I use MS-Access for inventory, for about 16 years now.  I never had any
problem and it's a real database manager, not a spreadsheet.  Filtering
capabilities are very fine and the data export into MS-Word or Excel
are standard.

We are paying much money this year for the import of Excel spreadsheet
files into our museums administration system because quite a lot of
people misuse Excel as a database, which it definitely is not.  But
I don't object to people using whatever they like as long as I don't
have to deal with it.  I gave my empty Access-Base to a few people;
most were happy with it.

Kind regards,

Gerhard Dangel
Augustinermuseum, Freiburg
http://www.museen.freiburg.de/ 
http://www.welte-mignon.de/