without their consent.

2. If you are not allowed to connect to your corporate database, then request for an extraction of your needed data for a specific period depending upon your need. You may request data in dbase format, foxpro format, textile or other specific format. However, most I.T. units would provide you with text file formats because this is the most safe format to convert data to in order to avoid extraction errors.

----- More on my next post on the field formats you should require on your textfile conversions from your I.T. unit and how you convert the text files into MS Access tables --------