Access MVP (2010-2015)

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Access Tools, Utilities and more…

It dawned on me there is no place where one could go to get a list of *mostly* free tools to use with Access.  Below is a compilation of those tools, utilities, add-ins and more to make your database development easier.

Note: MVP logo means created by an MVP (past and present)

Tools, Utilities and Add-Ins (to help with your database development)

Filtered ACCESS Dependency Checker A Microsoft Access Add-In that reveals the dependencies between database objects like tables, queries, macros etc. and helps to maintain and clean up your MS Access databases
Filtered Filtered Access SQL Editor Save formatted SQL queries
Filtered Auto FE Updater Automatically distribute updated Front-ends
Filtered Filtered Backend Back-Up Tool
Filtered Filtered Code Documenter Document code in Access, Excel, PowerPoint and Word files.  It has a report option to print all the procedures as separate files — makes code very easy to find with Everything, a great Search tool.
Filtered Filtered Converting Flat Files into a Relational Access Database This is the PowerPoint slideshow that Armen Stein, President of J Street, presented to the KEGS Access SIG. It shows how to tackle the problem of converting old “flat” data (from Excel, text or wherever) to your relational Access tables. Includes a sample database showing the techniques mentioned in the slides.
Filtered Filtered Cool Tools A sampler of labor-saving code and cool usability enhancements. Includes Quick Date, a “Quicken-style” method of using keys to increment date fields by day, week, month and year, and some handy name and address concatenation functions. Comes with a form demonstrating most of the tools – look in the code for more!
Filtered Filtered Database Analyzer Create a Data Dictionary (and more) for your Access databases.
Filtered Filtered Database Container Access 2007 saw the introduction of the Navigation Pane.   For those that prefer the Object Container you can use this Add-In to get it back.
Filtered Filtered Database Issue Checker Utility Reports on potential issues with the structure of Access databases.
Find And Replace for MS Access Find and Replace is a add-in for all current versions of Microsoft Access to find (and replace) a term in the design time properties of any Access object (tables, queries, forms, reports, macros, modules).

It is an invaluable tool for Access developers to navigate sizable Access projects, to analyze unfamiliar projects and to quickly rename or change properties and code across the whole project or parts of it
Filtered Inno Set-Up Compiler Windows Installer (Can be used as a replacement for the Packaging Wizard.)
Filtered Filtered Ivercy Source Code Control integration for Microsoft Access
Filtered Filtered J Street Relinker We took what we humbly think is the best Access table relinking code and made it even better. This beta version has all the features of the original J Street Access Relinker, plus it now supports 32-bit or 64-bit Access AND encrypted (password-protected) back-end Access databases! Give it a try and let us know if you run into any issues. Tested for Access 2010, but should also work in earlier versions. There’s a READ ME table with detailed instructions
Filtered Filtered LDB/ACCDB Viewer Use to log who has/is connected to your data file
Filtered Filtered Log Code and Property References Have you ever needed to change a part of your project, for instance how one or more fields are designed in a table, but aren’t sure which parts of your project are referencing these items? Worried that some very rarely used part of your project will be broken by the changes you’re preparing? You are not alone!
Filtered MZ Tools To see the feature list click here. I use the Code Library the most, by far just that has saved me oodles of time!
Filtered Filtered Property Setter Change a databases setting without opening the database
Filtered Ribbon Creator Customize the Ribbon in your Access database
Filtered Filtered Rubberduck VBE Add-In Source Code Control integration for Microsoft Access
Filtered Filtered Search for Text This little gem of a utility is something I wrote back in the Access 97 days and I won’t develop a database without even today!  What the utility does is pretty simple: It will tell you all the objects and properties a string pattern exists, and with some object types (Forms, Reports and Queries) you can do an “Edit and Continue” to change a property with the searched pattern.  There are a few paid apps out there that to similar tasks, but this one is all Access (it’s a single form that you import into your database), plus it’s free!
Filtered Shortcut Tool The Access Shortcut Tool provides developers with a way to quickly and easily create shortcut menus via a graphical user interface.
Filtered Filtered Show User Roster This is an Access Add-in that is meant to be used in the back end of a split database that utilizes Access User Level Security (ULS). It can display a list of all current users in the database, telling you which ones are suspect (may have not exited properly and hung the LDB file).

Show Users has the functionality to let you block any new users from opening the database, and there is a built-in messaging feature that asks logged in users to log out.
Filtered Filtered SQL to VBA Originally posted by Allen Browne Copy SQL Statement from query to VBA   I just added a wee bit to handle *action* queries.
Filtered SQLinForm SQL Formatter
Filtered SSE Set-Up Windows Installer  (Can be used as a replacement for the Packaging Wizard.)
Filtered Sizer 4.0 Utility used to accurately resize and reposition windows.
Filtered Filtered Table Restorer Ever accidentally delete a table? ACK! I hope you have a backup. Nah, you don’t need a backup. You can restore the table with this add-in.
Filtered Filtered TM VBA-Inspector Quick overview of potential errors in your code
Filtered Filtered Uniform Control Widths Ensuring uniform Control width on Forms and Reports, as well as, Font and Font Size.
Filtered Version Control Automatically distribute updated Front-ends
Filtered Filtered V-Tools A pack of nice and useful tools to enhance your development. Those tools are available from the menu “Tools”, “Extensions”. (Is it also has a VERY powerful searching tool.)

 

Cool Stuff

Filtered Filtered A better Zoom Box Finally, the built-in Zoom grows up thanks to this tool!
Filtered Filtered Crash Reporter When an error message is generated finding out exactly what the User was doing is not always easy, so, finding the source of error for debugging is very difficult. This tool will make that task 100% easier!
Filtered Filtered Help A way to add *Help* and/or *Tips* into your database
Filtered Filtered Mini Time Picker Great little add-in for when you just want to give your Users a way to select time.
Filtered Filtered Pop-Up Calendar Yes, there is a built in one but I still use this one.
Filtered Filtered Windows Explorer MS Access Database Right-Click Context Menu
Filtered Filtered Treeview Add-In (All VBA) A MSForms (all VBA) Treeview *Control*

 

Odds & Ends

Filtered Problem Steps Recorder This can be found in you System32 folder, file name psr.exe.
Great for when your Client reports a problem you can’t duplicate.   You can have them open this up, press the Start Record button perform the task and then press Stop Recording then they just eMail the file to you.
Snagit Easily capture screenshots and/or videos of your database to put into your documentation to show to Clients.

Enjoy!

Last updated 2.27.2022

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