1. Microsoft Access is a database software that allows users to organize data into tables and relate the tables to each other. It allows data to be queried, summarized, and reported on efficiently.
2. The document discusses the key components of an Access database - tables to store data, queries to retrieve and process data, forms to enter and view data, and reports to print summaries.
3. It provides examples of how a school might use Access to organize student and course data, and describes the tables, fields, and records that make up the sample Northwind database.