Forum Discussion
How to create Microsoft Access web app?
I am using Microsoft 365, I have MS Access but I can't find the "globe" on the templates to create a web app. Do I need SharePoint? Would greatly appreciate your support.
This is what I am trying to do.
Web App are dead. Microsoft has killed off every web component of Access.
Depending on what exactly you are trying to achieve, there are a variety of options available to you
RDP
CITRIX
Terminal Services
SharePoint Backend (but this has major limits)
Use Azure as your backend
If your needs are simple enough PowerApps could be another option.
but truthfully, if the web is your goal, Access is simply the wrong tool for the job! You should use proper web technologies, such as PHP, .Net, MySQL, Azure, ...
Thank you so much for your reply. I appreciate your support. I am not a computer specialist but a school leader. I run my independent school and would like to add some IT systems to it.
Basically, what I want to do is to create a database that would have all data (Student Information/Management System), (Staff Management System), Client Information, etc...) All on the same database so that we can work with all data from one place. Also to be able to assign roles and permissions to who can access/change what.
If changes/access can be made online then my team from their remote locations can work on the systems. Also, if those systems can be put on a website, then even clients can add their information, requests etc..
I apologize for the long message. I hope you understand my situation and guide me on how I can do this.
Thanks.
- IMHO, Access simply will not fill this need and believe you will need to turn towards proper web technologies. That said such development has an extremely steep learning curve (html, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, PHP, MySQL, ...) And typically not for the faint of heart. If this was a personal project, is say dig in, but for something for public use I think you should turn towards a professional developers.
Microsoft deprecated Access Web Apps some years back. Unfortunately, traces of them linger on here and there, potentially misleading people into thinking they might fill a niche.
You can, as Daniel suggests, abandon Access in favor of some variety of browser-based web apps, if that meets your organization's needs and you if you have the time and resources to invest in attaining sufficient proficiency with the relevant development tools.
However, depending on your needs, Power Apps might be a viable complement to your existing MS Access relational database application.
In that scenario, you would have to move your data from an accdb into a data storage type that Power Apps can also work with. For example, if you migrate your data from the accdb into SQL Azure and link the Access FE to that Azure database, you can ALSO link the Power App to that same database and have both options available: a desktop experience for in-house users and a mobile device experience for off-premises users.
So, depending on your specific requirements, this might be a viable option.If you have remote DESKTOP users, the options are those listed before, but also using SQL Azure as the common database for accdb FEs for users at those locations.
George_Hepworth @Daniel_Pineault
Thank you so much for your reply. I appreciate your support. I am not a computer specialist but a school leader. I run my independent school and would like to add some IT systems to it.
Basically, what I want to do is to create a database that would have all data (Student Information/Management System), (Staff Management System), Client Information, etc...) All on the same database so that we can work with all data from one place. Also to be able to assign roles and permissions to who can access/change what.
If changes/access can be made online then my team from their remote locations can work on the systems. Also, if those systems can be put on a website, then even clients can add their information, requests etc..
I apologize for the long message. I hope you understand my situation and guide me on how I can do this.
Thanks.
There are templates in MS Access that can help you get started with Student oriented relational database applications, although none of them that I am aware of would fill all of the requirements you mention.
As noted, your choices include a hybrid, with an Access interface to a remote database containing the data, and a full-blown web-browser based application in which the interface is created as web pages and a remote database containing the data.
Neither option is simple, unfortunately. Both require a properly normalized database as their foundation.
Not to discourage you from tackling this yourself, but if you intend to include clients of your school and remote staff as users of the relational database application, I think the wise choice is to either purchase an off-the-shelf system or hire a competent developer to create a custom application for you.
I speak from experience here. I tried to create such a relational database application for my daughter's school nearly 20 years ago. It was a mess. The school was disappointed and I was embarrassed.
Again, if you want to make this relational database application available to people who are paying you for your services as a school, they are not likely to be highly tolerant of a first-time attempt. It's worth the cost, in my opinion, of a professionally done job.
- I am having a reverse problem in that I downloaded a web template a few years ago and now I want o make it into a regular desktop app and I have exported the data to a new database but not all the forms are exporting. When I try and export them one my one or copy and past they say that the objects are unavailable and can not be accessed. Is there a work around. I donèt feel like having to rebuild all the forms and functionality.
MSquarek Microsoft only ever allowed the ability to download the data from Access Web Apps, and only for a period of time after they were deprecated.
"forms" in an AWA were based on html and, IIRC, JavaScript or another browser based language, and had nothing in common with forms in an accdb. They wouldn't be exportable.
Sorry.
