Hi, David.

>I want to know what is built into .NET. Can I simply create an empty MS Access database file, have my installer install it, and then access it through ADO.NET? Because the program will only be run occasionally, it doesn't need to be super fast. It will only be run to create quarterly reports.

Beside MSDE or SQL Express, you may take a look at VistaDB. It is a small database that you license as a developer (not expensive) and then use royalty free. The main advantage is a very small footprint and easy installation, while still providing native access from .NET. One of the problems with the "free" SQL Servers is that the installation is pretty big (surely not something you'll want to download from the net).

Hope this helps,