Seeking Database Software

April 22, 2006 8:22 AM

Could someone recommend a Database Software package that is less complicated than Microsoft Access. I just need a package for entering customers' addresses and phone numbers and have six or seven fields that can be sort. As you can see, a very simple database; yet one that is effective. Thank you!
posted by Mckoan1 to computers & internet (13 comments total)

act?
posted by eatdonuts at 8:33 AM on April 22, 2006

Microsoft Excel?
posted by blue_beetle at 8:35 AM on April 22, 2006

FileMaker Pro?
posted by drstein at 8:49 AM on April 22, 2006

I just need a package for entering customers' addresses and phone numbers and have six or seven fields that can be sorted.

That's just about all ACT does.
posted by airguitar at 9:00 AM on April 22, 2006

It sounds like you want a CRM (Customer Relations Management) application, and not just a database -- as you found with Access, databases are tools with which to build applications more than they are end-user applications themselves.

ACT recommended above is a CRM app, and I've known a lot of sales and marketing types who use Goldmine. Microsoft has their own CRM solution but I've never seen it.
posted by mendel at 9:12 AM on April 22, 2006

To expand on the Excel suggestion: recent versions have the "Autofilter" feature which turns the "header row" into clickable buttons that can be used to sort and sift the rows. For small, simple databases, it's not a bad start.
posted by SPrintF at 9:27 AM on April 22, 2006

Excel is a good suggestion. It can sort by any column in the spreadsheet, and also do tiered sorting (if two columns are the same, the sort among those two by using this other column).

Enter your data in the spreadsheet, then coose "Data" from Excel's top menu, and then choose "Sort..." The little dialog box that pops up will ask which columns(s) to sort by.
posted by NortonDC at 9:33 AM on April 22, 2006

Actually, sorting the way SPRintF mentions can make Excel sort only the row you clicked on, which would make it out sync with the other rows and scramble your entire list. Use the sort option in the top menu to be safe.
posted by NortonDC at 9:36 AM on April 22, 2006

Microsoft Outlook's contacts?
posted by Good Brain at 9:50 AM on April 22, 2006

Filemaker Pro. It comes with several great templates, is incredibly powerful, and yet has a gentle learning curve that can grow as the needs may grow.
posted by bytemover at 11:18 AM on April 22, 2006

I'm a fan of OpenOffice's BASE.

It's much simpler than it looks, has wizards for setting things up, and best of all FREE. (So it doesn't hurt to try it, ya?)

And I'll second the spreadsheet option - if it ever gets too big, you can always export to a CSV file and import it to a better database program.
posted by Sallysings at 12:12 PM on April 22, 2006

Excel.
posted by scarabic at 3:55 PM on April 22, 2006

Some additional criteria that may be helpful in elaborating your needs:

What platform/s would you be using it on (mac, pc, linux)?
Would it need to be (now or in the future) accessible over a network or the internet?
How many contacts would you likely need to manage (worst case scenario)?
Would you like to be able to perform some additional functions in the future (being able to print address labels, mail merging etc).
posted by strawberryviagra at 5:00 PM on April 22, 2006