[AccessD] Access Development Future

[John Bartow]

Hi David,
Oddly enough I still have two Access DBs being used. However, I do not support them. I recommended they move the app and data to another platform, but they dragged their feet for years. So, I "set them free" 😉 when I started retiring at 60. I can't even imagine how many errors show up now.

I do use AI in my MSP role. Many MSP platforms have added a MCP so AI can interact with it. I still do not allow AI to do anything other than evaluate issues (read privileges) and make recommendations regarding my client's devices. There are still some issues with hallucinations that I'm not going to accept the liability of letting them lose with write privileges. My programming is generally PowerShell and Bash scripting, sometimes complicated which is where it helps a lot. I review and test all scripts before running them against live client devices. It'd be nice not to do so but also irresponsible. It'd be like sending an intelligent but socially unaware apprentice to a client site unaccompanied.

I am currently looking into whether AI can write VBA code, not for Access but for Outlook. I have a client with a massive amount of outlook data that is a complete mess! It would take me days to write code to get it organized. Weeks to do it manually. I'm not that ambitious anymore. 

I use MS CoPilot which currently utilizes 8 versions of GPT and Claude. The reason being I communicate with CoPilot instead of separate AIs and the subtleties that go with that. The "Instruction Set" and Knowledge Base that you can set up teaches the AI how to interact with me. And I'm kind of specific about that. I used GPT for a long time and it helped me write those documents. It was kind of cute, the manner in it wrote them up for my review was like it was trying to protect me from those "other" AIs. Hopefully, MS adds to the stable of AI models that it works with. And can use those instructions. They have a lot of MCPs available already such as every MS app, GitHub, etc. That lets me work with those apps and know that the AI already knows everything about them. The one I really need is for FileMaker. Of al things... I have clients that use FileMaker and they all need to be updated, uhg.

Best wishes,
John B

-----Original Message-----
From: AccessD <accessd-bounces+jbartow=winhaven.net at databaseadvisors.com> On Behalf Of David Emerson
Sent: Sunday, October 25, 2026 4:26 PM
To: accessd at databaseadvisors.com
Subject: [AccessD] Access Development Future

Greetings Listers,

 

All has been quiet on the Access front.

 

I am interested on how many of us are still supporting Access applications?
Has AI made a major difference to existing client databases or is there still a niche for our work in smaller businesses that don't have the funds to take advantage of the latest technologies?

 

Regards

 

David Emerson

Dalyn Software Ltd

Adelaide, Australia

 

 

 

 

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