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 ...
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.
