Storing Data

Excel file itself can be a database to store information.
VB.Net is capable to open an excel file, read information and then show it to the user.
someone has posted a question on how to read and open excel file, .e.g
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/20972338/reading-open-Excel-file.html

if you want to access, it will be better.
but you will need to migrate all of your data from excel to access

What if I don't want to reference another program? Is there no way to store data within the application itself?  My concern is this application I am creating will be used on and off of a network.  So I don't want to have the application tied to any other outside source.  

You should investigate Serialisation (serialization).

You can create a class for your data and use serialisation to save it to a file as binary or XML.  Have a look at this little example ... it is a class that can save/load all its property values in a binary data file.

'-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Imports System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary
Imports System.io

<Serializable()> Public Class DataStorage

    Public DataItem as Integer
    Public DataItem2 as String
    Public DataItem3(5) as Boolean

    Public Sub Load(ByVal filepathname as string, ByRef ds as DataStorage)
        Dim formatter As New BinaryFormatter
        Dim fs As FileStream
        Try
            fs = New FileStream(filepathname, FileMode.Open)
            ds = CType(formatter.Deserialize(fs), DataStorage)
            fs.Close()
        Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox("Unable to load from file [" & filepathname & "]" & vbcrlf & ex.message)
        End Try
    End Sub

    Public Sub Save(ByVal filepathname as string)
        Dim formatter as New BinaryFormatter
        Dim fs as FileStream
        Try
            fs = New FileStream(filepathname, FileMode.Create)
            formatter.Serialize(fs, Me)
            fs.Close()
        Catch ex as Exception
            MsgBox("Unable to save to file [" & filepathname & "]" & vbcrlf & ex.message)
        End Try
    End Function
End Class
'-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To use something like this .....

Dim ds as New DataStorage
ds.DataItem = 42
ds.DataItem2 = "Hello World
ds.DataItem3(2) = True
ds.DataItem3(4) = True
ds.Save("C:\DataStorage.dat")
ds = nothing

Dim msg as string
Dim i as integer
ds = new DataStorage
ds.Load(ds)
msg = ds.DataItem & vbcrlf & ds.DataItem2 & vbcrlf
For i=1 to 5
    msg += DataItem3(i) + " "
Next
MsgBox(msg)

Jack-

So if I use a DataSet...when I package the application.  It would all go with the application...no loose ends?

Troy