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Database project Front-End/Back-End question...

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SnayJ

SnayJ

Programmer
Feb 27, 2008
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Ok, so I'm working in an office with about 60 people. There is a need for a spreadsheet to be used by everyone. Main users will input information. Office admin will verify info and add some info. Then users will use the spreadsheet to fill out a form and print it off.

Background on me: I am not an Excel guy, I use it for basic spreadsheet stuff (formula bar equations... but have never done forms or VBA in Excel) I started in Access and it's really my preferred program. I can do basic stuff in Excel, but relearning VBA for Excel (syntax) is not something I really want to do. I tried to get them to let me do a program in Access, but they said the company doesn't provide Office for everyone and they aren't going to require everyone to purchase Access, and 99.9% of them have Excel. So I started making the program in Excel, found out that forms are quite simple and I've successfully copy/pasted some code from the internet and converted it to my needs rather successfully so far.

The program is going on an office server... and I was thinking I'd just make 1 Workbook and share it out.

But then I started wondering if I would have conflict issues with multiple users? It wouldn't have more than a couple users at a time, and they would only be in for 5-10 mins tops and very infrequently. Average user may touch it 10 times a month. High end users maybe 20-30 times a month and Admin couple times a day.... for an hour or so at a time. I was wondering what my options would be to split out a front end and back end? Did some light reading and saw the most common approach is to make the front-end in Excel and an Access back-end. But I was wondering are there any other options and what the pros/cons would be to the different options.

Appreciate your in-sights... thanks in advance,

SnayJ
 
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You could do it in Access - just put access on the server and they modify it using web pages. You will need to install IIS on the server. This will take care of multiuser problems. If it gets too big for access to handle, change to sql server. The user interface won't change: just the back end.

Have a look at the Split Database or Database Server options in
There are lots of tutorials on how to do this.
 
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xwb,
"modify it using web pages" requires either hosting in SharePoint or creating .net or classic ASP or other environment application. If SharePoint exists then I would consider uploading the Excel file to SharePoint for editing.

SnayJ may be able to use the Access Runtime which can be freely distributed.

Duane
Vevey, Switzerland
Hook'D on Access
MS Access MVP 2001-2016
 
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xwb - So you are saying make it completely in Access then split it and export my data entry forms into webpages thru Access? I've never done that, but imagine it's easy. But I don't program in xml, asp, or any other web technologies (I'm capable of making webpages, just not data-driven), hopefully that won't matter. I'll look into it, thanks for the suggestion.

dhookom - They do have a webserver, but it's not for Sharepoint, and their webpages are not currently data-driven (just static pages)... so I'm unsure if .asp will work on them. Would the suggestion work if the data entry forms are exported HTML files on a file server in the same folder as an Access backend, having the backend paths hard coded. I've hard coded table paths into an Access program before. (never worked with HTML in Access, not sure if it's the same). If that kind of thing isn't possible... (or you're not clear on what I'm talking about)... are there any other suggestions you would have? (Remember, no Sharepoint).

Appreciate the assistance guys.

SnayJ


Clarifications on what I mean by hard-coding the table paths. I made a Front End/Back End database before and had a problem with the IT managers constantly changing folder names and reorganizing folders... so paths would change. So I programmed the database on opening to check the paths and if the paths were not valid, then to ask the user for the proper paths to the backend and relinked the back-end thru code. Don't ask how I did it... I found code online for it and don't have the program anymore.
 
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You are going to either invest in SharePoint, find a third party to host an Access Web App, or use Access runtime. You could also look at hiring a consultant if you want a web application.

Duane
Vevey, Switzerland
Hook'D on Access
MS Access MVP 2001-2016
 
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Probably not going to pay for any of that. Looks like it's either a shared workbook and I'll have to circumvent any foreseeable conflicts or just a non-shared file for Admin use and they'll have to do the Agents inputs as well. Thanks for the thoughts.

SnayJ
 
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