Access end-user input into forms

M

Marie-Lynn

Ok, please bear with me.

I have created a draft form from a database and now have a datasheet
associated with the final form.

I need to be able to

1: Send out the form to the customer via e-mail for the customer to verify
that the data that is recorded on them is accurate. Their e-mail address is
included in the form data and I want to send ONE record to ONE customer at a
time, not the entire datasheet.

2.Have the customer be able to correct any errors in the forms and send back
the saved form to me.

3.Be able to incorporate any changes in their form/entry in a semi-automated
way. Having to, say, copy and paste one line of data per customer is not
unreasonable, but having to manually cross-reference every entry is.

I know that I cannot just send an empty Access form to a customer and have
them fill out their data and send it back to me, though this is what I would
really want I know that an Access form is only associated with its database.
How does one, then, enter information into the database? Does it have to be
a dedicated computer (i.e. me)? Can you not have multiple computers off-site
somehow entering data?

I know that there is a way to incorporate all of this into some fairly
sophisticated back-end data-management on a website and, through that method,
you can do what I’ve described. We are not a large or very technically
sophisticated organization, though, I am looking for a simpler way to handle
less data than a fully server-side method might use.

Any help to any of the points or any suggestions or ideas or guidance would
be appreciated.

Thank you,
Marie-Lynn H
Independent Living Resource Centre
 
L

Larry Linson

I understand from your post that the customers have Access installed and
that you want them to be able to either overtype or enter the correct
information alongside the incorrect information, then e-mail the corrected
information back to you, so you can read that information into your computer
without having to re-type it.
How does one, then, enter information into the database?
Click to expand...

Data may be typed/keyboarded into an Access form that is part of the
database, it may be obtained from external sources such as other Access
databases, other types of databases, Excel spreadsheets, or text files.
Does it have to be a dedicated computer (i.e. me)?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure I understand the question. The computer via which the
information is entered into the Access database must have Access installed
and be connected to the Access / Jet database. Access, out of the box,
supports multi-user database use.
Can you not have multiple computers off-site somehow entering data?
Click to expand...

"Off-site"? See the previous answer -- the computers will have to have a
connection to the "backend" database where the data resides, via a LAN.
They will only need to have e-mail capability to receive the data from the
users/customers.

If you must use Access 2003 or earlier, you should be able to create either
e-mail messages containing the data, or small text files to attach to e-mail
messages. The customer can then correct the information and return it. I
would, if possible, use the text file approach, and write VBA code to read
the text files, and update the tables appropriately -- that would allow
checking the data for form, format, and validity.

However, Access 2007 provides a capability to update data via e-mail. It
would be worth your while to investigate this feature, because it may be a
compelling reason for you to upgrade to the 2007 version of Access.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP
 
M

Marie-Lynn

Thank you Larry. I'm self-taught, so someone like you taking your time to
help me iron out my knowledge deficiencies is greatly appreciated.

By off-site, I mean off server. Though you didn’t understand that part of
my question – I didn’t explain them, you answered it by mentioning that 2007
has the additional e-mail support. That is precisely what I am looking for.

Essentially, it sounds like there is a somewhat significant knowledge gap
between me and a working Access form that can upgraded online. I will
continue to plug away at it.

Thank you for your help,
ML
 
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