SOLVED

Can you export an Access Web App to SharePoint multiple times?

Iron Contributor

I have a current Access Web App that I'm working to recreate in either Access desktop (with the file saved on SharePoint) or in PowerApps. I'm still not sure what is the best solution. However, I would like test the eexport feature of AWA. My question is, if I export my data to SharePoint lists today for testing, will I be able to export them again when I am ready to do the switch, or is this a one-time operation?

4 Replies

I have the same question and am somewhat surprised to see that a presumably simple yes or no question is yet to be answered by a Microsoft rep..?

 

Despite having observed a great deal of negative feedback to Microsoft's announcement about retiring Access Web Apps, I try to keep an open mind and read up on the capabilities of PowerApps which is suggested by Microsoft as replacement for AWA.

 

However, it would be nice to know how to go at it for real, i.e. make an app with PowerApps that connects to (a copy of) our existing data.

 

So what happens if I export all my database tables to a SharePoint list?  Will the SP lists just be "dead" copies of the AWA data at the point of exporting? 

 

Can I export the data to SP lists now, build myself an App for testing and then later, when the app is ready to be rolled out to my users, export the AWA data again, i.e. either over-writing the old SP lists or simply de-connecting the app from the old data and reconnect to the new and up-to-date data? 

 

Thanks

@Paal W. Aanensen, after some conversations, what I have heard is that you can "probably not" export more than once.

 

The work around, I suppose, would be to deploy the application to another environment, export that information and then build/test around that so when you go to export your lists you at least have an idea of how it would work with the table structure.

Thank you for replying, @Peter Mcdermott.

 

Actually, while waiting for feedback, I realised I could try exporting an old example database ("Back Office Software System", or BOSS, which I had from @Jeff Conrad's very useful book "Microsoft Access 2013 Inside Out").

 

I am happy to note that multiple exports of an Access Web App to Sharepoint lists seem to work fine. My original database has the URL https://[mysite].sharepoint.com/BOSS/. The first export I did led to the new lists being saved under a new subsite https://[mysite].sharepoint.com/BOSS1/. I then made a second export which resulted in a new subsite https://[mysite].sharepoint.com/BOSS2/. (And the few simple additions I did before export no. 2 show up in the BOSS2 lists as expected.)

 

By the way, your idea to export to another environment is not a viable route for me, as I understand our O365 plan (E3) with Sharepoint Online does not allow for more than one environment.

 

As a "non-programmer" - just trying to make the most of the tools we have at hand while trying to keep IT consultancy fees at a minimum - I do think AWA and now PowerApps seem like attractive options for some of our needs. Although it is a bit frustrating having to spend hours searching my way through articles and forums attempting to sort out the various features and limitations, before actually being able to build the app... ;)

best response confirmed by Peter Mcdermott (Iron Contributor)
Solution

Hi Paal and Peter,

 

You're correct that you should be able to export your Access web app tables to SharePoint lists multiple times using the newer export option available from the web browser interface. There's no restriction as far as I'm aware that you can only export once. Think of it terms of a regular Access desktop database. You can easily export the data from an Access desktop database to a different data source multiple times so in the same fashion, you can export your Access web app tables to SharePoint lists multiple times.

 

Hope that helps,

--------------------
Jeff Conrad - Access Junkie - MVP Alumnus
Senior Content Publishing Manager

Modern Assistance and Support Experience

Microsoft Corporation

1 best response

Accepted Solutions
best response confirmed by Peter Mcdermott (Iron Contributor)
Solution

Hi Paal and Peter,

 

You're correct that you should be able to export your Access web app tables to SharePoint lists multiple times using the newer export option available from the web browser interface. There's no restriction as far as I'm aware that you can only export once. Think of it terms of a regular Access desktop database. You can easily export the data from an Access desktop database to a different data source multiple times so in the same fashion, you can export your Access web app tables to SharePoint lists multiple times.

 

Hope that helps,

--------------------
Jeff Conrad - Access Junkie - MVP Alumnus
Senior Content Publishing Manager

Modern Assistance and Support Experience

Microsoft Corporation

View solution in original post