The short answer is yes. And, if you have the time, it can even be fun.

However, many people find the development of a database system a bit daunting. When you get the program "out of the box", Access may not seem as easy to bend to your will as Excel or Word, for instance.

If you use Visual Basic, then the learning curve is even longer - and it's not everyone's cup of tea.

Also, relatively small mistakes made in the early stages of developing your database can have big implications later on. At the very least, a bit of experienced guidance when you're starting out can pay for itself in the long run.

Consider whether you want to use that professional help to learn about the database (in which case some coaching or training might be advantageous) or whether you'd just rather let someone else set the whole thing up.