Security In Access 1

[tansands]

Hello all, I'm new to this site but have a question. We are having some problems with an Access database. We have data that I enter into a table on a daily basis. People are going in and editing this data and shouldn't be. Besides this being a security issue, does anyone know how to password protect the table so that no one can edit it but still allow people to run queries based off this data? Any help or direction would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[lupins46]

There is no simple answer to this.
The not-simple answer is to implement Access workgroup security. This allows you insist that each user logs in to the application and lets you control what each user can do.
However it is not a trivial step and it could take you a few days of practising to get the hang of it.

If you are using A2003 then there is a very good wizard to guide you through the process. If you use any other version there is just a wizard!
You should read all youcan about workgroup security before tryiing it out and under NO circumstances practice on anything that matters.
There is a good step by step guide to implementing security here:

http://www.geocities.com/jacksonmacd/AJMAccessSecurity.pdf

This is much more readable than the official guide which is at:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=207793

Do not practice on anything that matters.

 

[psemianonymous]

The other solution is to threaten to fire/otherwise punish anyone who messes with the database. If the data is valuable to the clerks, you may have to move the data out of Access into a server-based db (Oracle/SQL server/other) and enforce logons through the server-based db.

I recommend this because Access security is 100% crackable.

 

[lameid]

To expand on the access workgroup idea, I personally like to secure the workgroup on the network and use it from there so I don't have to worry about losing it.

In that scenario, I typically let the Users group have the permission that I want everyone to have and then only give permission to the workgroup file to people that need to do everything else (you). Then you can set permissions to a group that you create OR to a User. If you use the group method, you can assign the admin user to the group. Then assign the group the special permissions. This prevents people from having to enter a password for Access.

 

[fneily]

Why do they have access to the tables directly? In the Start up dialog box (Tools - Startup), you can hide the access objects. Then all work is done through a switchboard and forms. Forms can then deny editing and/or adding. You can also create a simple access logon screen to test for an ID and password and level of permission. Then based on the entries, send the person down different permission paths. You can also hide the password table using the prefix Usys. I've found this to be, obviously, easier the the Access Security and secured enought to keep out Access neonates.

 

[psemianonymous]

fneily, you can accomplish 100% of what you were talking with, but instead of making them enter a 'password', instead just use their Windows username to 'log them in'.

I swear, no one should store any passwords in Access tables, unless you have a web frontend. There's no excuse.