Hi there. I bought a program a while ago called 'Crossover'. You simply put in your Windows disc or .exe installer and it runs the software in an emulator as if it was a Mac app. And it's still cheaper than buying Parallels and Windows 7, cheaper than FileMaker Pro (provided you've already got MS Office) and uses up much less system resources!
You can get a free trial of Crossover to 'try before you buy' and to check your particular program works. https://www.codeweavers.com/products/crossover-mac2/?utm_expid=4394146-26.OmXSvD wFRFigE-VgtcHj4w.1&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.co.uk%2F
Now, Crossover costs $60 from the developer's website. However, I got my copy in this 'bundle' from Stacksocial (https://stacksocial.com/sales/pay-what-you-want-magic-mac-bundle) for just $10! If you're in the UK like me, just pay with PayPal and they'll handle conversion to your local currency.
As for alternatives to Microsoft Office. I like to use Libre Office. Their 'version' of MS Access is called Libre Office Base
I've attached a couple of screenshots of Access 2007 (a little old, I know running on my Mac). As you can see....
- It looks like a Mac app, and can be used alongside 'Native' Mac apps
- It even shows up in the dock, which is a nice touch!
- It integrates perfectly with finder. You can open and save files to your Mac's drive no probs.
- (this is something I've recently discovered), if you download an access file from the internet, or an email and double click it, it will automatically launch Access.
I've tested Crossover with several apps including Microsoft Office, RootsMagic & AceMoney accounting software
As you can tell, I really love this app!
Disclaimer: I'm not in any way affilliated with Crossover - I simply think it's brilliant!
Cheers! ASC