Updating Access Database from multiple sites

Question

Is it possible to have 2 or more people working with the same Access database at the same time, priding updates, etc?  We are not on the same internal network but are both on the same Office 365 account.

Answer 1

Thank you for the quick reply!  I initially wanted to use my database the way you described in the second part of your reply.  That is, I have my Access application installed on individual computers all running on the same Office 365 account.  The tables that are linked to these applications reside in a separate Access file on a shared SkyDrive.  However with two computers each accessing the same Access tables file on the SkyDrive, the data file keeps getting locked and renamed with the name of the computer appended to the end.  So, for example, a datafile called "Accessdata" gets copied and renamed "Accessdata-owner-Mycomputer".  The computer named Mycomputer is then updating this new file while the other computer is updating the original datafile called "Accessdata".  So these two computers are no longer updating the same file.

As for installing the database on a web application, that would be a good option too.  Do you have a tutorial or can you point me to where I can learn how to install the application on a remote website?  Would I still run into the same problem of having two or more users trying to update the same tables file?

Answer 2

If two people are on the same network (local computers in your office) and you have a shared folder and place the access application into that share folder then both users can navigate to that folder and launch the application. At that point both users are updating the same data and Access by "default" is multi-user. This setup of course has nothing to do with office 365 and office 365 does not help nor is required.

The above is the "basic" approach. There are other steps that you should take to run such a setup reliable but the MAIN concept is both users have to be able to open the database from a standard windows folder.

> both on the same Office 365 account.  

Ok, then that is MAJOR difference here. Just placing an Access database on a shared office 365 web site will NOT work since you now using a web interface to use the file.

You have however several options when using office 365.

Build a web database.

This would require you to re-build your existing application as an Access 2010 (or 2013) web application. If you do this, then of course any user with a logon + web browser could use the application at the same time.

This video shows a access application written as web:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU4mH0jPntI

Another option would be to install Access on each computer, and THEN install your Access application on each computer. You then used LINKED tables to a database that you up-sized to office 365. So only the DATA is placed on 365, and your application is placed on each computer.

So you don't get multi-user if you just place the application in a documents folder on 365. What you get is just like word or Excel – the WHOLE document can be edited local, but when you save it back up to office 365 it will over write the whole document. So it not mutli-user anymore since the last user would over write everthing.

However if you send your tables up to 365 and THEN link your front end tables that reside on 365 then yes you can then place the application part on EACH computer and as long as they have an internet connection. This means they are all editing the same data even if in different locations and in fact can be anywhere in the world.

I explain how to send data up to office 365 in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL27E956A1537FE1C5&feature=plcp

(migrating data to office 365)

Best regards,

Albert D. Kallal (Access MVP)

Edmonton, Alberta Canada