Quote Originally Posted by Dave
Thanks all! Word as a data base? It seems to be a simple way to store all the useless supporting information outside of XL... and the information can be easily printed. From XL, you don't need to recall or use the Word information, you only have to find where it exists. Not really a data base, just a data storage process. I thought XL general efficiency would be better with less clutter. I don't know access but I'm not sure if I need too? Dave
One of the advantages of an integrated suite of programs, such as MSFT Office, is that each app in the suite offers advantages over the others for particular types of applications, more so, when efficiency of execution is considered.

Word just is not designed to be a storage recepticle or to be used as a database.

Excel can be used to create a database that can be accessed via most database software, including Word itself. Ditto for Access.

Note that Excel VBA is actually a lot easier than Word VBA and the books for Excel VBA are quite superior to those for Word VBA.

Access VBA is more difficult. But, one need not even use Access to use a database. One can create the database howsoever and access the data base using, say, DAO or ADO, via Word or Excel or ...

Often, a database in Excel or Access or ..., is utilized by retrieving the data using Word VBA.