Sharing files

[Guest]

Can two or more people work on an Access 2003 form at the same time if the
database is on a shared drive? I want to distribute data entry to 3-4 people.

Thanks for any info.

 

[Jeff Boyce]

Sheila

The recommended (consensus) approach to sharing an Access
database/application is to "split" the data from the rest. The data can be
placed on a network server.

The "front-end" (forms, queries, reports, etc.), however, typically is NOT
placed on the server. Instead, a copy of the front-end should be installed
on the individual PCs for everyone who need to use the application. The
front-ends get at the data by using Linked Tables (Files | Get External Data
| Link...).

Finally, the issue of "shared drive"...

If your PC names a share "R:\" and my PC has the same server connected, but
named "T:\", we'd have to re-link to the back-end tables to reflect the
differing "shares" for each PC. A simpler approach is to link using the UNC
convention (\\server\folder\subfolder\...). This approach ensures that
everyone's copy of the front-end can "see" the data, no matter how (or if?!)
their PC has a mapped share.

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP

 

[Guest]

This is a huge help, and I thank you for the quick response. I may need to
get our IT folks to help with this, but this is exactly what I needed to
know.