Backward compatibility between Access 2010 and Access 2007
Applies to: Access 2007 | Access 2010 | Office 2007 | Office 2010
In this article
Features that are not available in Access 2007
How to use your application in Access 2007
Save as MDB
Features that are not available in Access 2007
Microsoft Access 2010 introduces features that are not supported in Microsoft Office Access 2007. Access 2007 Service Pack 1 (SP1) cannot open a database that contains these features. Access 2007 Service Pack 2 (SP2) can, in some cases, offer limited viewing and design capabilities. Therefore, installing SP2 can help you work with more applications that were created in Access 2010.
Table 1 lists the new Access 2010 features that cannot load in Access 2007 SP2, or can load, but with limited capabilities.
Table 1. Behavior of Access 2010 features in Access 2007 SP2
Feature |
Behavior of the database if opened in Access 2007 SP2 |
---|---|
New and updated database sort orders:
|
The database cannot open in Access 2007 SP2. |
Access 2010 Encryption Compliance |
The database cannot open in Access 2007 SP2. |
Database with Web objects |
If your database contains Web objects, but has not been published or gone through the ‘Prepare Database for Web’ process, the database opens in Access 2007 SP2. However, you cannot modify Web objects in Access 2007 SP2. |
Application published to Access Services |
When you create a Web database application by using Access 2010 and publish it to a Web site, you cannot open the database in Access 2007 SP2. During publishing, Access 2010 creates a backup database for you, which is a copy of the database (with Web objects) that is not yet published. You can open the backup database in Access 2007 SP2, but you cannot modify Web objects in Access 2007 SP2. |
Data Macro |
The database opens, but tables that contain Data Macros are read-only. The user cannot enter data or modify the table by using Access 2007 SP2. Forms or reports that reference a table that contains Data Macros can be opened and modified in layout or design view; however, data drawn from the table cannot be modified. |
Calculated Column |
The database opens, but tables that contain Calculated Columns cannot open in Access 2007 SP2. Forms or reports that reference a table that contain Calculated Columns can be opened and modified in design view. |
Linked Tables with Connection strings that are longer than 512 characters |
The database opens, but the linked tables with the long connection string cannot be opened in Access 2007 SP2. |
Application Navigation Control |
The database opens, but forms that contain the Application Navigation control cannot be modified in Access 2007 SP2. |
Web Browser Control |
The database opens, but the forms that contain Web browser controls do not open in Access 2007 SP2. |
Empty Cell Control |
The database cannot open in Access 2007 SP2 if the form or report that contains the empty cell control contains VBA code. |
How to use your application in Access 2007
To use your application in Access 2007 without any restrictions, use the following steps to remove one or more of the features mentioned in Table 1.
If tables, forms or reports have any of the features listed in Table 1, delete those features from the tables, forms or reports by using Access 2010. For detailed information about this step, refer to Table 2.
Create a new database by using Access 2010. Make sure to select Blank Database. Do not select Blank Web Database.
Click the External Data tab, and then click Access on the ribbon. Import all the objects from the previous database to the new one.
Save the new database. It can be used in Access 2007 without restriction.
Table 2 contains detailed information about how to make your Access 2010 database compatible with Access 2007.
Table 2. How to remove features that are incompatible with Access 2007
Feature |
How to make it usable in Access 2007 |
---|---|
New and updated database sort orders:
|
If you are using any of the new and updated sort orders listed on the left, use a sort order that is compatible with Access 2007:
|
Access 2010 Encryption |
Import the objects in the database into a new database:
|
Database with Web objects |
Import the objects in the database into a new database:
|
Application published to Access Services |
Import the objects in the database into a new database:
|
Data Macro |
Delete the data macros, and then import the objects in the database into a new database:
|
Calculated Column |
Delete the calculated columns, and then import the objects in the database into a new database:
|
Linked Tables with Connection strings that are longer than 512 characters |
Delete the linked tables and then import the objects in the database into a new database:
|
Application Navigation Control |
Delete the Navigation control and then import the objects in the database into a new database:
|
Web Browser Control |
Delete the Web Browser control and then import the objects in the database into a new database:
|
Empty Cell Control |
Delete the Empty Cell controls from the forms and reports, and then import the objects in the database into a new database:
|
Save as MDB
New features added in Access 2010 prevent the database from being saved in the mdb file format. Access displays an error message when it saves an mdb file if your database has features that were introduced in Access 2007 or Access 2010. To make your database usable in Access 2003 or earlier versions, delete features that are not available in the mdb file format and then follow the import steps that are described in Table 2.