- 1). Download a free trial of Access, available free from Microsoft Office Online, and good for 60 days. You'll get the entire Microsoft Office Professional 2007 edition, but can make use of Access' in-program tutorials and help sections. You can also view a number of help forums and knowledge bases on Microsoft Office Online, separated out into Access versions (such as 2000, 2002, 2003).
- 2). Pick up an introductory software book or textbook, such as "Access 2007 for Dummies" by Laurie Ulrich-Fueller, "Microsoft Access 2003 Step by Step" by Online Training Solutions or "Building Microsoft Access Applications," by John L. Viescas. Look for books with "beginner," "introduction" and "learn" in the title; books are available at online retailers such as Book Closeouts, Amazon and Barnes and Noble and at brick-and-mortar bookshops.
- 3). Complete a webinar, which is either pre-recorded or live, where you watch videos or an Internet stream from your computer. Many companies conduct webinars for beginning Access students. For example, KeyStone Learning Systems sells a 10-hour beginner to advanced webinar on both DVD or through live learning, with topics such as tracking information through pre-built tables, creating reports, plus updates to the 2007 version.
- 4). Enroll in a community college course on Microsoft Office or Access itself. Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh, North Carolina, for instance, offers classes such as "Microsoft Office," "Access: Intermediate," "Microsoft Office for Seniors" and "Access Introduction." Most community colleges have no educational requirements, such as college credits, and no prerequisites.
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