Forum Discussion
Sharing and updating an ACCESS database on the cloud
OneDrive is NOT an option. There are technical reasons for that, which you can learn more about here and elsewhere.
Access runs on the desktop, under Windows. The interface elements, including forms, reports and code, must, therefore, be on a Windows computer, not in the cloud.
The data, however, can be uploaded to a cloud location. You have a number of options, including SQL Azure or a hosted SQL Server database, other cloud hosted database engines, and even SharePoint lists.
To deploy your relational database application this way, you start by splitting the interface objects from the data in the tables. That allows you to connect the interface--which we typically refer to as the "Front End"-- to the tables regardless of where they are and which database you choose.
Each of your users must have their own copy of the Front End; it should be on their computers. This is critical in order to avoid, or at least minimize, corruption that can result from trying to share a Front End.
There are other approaches, such as a Remote Desktop deployment in which you place the Back End--the tables with the data--on a shared network location and allow users to remotely connect to it. This is a whole topic of discussion, so if you want to explore this option, you'll need to do your due diligence.
- Migrating Access backend data to a SharePoint List is surprisingly easy (lots of resources available on how to achieve). This includes attachments if you utilise the functionality in Access.
All good if you use SharePoint as a business of course! Dear George
Thank you for your reply.
I found a solution where I can store my database on Windows Server located on cloud.
This service company assured me that things should work fine; however, they told me that I have to have a license subscription for Office 365 for each user.
I am not sure why I have to have this when I have Office installed on each user computer.
I guess I have to discuss this with Office 365 technical team.
That is another one of the options, but not the one I'd necessarily select as the first choice.
It's not clear which service you've contacted, but one thing you'll need to be sure of is what they actually offer. Some services actually move the data from the Access accdb into their own proprietary database and replicate the Access interface as web pages. So although it's similar to your current accdb, it's not really Access any longer.
Other services may have other approaches.
Do your due diligence before committing. I'm not suggesting there's anything wrong with any of the options. Just that you need to be sure the solution works for your organization in an appropriate, cost-effective way.
Thank you for your useful reply
I will test the offered solution and see what I get.
Best Wishes
