how to use excel effectively as a clinical database management system? any other program useful for investigator initiated trials in resource limited setting
Even if MS excel has data manipulation capabilities, it is not a database management system. here is a simple explanation: http://www.differencebetween.net/technology/difference-between-spreadsheet-and-database/ . With MS Excel your dataset will be limited.
If resources are limited, I'll recommend you to use MySQL, R and Linux. You can find free version of the 3.
Which part of trials are you interested in? financial piece or the data management itself.. couple of options if data management.. REDCap, OpenClinica.
If your setting is extremely limited.. MS ACCESS is the minimum I would recommend on windows; Filemaker, if you are using apple products.