Forum Discussion
Access Database Deployed to Sharepoint
I just got done bidding on an Access project that requires sending email via Outlook and generating some reports in Excel format. I think to myself "no problem, I know the VBA for doing that". I win the contract and then the customer says: "When you are done, we will just put it on Sharepoint where everyone can use it."
From what I can gather from the forums - Access on Sharepoint does not support VBA. Is there some other way I can send email via Outlook and generate Excel reports when the Access file is on Sharepoint?
This client is heading down the wrong path with this plan, and it's up to you to steer them back in a safe direction and away from SharePoint at all.
First, all production Access relational database applications need to be split before deployment. I will assume that, as an Access consultant, you know the importance of splitting the application into Front End and Back End and avoid rehearsing all of that. Mentioning SharePoint this way, though, suggests you need to be sure to explain the problem to your client.
Second, each user MUST have their own personal copy of the Front End on their own computer, regardless of where the Back End is stored. A successful Access relational database application does not allow multiple users to share a single Front End accdb.
Third, I can't imagine successfully deploying a Back End accdb to a SharePoint library. I've never heard of anyone doing so. The Back End could not be shared by simultaneous users that way, which defeats the whole purpose of putting the application in SharePoint for all users.
You could use SharePoint lists for the Back End for this Access application, but that doesn't sound like the client is thinking about that.
- I just spotted the tag in this post "Access Web Database"
Access Web Databases were introduced in Access version 2013 and deprecated in Access version 2016. Whatever you have been reading about VBA in that context was true at that time, but irrelevant to the problem at hand. This client is heading down the wrong path with this plan, and it's up to you to steer them back in a safe direction and away from SharePoint at all.
First, all production Access relational database applications need to be split before deployment. I will assume that, as an Access consultant, you know the importance of splitting the application into Front End and Back End and avoid rehearsing all of that. Mentioning SharePoint this way, though, suggests you need to be sure to explain the problem to your client.
Second, each user MUST have their own personal copy of the Front End on their own computer, regardless of where the Back End is stored. A successful Access relational database application does not allow multiple users to share a single Front End accdb.
Third, I can't imagine successfully deploying a Back End accdb to a SharePoint library. I've never heard of anyone doing so. The Back End could not be shared by simultaneous users that way, which defeats the whole purpose of putting the application in SharePoint for all users.
You could use SharePoint lists for the Back End for this Access application, but that doesn't sound like the client is thinking about that.Thank you. The customer and I are now on the same page and Sharepoint will not be a part of the solution.
