Creating Shared Folder at Work for Back End Access Database

Question

Hello, I am taking tutorials on how to set up a Shared Folder to house the back end tables of an Access database so multiple users can access the tables. The tutorial says to create the folder and go to the Sharing Properties of that folder and select the check box to Share this folder, set permissions (i.e., delete Everyone in the permissions box and add selected users). 

1. I'm at work and we have a network drive where we have many shared folders. Can't I just create another folder there and I'm done? As long as I put it in a place that only the users and I will go to, maybe making it hidden, or with a note in the folder to not access the backend unless an administrator? I say that b/c...
2. The shared folder I did create on the network does not have a Sharing Properties tab when I right click it--see below--so I can't set permissions. So, could the Sharing Properties tab be disabled and I need to ask the IT Dept. how to set permissions, if I'm even able to? (I can access the Sharing tab with folders on my Desktop but a message says System Administrator Has Blocked You, etc.) 

Thank you.

Answer 1

You should be talking with your IT department about this first. There may be policies and procedures for setting up folders. users should not just take it on themselves to do it.

It sounds like your IT dept has set group policies that prevent users from setting permissions. This is not uncommon. it also matters where you create the folder. You may need to create it under a specific network share or as a subfolder, that you may have rights for setting permissions.

Another point is you generally do NOT want to grant rights to individual users. Instead you want IT to create a Group and grant rights to the group, then control access by adding or removing people from the group.

Answer 2

You should be talking with your IT department about this first. There may be policies and procedures for setting up folders. users should not just take it on themselves to do it.

It sounds like your IT dept has set group policies that prevent users from setting permissions. This is not uncommon. it also matters where you create the folder. You may need to create it under a specific network share or as a subfolder, that you may have rights for setting permissions.

Another point is you generally do NOT want to grant rights to individual users. Instead you want IT to create a Group and grant rights to the group, then control access by adding or removing people from the group. 

Thank you very much, Scottgem. I will speak to the IT Dept. about this. And I did not realize this about IT creating a Group. Thank you.