Microsoft Access

Questions and Answers

Here at Winning Solutions, Inc. we answer many questions each day for our clients about how to make Microsoft Access work for them. On this page, we are providing a free resource consisting of answers to some common questions people ask us about Microsoft Access. If you have a question that needs to be answered and if you do not see the answer listed here, you may contact us. WSI does charge a fee to answer some questions. If you do not have time to implement the answer we provide, WSI will gladly implement it for you, but we also charge for this service.

Can I create a Microsoft Access Database that contains information about a person or an item that is linked to another record, such as a record containing information about the person's child or a related item?

Yes, you can create a Microsoft Access database record for a person or item with a related person, such as a child or a related item's record, linked to a parent's record using Microsoft Access.

How do you keep information private in Microsoft Access?

Maintaining the privacy of information stored in a Microsoft Access database is a challenge. One technique you may employ would be encryption of the data along with a user permissions system that would only decrypt records for authorized users. When handling confidential data in Microsoft Access, it is best to deploy a run-time version of the database to users. Since Microsoft Access itself is a powerful data management and reporting environment, a sophisticated Access user may be able to circumvent data security procedures when working with the data using the full version of Microsoft Access. (Note: WSI provides Microsoft Access support services for a fee that will set this up for you, if you do not have time to do it yourself.)

I would like to have multiple users on different computers work with the same Microsoft Access database at the same time; do they have to be on the same computer network?

Yes, the users will need to be on the same computer network. If the users are not on the same computer network, they can use software such as Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol, which requires Pro versions of Windows XP or higher, to log into an in-network computer from a non-network computer via the Internet. Another option is to use remote access software such as VNC, GoToMyPC, Team Viewer, or LogMeIn to get connected to an in-network computer with the Access Database from a non-network computer, via the Internet. A more advanced option is to split your Access Database into a separate front end (forms, queries, reports) and a back end (tables that store data). Next, the Access back end needs to be converted to Microsoft SQL server. You may already have a license for Microsoft SQL server, but if you do not, Microsoft offers a free edition of Microsoft SQL server called Microsoft SQL Server Express, which can be used commercially. This version does have some limitations, but it is far more powerful than the Microsoft Access back end, so people moving from Access to a Microsoft SQL Express back end typically never notice the limitations. Then, place the back end on a server that is accessible from the Internet. Next, you will need to configure the front end of your database to connect via the Internet with back end hosted on the Internet accessible server. (Note: WSI provides server hosting and Microsoft Access support services for a fee that will set this up if you do not have time to do it yourself.)

Is it possible for my users to work disconnected and sync there data at a later time?

If your sales persons, technicians or other personnel working in areas where they have no network or Internet connection but still need to interact with your organization’s Microsoft database we can make that work.

Access can be very powerful in this situation. Many web applications are unusable when there is no network or Internet connection. Access databases can keep right on working using the latest data from the last time the user’s mobile Windows device was synchronized with an Azure SQL database. Then when that user gets back into an area where they have cellular data or network connectivity the information they updated in the copy of your organization’s database running on their mobile Windows device is synchronized with the organization’s database.

For users in the organization’s office they may get better performance interacting with an on-premise Microsoft SQL Server database versus the cloud hosted SQL Azure. In this event we can sync the data between the SQL Azure database and the on-premise database giving maximum mobility and great in office performance going from screen to screen, running reports etc.

To get help implementing this solution in your organization today, click on the Contact Us button at the top of this web page to reach out to us.