LibreOffice Base Review

The last LibreOffice component is indispensable to any office suite that takes itself seriously – LibreOffice Base, a database management tool (similar to Microsoft Access).

Base enables users to create multipurpose databases with tables, queries, forms and reports that can be further embedded in documents. For instance, LibreOffice Writer has a feature that fetches address book information using Base as data source.

Databases can be built and maintained for storing user information (e.g. employees, clients), gathering data and analyzing statistics, creating financial reports, and other circumstances. It can be basically used in any field that needs a solid data management system.

LibreOffice's installation is covered at Writer's review page. The office suite contains Writer (word processor), Calc (spreadsheet tool), Impress (presentation tool), Draw (graphics editor) and Math (formula editor), alongside Base and optional modules. Any of these components can be excluded from the setup.

Base's interface is pretty tidy, considering the complexity of a database application. With the help of a startup wizard, the tool can be instructed to create a new database, open an existing file, or connect to an existing one via JDBC, Microsoft Outlook or Thunderbird address book, Microsoft Access, spreadsheet, dBASE, text, MySQL, PostgreSQL and other sources.

As far as tables are concerned, it is possible to create them in design view by specifying field names and properties together with data types, build a view by pointing out the tables and fields names to remain visible, as well as apply table samples as baseline for following table customization (requires Java). Macros may be executed and managed, while table indexes can be viewed.

Reports can be made from scratch by setting the record source, controls, and control parameters. It is possible to insert headers and footers, page numbers, date and time stamps, report controls, pictures and shapes, rearrange and resize shapes in the design, edit font properties, as well as run and organize macros.

When it comes to Base tools, the application implements functions for designing relationships between tables, managing user settings and changing database passwords, filtering tables to make them visible, as well as writing SQL statements for immediate execution. Just like the other LibreOffice modules, Base implements macros, an extension manager, XML filter settings, along with toolbar customization options.

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