# Building an index/cross reference in MS Office

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-an-index-cross-reference-in-ms-office/770434>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 2, 2016, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-an-index-cross-reference-in-ms-office/770434 "2016-11-02T13:42:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-an-index-cross-reference-in-ms-office/770434/1 "2016-11-02T13:42:54Z")

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I recently gained possession of approximately 1,500 35mm slides. They were taken by my grandfather, most in the 1960s, and I’m scanning them. I’d like to have a way to find images containing specific people or items.

For now I have an Excel spreadsheet that has an image number, month-year from the slide frame and a description. The description is currently comma separated with names (Bill, Sue) or a list of keywords: Fall, train, snow, waterfall, etc. I’m just starting so it wouldn’t be too hard to change the data.

Leaving it in Excel, I can just filter on a name or key word (“includes”). If I export that to word with one image per page (I’ll never print it), I can use the Word features to generate an index.

Best case, I’d like to be able to generate a list of images for a given name or keyword. I don’t want to buy special software but I have Office Pro with Access.

Suggestions?

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**Author:** ![Me\_Billy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Me\_Billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Me_Billy)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-an-index-cross-reference-in-ms-office/770434/2 "2016-11-02T15:45:14Z")

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A database would be my choice for something like that. But I would caution you against using anything Microsoft. They have come out with “upgrades” in the past in which NOTHING in a database I wrote worked after the update! They have screwed over a LOT of people with their upgrades which break things.

Might want to try an open source database. Maybe Open Office has a database? Also you can even store the actual pictures in a database or a link to a picture.