How to connect from Access?

[Ig]

Hi, I need to produce specific reports from Simply Accounting software.
For this purpose I want to create Access database with appropriate reports
interface and to link it to the tables
of Simply Accounting.
Could anybody explain me step by step how to do it? I don't even know what
is the type of database that
Simply Accounting uses.
Maybe you can suggest me another way to retrieve data for reports from
there?
Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

It turns out that Simply account using access mdb files!!!

In fact, the whole application is based on the same data engine that
ms-access uses (JET).

So, you can actually open Simply Accounting tables directly from ms-access.

However, there is about 100 tables, and you will have to "learn" the data
structures used. This is actually a good deal of work.

However, Simply accounting does have a custom report writer built in. I
would perhaps spend the time in Simply accounting, and see if you can't
built your reports there first (it is going to be a LOT LESS work).

Note that while you can easily open and use simply accounting files from
ms-access, you certainly can't add new records, or update data
(since then, you would have to know EXACTLY how to create the autonumber,
and primary key values, and also what of the 100 other tables you are
CORRECTLY to update - if you don't correctly update the data...then you
would be damaging the correct data required by simply).

Do note that a VERY nice documentation in a pdf file and what each table
does is available (it is in the standard install direclty of simply in a
direclty appropriately called "manuals").

So, the simply accounting files are actually standard access mdb files, but
with a different extension.

The mdb files in simply have a extension of SDB
The workgroup file (which you must join, or using in a startup shortcut) has
a extension of SDW

So, simply (pun intended) join the workgroup...and you can then open and
view the tables direclty as you would with any other ms-access
application....

 

[Ig]

Thank you Albert,
I just now discovered that the computer where Simply Accounting is installed
doesn't have Access.
Does it mean that Simply Accounting has its own Access runtime?
What is the level of custom report writer in Simply Accounting? Can it
handle complicated queries? My user
told me that he can't produce needed report with it.

What do you think about using OpenOffice Base to link to Simply Accounting?

Thank you.

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

Does it mean that Simply Accounting has its own Access runtime?

Well, actually you don't need a runtime to read mdb files. Windows XP ships
with jet anyway!!!

Actually, I think simply is a c++, or VB product. Remember, don't confuse
JET mdb files with ms-access.

ms-access is just a application development tool like c++, or VB. You can
use ms-access with oracle, or sql server, or the default JET database
engine.

My point is you could have written simply in ms-access, but it was not.
However, Simply Accounting does use mdb files for the data, and that is also
what ms-access uses (it is a very fast engine...and MANY commercial products
use it...it just they don't advertise the fact because so many silly
developers have it out for ms-access!!!).

However, as mentioned, you do NOT need ms-access on windows box to open a
mdb (access/jet) file.
EVERY COPY OF windows XP ships with the JET engine.

So, virtually any software environment you have running on your computer can
open a ms-access mdb file...you do NOT need ms-access.

If you are really stuck, you can even write a windows batch file to open and
read a mdb file on ANY windows XP computer (even without ms-access
installed). We are talking zero cost here!!

What is the level of custom report writer in Simply Accounting? Can it
handle complicated queries?

I only looked at it for a few minutes. It is a basic writer. I don't know
what it can, and can't do..

My user
told me that he can't produce needed report with it.

I would have to think that ms-access has likely the best report writer on
the planet right now (I am not kidding).
So, really, ms-access would be good choice if Simply don't do what you want.
The simply accounting report writer is a basic one...nothing like the super
ms-access one.

What do you think about using OpenOffice Base to link to Simply
Accounting?

The report writer in base is so archaic, and so un-useable as to not to be
able to do anything useful. It does not even has grouping features...let
alone advanced features like sub-reports. I would think that the report
writer in Simply accounting will be zillion times better then the base one.

MS-access is going to be well beyond Simply accounting, were as the Base one
is lacking just about every feature you are going to need (even things like
sums of totals at the end of the writer is missing, that and no stability
means it is just not useable right now).

So, if you not going to ms-access, then the report writer in simply is going
to be next best choice....

And, as mentioned, you can use virtually any programming language you have
on windows to open and read data from those jet files. And, if you have
nothing...you can write windows batch files to read the data....