You missed his point there didn't you
Implement a data warehouse
Implement a data warehouse in Excel or Access
If the goal is a data warehouse then us supoosedly knowledgeable types can provide a set of alternatives, given some resource they can even have some real numbers attached to them.
Implement one in Excel, is a probelm created by an idiot with no solution any one claiming to be competent could resolve.
It's the equivalent of saying I want to create a road bridge out of tissue paper.
So this where the confusion between negativity and realism creeps in. Can you as manager accept some propeller head "subordinate" telling "you" that your idea is dumb, or one that exposes "your" enormous ignorance?
You I don't know about, people who view challenges to their ideas asa personal attack, well we've all had dealings with those haven't we?
Oh and managers are employees too.