Straight answers about hiring an MS Access consultant — what it means, how it works, what it costs, and what to send.
What does an MS Access consultant actually do?+
An MS Access consultant diagnoses and fixes problems in Microsoft Access databases — slow queries, crashing forms, broken multi-user setups, VBA errors, corrupt objects, and reporting logic that produces wrong results. Beyond fixing what's broken, a consultant also advises on architecture decisions: whether to split the database into front-end and back-end, whether the data model needs restructuring, and whether the workload has genuinely outgrown Access or just needs better indexing and query design. The distinction from a developer is scope: a consultant is brought in to assess and recommend, not just to execute a spec someone else wrote.
How is hiring an MS Access consultant different from hiring a developer or programmer?+
A developer executes a defined spec. A consultant helps you figure out what the right spec is — and whether your diagnosis of the problem is actually correct. When your database is slow, a developer might rewrite the query you point at. A consultant measures which queries are actually causing the slowdown, traces the cause, and tells you whether the fix is a query rewrite, an index, a split FE/BE architecture, or something in how the application is being used. For databases with unknown or misdiagnosed problems, a consultant saves significant time and money by not fixing the wrong thing.
How quickly can you start?+
After a short scope pass on email or call, many fixes and small builds begin within days. Larger multi-user or migration-adjacent engagements typically slot inside one to two weeks depending on test windows and IT access requirements. Sending your Access version, a description of the symptom, and a sanitized copy of the database (when possible) is the fastest way to compress the ramp-up time.
What is your rate and how do you structure engagements?+
Engagements start at $50/hour with a free quote and 30-minute free consultation for qualified projects. Fixed-scope quotes are available when the outcome is clearly bounded — one slow report path, a defined repair, a specific VBA module. Hourly works better for diagnosis and for problems where the full scope isn't known until I'm in the file. I'll tell you which structure fits your situation.
Do you work remotely, and how does that work in practice?+
Yes — all consulting is delivered remotely. Screen-sharing sessions for walkthroughs and demos, secure file transfer for database copies, and written recaps after every significant change so you have a record of what was done and why. Remote delivery covers USA, UK, Canada, and other regions when scheduling allows. Most clients find the remote format more efficient than on-site — less scheduling friction, faster turnaround on written questions, and a paper trail of every recommendation.
Can you fix a database built by someone else?+
That's most of the work. I read whatever is in the file — the VBA modules, the query SQL, the form event stack, the table structure. I don't need the original developer's notes or documentation. What I need is the file, your Access and Office version, and a clear description of what 'broken' looks like. The cleaner the symptom description, the faster the diagnosis.
Can you help with urgent production issues — database down, month-end blocked?+
Yes. When production is down or month-end is blocked, I triage corruption and lock paths first, then stabilize before doing anything structural. Mark your message as urgent and include your time zone — I prioritize real outages. For corruption specifically: don't keep running compact and repair on a database that keeps corrupting. That masks the cause. Send me what you have and I'll tell you what's actually happening.
Can you improve Access database performance without migrating to SQL Server?+
In most cases, yes — and migration is usually not the right answer until the data tier has genuinely failed the tests. The most common performance problems in Access are fixable without moving platforms: bound recordset scope, missing indexes on real join and filter columns, subqueries written in ways that prevent the Jet engine from optimizing, split architecture done wrong (FE and BE on the same machine, or FE not properly packaged), and network round-trip patterns that read more data than needed. I measure before and after on the specific forms and reports that are slow — not general estimates.
Do you handle Access databases connected to SQL Server or other backends?+
Yes. A large share of the work I do involves Access front ends linked to SQL Server, ODBC sources, or SharePoint lists. The consulting approach changes — pass-through queries, linked table refresh behavior, connection string management, transaction handling — but the diagnostic process is the same: identify the slow or broken path, trace it to the cause, fix the smallest slice that solves it.
What should I send to get started?+
Four things: your Access and Office version (and bitness — 32-bit or 64-bit), a plain description of what's wrong or what you need built, any hard deadline, and whether you can share a non-production copy of the database. You don't need a formal brief or a spec. Send what you know and I'll ask the follow-up questions that matter.
