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# Access Day 2024: The Access Developer's Guide to Version Control
- URL: https://nolongerset.com/vcs/
- Published: 2024-03-15T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-05-08T12:39:10.000Z
- Description: A list of resources and further reading for my 2024 Access Day presentation on version control with Microsoft Access.
- Author: Mike Wolfe
- Tags: Presentations, #todo, #Import 2026-05-20 02:59

## Slide Deck

*Check back soon for a PDF copy of the slide deck.*

## Video

Sorry, no video recording this time. You had to attend Access Day in person to see this one.

## Getting Started

1. Install Adam Waller's Version Control Add-in ([step-by-step guide](https://nolongerset.com/install-vcs-addin/))
2. Install TortoiseHg ([step-by-step guide](https://nolongerset.com/install-tortoisehg/))
3. Making your first commit ([step-by-step guide](https://nolongerset.com/version-control-quick-start/))

## Further Reading

### Getting Started

[What’s the Purpose of an Access Version Control Add-in?Access version control add-ins are not a replacement for Git, Subversion, or Mercurial.![](https://nolongerset.com/favicon.png)No Longer SetMike Wolfe![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/d7/ebd732c1-5f03-4f07-b386-5d08557e15c9/content/images/2024/03/Addin-Bridge.jpg)](https://nolongerset.com/version-control-add-in-purpose/)

[Installing the Access Version Control Add-in: Step-by-StepLooking to try version control with Microsoft Access? Start here by installing Adam Waller’s free and open-source Version Control Addin for MS Access.![](https://nolongerset.com/favicon.png)No Longer SetMike Wolfe![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/d7/ebd732c1-5f03-4f07-b386-5d08557e15c9/content/images/2024/03/Install-AccessVCS-1-.jpg)](https://nolongerset.com/install-vcs-addin/)

[Installing TortoiseHg: Step-by-StepStep-by-step instructions for installing my preferred distributed version control system (DVCS) for Access developers looking to get started with version control.![](https://nolongerset.com/favicon.png)No Longer SetMike Wolfe![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/d7/ebd732c1-5f03-4f07-b386-5d08557e15c9/content/images/2024/03/Install-TortoiseHg.jpg)](https://nolongerset.com/install-tortoisehg/)

[Access Version Control: A Quick Start GuideWith this step-by-step guide, you’ll be using version control with Access in under 20 minutes.![](https://nolongerset.com/favicon.png)No Longer SetMike Wolfe![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/d7/ebd732c1-5f03-4f07-b386-5d08557e15c9/content/images/2024/03/Version-Control-Quick-Start.jpg)](https://nolongerset.com/version-control-quick-start/)

### High-Level Overview

[Top 10 Reasons to Use Version Control With AccessUsing version control is the most impactful change you can make to improve the quality of your Microsoft Access applications. Here is a quick list of just some of the benefits you gain using version control.![](https://nolongerset.com/favicon.png)No Longer SetMike Wolfe![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/d7/ebd732c1-5f03-4f07-b386-5d08557e15c9/content/images/2020/09/learn-2387228_1920.jpg)](https://nolongerset.com/top-10-reasons-to-use-version-control-with-access/)

[Access Version Control: My PhilosophyThese rules are intended as a guiding philosophy. If I’m getting closer to meeting this vision, I know I’m moving in the right direction.![](https://nolongerset.com/favicon.png)No Longer SetMike Wolfe![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/d7/ebd732c1-5f03-4f07-b386-5d08557e15c9/content/images/2020/09/the-thinker-489753_1920.jpg)](https://nolongerset.com/access-version-control-my-philosophy/)

[Reducing Lost Code Recovery TimeHow do you reduce your recovery time when you’ve lost a bunch of code you just wrote? To misquote Bart Simpson, “Version control, my man.”![](https://nolongerset.com/favicon.png)No Longer SetMike Wolfe![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/d7/ebd732c1-5f03-4f07-b386-5d08557e15c9/content/images/2021/03/crash-landing-2398449_1920.jpg)](https://nolongerset.com/reducing-lost-code-recovery-time/)

[Peace of Mind from Version Control“Do you want to save your changes?” No, not if I just added temporary debugging code. But, Yes, if I also added production code. What to do?![](https://nolongerset.com/favicon.png)No Longer SetMike Wolfe![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/d7/ebd732c1-5f03-4f07-b386-5d08557e15c9/content/images/2021/03/meditation-428382_1920.jpg)](https://nolongerset.com/side-benefit-of-version-control/)

[Learn to Love Text-Based Version Control with “Highlights for Children”Why use text-based version control for visual objects like forms and reports? I’ll tell you why, but first, find all the differences between these two pictures...![](https://nolongerset.com/favicon.png)No Longer SetMike Wolfe![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/d7/ebd732c1-5f03-4f07-b386-5d08557e15c9/content/images/2021/07/Img-v-Txt-Version-Control.jpg)](https://nolongerset.com/highlights-for-children/)

[Git vs. Mercurial in 2024This classic article from fifteen years ago contains one of the most impressively specific (and accurate) technology predictions I’ve ever read.![](https://nolongerset.com/favicon.png)No Longer SetMike Wolfe![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/d7/ebd732c1-5f03-4f07-b386-5d08557e15c9/content/images/2024/01/Git-vs.-Mercurial-in-2024.jpeg)](https://nolongerset.com/git-vs-mercurial-2024/)

### The Whole Shebang

The link below takes you to my "Version Control" tag page, which has a collection of 37 posts (as of publication).

[Version Control - No Longer SetAdvanced techniques and unique perspectives from a guy who pushes the limits of Microsoft Access software development. Warning: may contain strong opinions.![](https://nolongerset.com/favicon.png)No Longer SetMike Wolfe![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/d7/ebd732c1-5f03-4f07-b386-5d08557e15c9/content/images/2020/08/access-2348384_1920_background-3.jpg)](https://nolongerset.com/tag/version-control/)