Database Name Instructor: Institution: Date: Inasmuch as Excel can perform some tasks that are similar to Access, it is still a spreadsheet application and therefore has its deficiencies when compared to databases. As a point of note, a database can easily operate with information or files that are way bigger than the available RAM, something that cannot happen with Excel (Stephens, 2011).Excel utilizes much of the available memory for its proper functioning. The other reason for the use of database over Excel is that they are multi-user, whereas Excel can only allow one user at a time (Philips, 2014). Databases are special because they come with multiple inbuilt functionalities that simplify data management. They help solve the problem of data retention, repeated computation, and simultaneous multi-user access from various locations. A relatio