Forum Discussion
Access - Template Contacts - "Search Not Picking Up words"
Hello, first time using Access. I was looking online for what is a good(free) program for our office contacts. We have clients, trades, supplies, designer, contractors, etc. so I came across Access! ...
cf24_ You realize, I hope, that a template is not intended to be a final, working, application suitable for all situations. To state the obvious, that is why it's called "a template" and why it is offered for free as an example of the kind of application you can adapt and modify to suit your particular needs.
As Tieme explains, you need to make appropriate changes to that template in order to make it more useful to your organization. Before you do that, of course, you need to take some additional steps to ensure the integrity of your work.
Make a backup copy of the current relational database application (that is the accdb file). Put it in a safe place. You may need it again sooner than you'd think.
Follow best practices guidelines for implementing and deploying Access-based relational database applications. The first step in that process is to split the application into two files.
All of the tables belong in one accdb. Nothing else belongs in that accdb file. This is usually referred to as the "Back End" because it contains only the tables and your users will never need to directly use them.
All of the other objects belong in another accdb. This is the forms, queries, reports and code--both macros and VBA--which make up the user interface. The user interface--in Access, this is referred to as the "Front End".
The Front End is linked to the tables in the Back End. This allows you to make multiple copies of the Front End (FE) so you can give one copy to each user. They share the Back End (BE) because there is only one shared set of tables with the data you use jointly.
The BE is deployed in a shared folder on your network. Never on OneDrive or other such file service. ONLY on a network share.
This allows you to continue to modify the FE as needed without having to interfere with ongoing work and without having to change the BE. Once you've made whatever changes are needed in your master copy of the FE, then you can give a fresh copy of it to all users.
There is a great deal more to learn about managing and developing a useful relational database application, but over time, Access will prove to be a reliable partner for your organization's needs. Just be sure to use it appropriately.