Having reached a high level of proficiency in Microsoft Access you may be looking for a new challenge. It is logical to assume that the more you and your employees learn about a piece of software, the more productive you and your company can become. By taking your skills to the next level, you can perform tasks that you would otherwise have to employ another individual to do.

Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is a programming environment which is integrated into Microsoft Access. As a user of Microsoft Access, you may have the necessary abilities to create databases using all available features of the software. However, there may come a point where you wish to add features and functions to improve the usability of your data, particularly if you are dealing with large amounts of complex information. VBA allows you to write your own code to automate and extend the possible applications of a database and therefore create a more powerful application. In other words, with Access programming skills it is possible to create customised databases for use in the workplace.

Access Visual Basic training gives individuals the confidence to use this software efficiently and effectively. Training courses encourage the use of good design and development techniques which can then be applied back at work. For example, it is important for Access VBA users to learn appropriate situations for using VBA code as opposed to a macro. It is recommended that macros are used whenever possible to minimize the chances of compromising the security of the system. However, by using VBA it is possible to perform more complex procedures than are possible when using macros alone. Using VBA code allows you to import and export data in a variety of formats. Situations where it is preferable to use VBA code include the following:

- when you wish to create functions that cannot be performed with Microsoft Access macros because of their complexity
- to manipulate objects in the database, or the database itself
- to perform system level actions outside of Microsoft Access
- to manipulate one database record at a time
- to create customized error messages so as to notify users of the database when an incorrect procedure has occurred

Advanced users of Access thinking about undertaking Access Visual Basic training have several options: training centres, on-site training and bespoke training on a one-to-one basis or in a group format. The key issue is to choose a style that suits you and allows you get the most out of this learning opportunity.