Help - Multi User Database

[Sandi]

HELP - I am not an avid Access user and I am in need to taking an Access
database and allowing other people to use it the same time I am. Is this a
possibility? I tried to go in and create workgroups, but ended up not being
able to get back into my database. Can someone tell me how I can make my
database available to other user at the same time.

 

[Joan Wild]

You don't need to do anything with regards to the workgroup.

Access is multiuser right out of the box.

Just put your mdb file in a folder on the network that all the users have
access to. They'll need create,delete,write, read permissions on the
folder.

It is highly recommended that you split the database. There's a database
splitter wizard in the Tools menu. You'd put the 'backend' mdb on the
server, and give each user a copy of the frontend on their local PC.

 

[Sandi]

The database is on our public drive - I'm not sure if I understand putting
the backend on the server and the frontend on the users pc?

 

[Joan Wild]

Technically speaking you don't have to split, but it is adviseable.

If the mdb is on the public drive, are multiple users able to get in?

If not, verify the permissions are correct for the folder. Just because IT
set up a 'public' folder doesn't mean the permissions are set correctly.
The mdb needs to be in a folder that users have full permissions on. This
is so the associated ldb file can be created/deleted. If users don't have
permissions to create/delete, then the first person in will open the
database exclusively (because they can't create the ldb file) and others
won't be able to get in.

Once you have that verified, you should split the mdb. Splitting means you
create two mdb files from your current one mdb.

The backend mdb contains just the tables and relationships. It is put in
the public folder. The frontend contains all the other objects, and the
tables tab will have 'links' to the tables in the backend. This frontend
mdb is put, not in the public folder, but on the hard drive of each person's
computer. The links in the frontend ensure that they are all using the same
data in the backend.
More reading at http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/splitapp/index.htm

 

[Ian Spagnuolo]

rah