Helen Feddema's Home Page

A source of information about Microsoft Office data exchange

When sending me e-mail about a code sample, please be sure to include the code sample's number.

My latest book, Working with Outlook, has been published as an ebook in Adobe PDF format by Office-Watch. This book has information about all the ways you can move data between Access and Outlook, with sample databases and Outlook templates in both Office XP/2003 and 2007/2010 formats. The book has information on:

	5 ways to export Access data to Outlook items
	7 ways to import Outlook items to Access
	Sample code for each method
	Pros and Cons of each method
	Code and details for Access and Outlook 2002 (XP) through 2010
	Design techniques for a more useful and attractive main menu in any Access database.
	Access debugging tips from an expert
	Over 90 pages of original content

For Kindle DX owners, the PDF works great on the DX.

Access Archon #217 (Linking to a Textbox) uploaded 17-Dec-2012; Access Archon #218 (Selecting Countries for a ComboBox List) uploaded 19-Dec-2012; Access Archon #219 (Creating Text Files with Word Info) uploaded 19-Jan-2013; Access Archon #220 (Creating a Set of Records) uploaded 16-Feb-2013; Access Archon #221 (Crosstab Query Reports) uploaded 19-Feb-2013.

Database Development

If you need someone to develop or modify an Access database, or do Office integration (Access-Word-Outlook-Excel), send me an email at the above link.

For shawls, wraps, afghans and more, hand knit from exquisite natural fibers, see my new shop (Helen's Handknits) on Etsy, or just click on the Helen's Handknits page here. A great place to buy a gift!

Helen Feddema has been working with Word since v. 1.1, Access since the beta of v. 1.0, and Outlook since the beta of v. 8.0 (that's where Outlook started its version numbering). In the early days, DDE was the only way to exchange data among Office applications, and it was cumbersome, cryptic and unreliable. When OLE Automation came along, it made data exchange much easier, and since Office 97, all the major Office applications support OLE as both clients and servers, so it is possible to control one Office application from any other, providing you know the syntax for doing OLE Automation in the dialect of VB used by that application (VBA for most, VBScript for Outlook forms).

This page is dedicated to making it easier to learn how to control one Office application from another, with White Papers and a book list to give you the information you need, downloads of crucial files you may need, code samples to show you how to exchange data in a number of ways, and my Access Archon columns.

"Real stuff for real people" -- Christopher Fennell, Access user

Working with Word 2nd edition (Office-Watch, 2010)	ISBN 978-0-9806465-0-4
Working with Word has information about all the ways you can move data from Access to Word, with sample databases and Word templates in both Office 2003 and 2007 format. The information includes updated material from various code samples and books, plus some brand-new material. New to the 2nd edition: a chapter (and supporting sample databases) on a technique of delivering Word templates as embedded objects in OLE Object or Attachment fields, to avoid hassles with sending users zips of templates and instructions about what to do with them. Also, a fifth way of exporting data to Word, using document variables. For Kindle DX owners, the PDF works great on the DX.
Access™ 2007 VBA Bible For Data-Centric Microsoft Applications (Wiley, 2007)	ISBN 0-4700-4702-X
As long-time AW readers know, data exchange among Office applications has always been one of my main interests, and that is the topic of this book. It covers using Access 2007 for data storage, entering, editing and printing data where Access does the job best, and exporting data to other Office applications (Word, Excel and Outlook) where they are best. One of the sample databases for this book finally achieves a long-time goal of mine: two-way synchronizing of Outlook and Access contacts, where the contact information is stored in a set of properly normalized, linked tables in Access. This lets you store all the information you need (or want) to store in Access tables - say, 30 phone numbers for Microsoft, or five addresses for a wealthy friend - while using the convenient and attractive Outlook interface to work with contacts. You can add or edit contact data in Access or Outlook, and synchronize contacts as needed (for those fields that are supported in Outlook), which gives you the best of both applications. The book also covers writing add-ins of several types (Access, VB 6, and Visual Studio), with tips on how to get them to work in Vista (more info on this topic was presented in Access Archon #162, based on information I got after the book went to press).

Expert One-on-One Microsoft Access Application Development (Wrox, 2003)	ISBN 0-7645-5904-4
This book is written for experienced Access users, who know how to create tables, queries, forms and other Access objects, and have some familiarity with writing Access VBA code, but need help in making the transition from an experienced and competent Access user who can create databases for personal use, to an Access developer who can make a living developing applications for clients. The book concentrates on this book writing VBA code to connect the components of a database into a functioning, coherent application.

Access 2002 Inside-Out (Microsoft Press, 2001)	ISBN 0-7356-1283-8
My new book on Access (Access 2002 Inside-Out, from Microsoft Press) is intended to help Access users who want to go beyond the basics and learn how to get the most out of Access (both in the interface and when writing VBA code). But the book isn’t just a feature walk-through, because not all features are created equal. I devote more time to the Access features that will let you create great (which means both useful and attractive) databases and connect to other Office applications. You find out how to avoid wasting time on less useful features like macros or not yet finished features (some might call them marketing fluff) like data access pages. (At present, posting Access data to Web pages is only practical if you own your own server, and even then you’ll need more advanced tools to do the job). Of course, I start by covering the basics. You’ll learn how to set up your tables with proper normalized relationships (and what that means), and create efficient and attractive forms and reports, and well-designed queries to filter, sort and summarize data. Access 2002 has some great new features – I devote an entire chapter to PivotTables and PivotCharts, and the new Printer object is covered in the VBA chapter (anyone who has struggled with the obscure PrtDevMode property will love this new object, which makes it much easier to control printers from Access VBA). Exchanging data between Office applications is important but not always obvious, so I spend two whole chapters on showing you how to export Access data to Word, Excel and Outlook, and how to import Word, Excel and Outlook data into Access. For real Access code mavens I also discuss customizing Access, both in the interface and using VBA code, including extensive code samples illustrating how to create your own custom toolbars and menus, with custom controls that you can only create from code. You’ll learn how to create your own Access add-ins and COM add-ins, with samples of both on the book’s CD. Access 2002 Inside-out has been many months in the writing and testing. It’s based on the final version of Access 2002, not the incomplete pre-release versions. Feedback from the thousands of Woody’s Access Watch readers has also helped make the book a practical hands-on guide to how Access really works best, not just a tutorial on how things should work according to Microsoft. If you have found my Access Archon columns useful, or the code samples on my Web site, you’ll love this book, because it is packed with step-by-step instructions and code samples, with supporting databases and a sampling of my add-ins on the accompanying CD.

This page was last updated on 02/19/13.