ITTA offers a Microsoft Access catalogue: Access Fundamentals (local database creation, tables, queries, forms, reports) and Access Advanced (complex relationships, macros, VBA, SQL Server integration, security, migration). These courses target assistants, business analysts, controllers, operations teams and IT profiles maintaining or modernising Access applications. Delivered in Geneva, Lausanne and interactive virtual classroom.
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Access training in Geneva and Lausanne. 1 day to master Microsoft Access, databases and queries at ITTA Switzerland.
Master Microsoft Access with this advanced training. Manage databases, forms, and secure and optimize your data.
The question comes back in every class. The honest answer: yes, in specific cases. Access remains massively used in French-speaking Switzerland for local or departmental business databases (specific inventory management, project tracking, HR applications, customer databases, quality follow-up, management control applications). Many organisations have dozens of legacy Access applications running for twenty years, updated occasionally and still useful. The Microsoft 365 ecosystem maintains Access in its Family and Business plans, which is not by chance.
In parallel, modernisation is real: many legacy Access applications evolve towards SQL Server with Power Apps, Power Automate and Power BI in front, in a Power Platform logic. Access and Power Platform skills become complementary, not competing. Our courses cover both logics: Access mastery for what it does well, and modernisation paths when relevant.
Access – Fundamentals covers creating a local Access database (.accdb), data modelling and table creation, table relationships, query creation and use (select, action, parameterised), creation of input and consultation forms, report creation for printing, expressions and calculation formulas, and database organisation best practices. This course is the entry for any profile starting Access.
Access – Advanced deepens complex relationships (cardinalities, referential integrity, cascades), advanced queries (joins, subqueries, union queries), macro programming and VBA introduction for automation, integration with other sources (SQL Server linked tables, ODBC, Excel), security (password, profiles, form-level rights), and maintenance and migration best practices towards a client-server architecture.
Most frequent profile in class. Need: create a departmental database to track activity (clients, projects, inventory, quality follow-up) without depending on IT. Recommended path: Fundamentals for the base, then Advanced if the application gains complexity.
Typical profile: a controller consolidating large Excel data who wants to move to a real relational database for reliability and performance. Access is often the intermediate step between Excel and SQL Server. The Fundamentals course suffices in most cases, complemented by Advanced for sophisticated calculations and reports.
Less glamorous but very real profile: an internal IT staff inheriting ten Access applications left by a developer long gone. Recommended path: Fundamentals for the base culture, Advanced to understand VBA and SQL Server links, ideally crossing to SQL Server and Power Platform to drive a modernisation strategy.
The most frequent confusion: Access and SQL Server are not competitors, they articulate. Access is a local application development environment with its own engine (Jet/ACE) or can be used as a front-end on SQL Server linked tables. SQL Server is a centralised, multi-user, scalable, secured database server. The classic evolution pattern is: start in full local Access, then migrate tables to SQL Server keeping Access as front-end, then replace the Access front-end with Power Apps or Power BI as needed.
Our Access courses mention this migration path. To go further on SQL Server, see the Microsoft SQL Server publisher. For modernisation to Power Platform, see the dedicated sub-domain and publisher.
Access fits the Microsoft 365 catalogue. The Microsoft Office publisher groups Access, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Visio. The database apps sub-domain covers Access and local SQL. For profiles modernising their stack, the cross with SQL Server and Power Platform is central.
Microsoft has clarified its position: Access remains maintained in Microsoft 365 (on Windows), with regular updates and extended support. No end-of-life announcement. On the trend side, the modernisation option to Power Apps + Dataverse is increasingly pushed by Microsoft, particularly for applications needing mobile access, tenant sharing, or Power Automate integration. For local Access applications without these needs, keeping Access remains entirely reasonable.
On the competitor side, no-code tools like Airtable, Notion databases or Microsoft Lists gain ground on simple “shared structured list” uses. For more complex Access uses (custom forms, sophisticated reports, VBA), Access remains more powerful than these no-code alternatives.
Our Access sessions are available in Geneva, Lausanne and interactive virtual classroom. For teams looking to harmonise practice on an existing Access portfolio, in-house delivery lets us work directly on your real databases, forms and typical reports.
Should I really migrate my old Access applications?
Not systematically. Pragmatic rule: if an Access application works, is maintained, has no mobility, multi-site sharing or strong audit need, keeping it as-is is often the best choice. Migration to Power Apps or SQL Server + .NET costs time and money. Migrate when the business need justifies it (mobility, intensive multi-users, compliance, integration).
How to migrate tables from an Access database to SQL Server?
Microsoft offers the SSMA utility (SQL Server Migration Assistant for Access) automating the migration of tables, relationships, constraints and data. The result is generally good for tables, to validate on types and data quality. Forms and reports stay in Access as front-end, with linked tables to SQL Server. Our Advanced course mentions this path.
How many concurrent users does Access support in practice?
Microsoft officially announces up to 255 concurrent users on a shared database, but in practice beyond 5-10 concurrent users, performance and stability degrade quickly, especially on Wi-Fi or VPN networks. This is one of the clear signals to consider SQL Server migration.
Is VBA still useful to learn in 2026?
For profiles maintaining a significant Access or Excel portfolio, yes. VBA remains the native automation tool of Access and Excel. For new developments, Office Scripts (TypeScript), Power Automate and Power Apps are the directions preferred by Microsoft. Our Advanced course provides the necessary VBA basics.
Are your Access courses available in-house?
Yes. In-house is very suited to teams looking to work on their own existing Access bases (refactoring, optimisation, securing, migration preparation). We adapt the programme to your context.
ITTA offers a coherent Microsoft 365 catalogue (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Visio, Access, SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, Power Platform, SQL Server). This consistency lets us address Access in its ecosystem logic and discuss modernisation with a trainer also mastering SQL Server and Power Platform.
Our Access trainers are consultants active on business application projects in French-speaking Switzerland, covering both Access maintenance and migrations. Our sessions are available in Geneva, Lausanne and interactive virtual classroom.
Monday to Friday
8:30 AM to 6:00 PM
Tel. 058 307 73 00
ITTA
Route des jeunes 35
1227 Carouge, Suisse
Monday to Friday, from 8:30 am to 06:00 pm.
