There are also programs available which allow people who don't have Word to open and manipulate such documents. Some references are dated and more recent studies are available only by purchase. This can involve thousands of dollars which this author cannot afford. An incredibly steep learning curve required. More difficult than Photoshop or Dreamweaver and so much more difficult than Filemaker Pro.
Access is a nightmare.
Microsoft's software is well known in the industry for being poorly written and inelegantly designed, and Access takes the cake. He lost approximately three working days when the PC was out of action, including the time it took to be reimaged. The site created and maintained by Chris O'Rourke, who teaches in a rural city in Australia.