I am able to link to our Salesforce Accounts table from MSAccess (via my Admin User login). This provides me the welcome benefit not needing to manually "Export" using SFDC Data Loader functionality to perform data maintenance and synchronization tasks w/3rd party data.
This approach gives me strong reservations as this link is Read/Write to live data. I am currently the only user to see this AccessDB/table and perform these maintenance tasks, but still does not preclude me from inadvertently doing something really STUPID.
Here's my current thought (short of a formal ReadOnly method):
Retain the LINKED SFDC table in my local AccessDB, but HIDE in MSAccess' Navigator
OnOpen (or some other event) - COPY the full contents of the linked table into a LOCAL Table
Perform necessary queries & maintenance tasks referencing the LOCAL table only
Is there a better way to accomplish this task? Maybe Link>Copy>Unlink>Maintain afresh for each new session?
Related
After creating some collection entries in Squarespace (like Blogs, Events, Products and so on..), is it possible to access the single databases with a MySql management application?
Or is it possible to create a private MySql database and force Squarespace to use it for the collection?
I would be easier to add/edit large data..
Squarespace is very much a "design-first" platform, and the data structure (or at least, the data structure as we can access it) is heavily abstracted away in the name of a simple design process. Getting data in can indeed be difficult, and getting it out even more so. It's just not a platform friendly to data management or portability.
Furthermore, you cannot run server-side code. So unless you fetch, parse and display your date entirely client-side using JavaScript (bypassing Squrespace's collections/layout entirely), the only way to serve the data to users is to first enter it via Squarespace's back-end editing UI. Custom tools have been created that, for example, add a button in the backend editing UI that allows you to manually sync collection items/data with an external source. It basically reads your source, maps the data to the collection item creation API that the backend UI itself uses, then executes until all collection items have been added in the back-end. However, this process must be manually trigered, and continually done as needed by logging into the backend, running the syncing function, then waiting for it to finish.
Intent: I would like to distribute forms to User X, User Y and User Z. These forms would be pre-populated with existing data on their ongoing projects. Meaning for User X, he will only be able to see his own details etc. They are to validate the information, and make changes to the data if necessary.
I tried finding the best way to go about executing this and landed on MS Access (if there's something else, please do share).
So I have a database, created my forms but how do I go about sharing only the forms to my users and updating my database. Resources I have include:
SharePoint Online (may or may not have access to it...)
Outlook
Desktop Access
I am open to various scenarios involving direct updating through SharePoint, or even manually updating the forms received through them via email if it is possible.
My most important consideration is data security. User X should not be able to see the details of other users. User-level security from older versions of Access could probably do that but its no longer in the newer version and a check online suggests it isn't the most secure option.
Any help would be much appreciated.
You do not include any information on what kind of data your "forms" includes why you collect the data and what do you want to do with it. At the very least if data from multiple users needs to be combined for any sort of overall reporting.
If the most important consideration is limiting each user to a sub-set of the data then I don't see how you decided MS Access is your best option. Any security on an Access file is easily bypassed. On top of that unless each of your users has their own set of tables you cannot set up any kind of security that isolates their individual information.
To completely isolate user information you have three options:
Use a separate database for each. Then, if you need to, link them all
into a master database in the back end.
Use an isolated front end. You cannot use an Access front end as that
will have to link to the tables; you have to use a separate
interface, either a web type interface or a Windows application that
the user has to log on and has no access to any data other than what
the software is displaying.
Use import/export files. Have access export each user's info to an
Excel sheet or other convenient data file. Let them make their
changes and return the files to you, then import them back into your
database.
I've just been assigned the task to create another Access DB whose data is a subset of the master DB. I didn't build the original DB and I'm just stuck in trying to create this functionality.
Depending on a Boolean value (which I will have to integrate into the DB) each entry will dictate if all the entries data will be shared or if only a portion of the data will be shared. By sharing I mean transferring the entries into a mirror DB that is located in a folder that a wider group of people has access to.
I don't know how to even start but I'm guessing that the relations structure that the person who built the DB will be helpful for when I erased an entire entry in the DB it erased all data in other tables related to my entry as well.
For added "fun" I'm suppose to manage a C.R.U.D. system for this subset in case either a person accidentally clicks on the share button (Create) and wants to unshared the data (Delete) or when part of the original gets updated and the mirror then needs to get updated as well (Updated).
I'm hoping to get a few good ideas as to how to proceed.
Limitations and Info that I see might be relevant.
-The original DB is located in a folder whose permissions are restricted to people entering data.
-Can't use third party applications that require an install.
-The mirror DB does not have to updated automatically when the master DB updates. It can be restricted to when a user clicks a button called "Updated Mirror DB". (Only if this would provide a simpler solution)
-The process can be as slow as molasses in winter as long as it is robust.
-I have decent VBA skills when it comes to working in Excel but it lacks when related to Access.
-Users who create and manage the data have read and write access to both the folder that the master DB is in and as well the mirror DB.
-Using Access 2007 - 2010
Thanks everyone for take a look at this. If you would require more info to provide assistance please just ask and I'll do my best to acquire it.
Seeing as you have decent vba, and you're limited to apps which don't require an install, I suggest you do it as an excel vba app. VBA has all the functionality you'll need to copy databases from one spot to another on the file system, compact and repair (adox), drop tables you don't need, insert/update/delete etc.
Depending on which info you need to persist to the mirror db, it may be easier to simply make a copy of the master db and delete irrelevant tables (if it's only certain tables you need to mirror). If it's a subset of data in each table, you may find the best way would be to make a template db, which is a copy of the master db but with no data, then create a vba process to copy the template db, create linked tables in this one back to the master, then run sql to insert into the local tables select (whatever data you need to mirror) from the master tables.
All of this can be done in vba, and your users end up with an excel interface which will be very familiar. Good luck.
I'm new in this forum and this is my first question.
I've made a database in access for process control and I want to have the this database separated in local applications, linked with the tables, on the server.
Once this database is a process controller, it has a control pannel, designed in a form, with buttons that indicate different states during the process. This control pannel is opened in several computers and must be updated every time the tables are updated. How do I spread the trigger for all the database users? I've tried already, but only the active app, this means, the app who changed the table, is modified.
Pleasem, help! I don't know whatelse to do.
The backend database (access) you use is simply a data storage. It cannot run VBA itself or raise events. So you have to rely on your frontends to detect data-changes. And strangely access detecs no datachanges in open forms that do not originate from the respective client.
So you will have to check for changes yourself. The best bet would probably be with a timer and a routine that checks either for datachanges in a remote table or for some other trigger (like file change time etc..)
If you have any kind of server you could also create a small service where each of your access-instances can register. Then you could create triggers (afterChange or whatever you need) in your frontends that call that service, which then calls teh respective routines in each of the registered instances. This would be preferable, if you have many frontend running or if network load is of concern.
i have 2 questions when i use access:
i create a form with comboBox and calenders, i want to choose an employee
from combobox and from date and to date and when i click ok i will send these
parameters to a query to return the result in a query (result is the calculation
of it's salary).
i know how to release an access project to be useful to user that can't
access tables and queries only forms.
is there any way to change the access project from release mode to development
one, because supposed that an error occurred, how to solve it without loosing
my data.
Note: i don't have client/server i develop a program and i release it and
give this release to the user, after a specific time this user tell me that
an error occurred, and he need data inserted from this program to database.
i can solve this problems and release another version of program, but the
main problem is how to take all data from the old program to the new one.
-- You can reference form control in a query:
SELECT FROM MyTable
WHERE EmployeeID = Forms!MyForm!cboEmployee
AND SomeDate BETWEEN Forms!MyForm!txtDateStart And Forms!MyForm!txtDateEnd
You could also build an SQL string and use it as the record source for a form or in VBA.
-- Access should be split into front-end (forms, reports, etc) and back-end (data). When you make changes to the front-end, you create a new mde or accde and send that to the users. The data stays on a server in the back-end.
See: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa167840(v=office.11).aspx
EDIT
From your comments, it seems that each application has a single user, if this is the case, splitting is not essential, but it can still be a good idea. The user will get two databases, one for data and one for forms etc and only the one for forms gets replaced. You will need to include a routine to locate and link the back-end tables.
However, if this is not possible, an mde or accde does not hide the data, you can send your revised copy and include a routine to import from the previous mde/accde.
EDIT 2
There are wizards that will split your database for you and link the tables. Where you find them varies slightly from version to version, but they are under the menu item Database Tools. The only problem with this is that the linked table holds the location for the back-end, which is on your computer, not on your users computer. Linked tables are how you access data in the second database. These act as if there are tables in the first database, except you cannot change them. Unfortunately, linked tables hold the location of the back-end, so this will have to be changed if you are sending it to a users. You can either write code, or show your user how to use the linked table manager. This may lead to confusion and may not be worth the effort for one PC. (See also http://www.alvechurchdata.co.uk/accsplit.htm)
Alternatively, you can split the database on your PC and make all the changes to forms etc that you want, then add some code that will import the tables and other data for the user into your new copy. The user will follow the instructions in your code to import the tables. As an aside, you will find that development is a lot safer on a split database. You should also decompile from time to time, which you can find at http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/decompile.htm.
If you want to protect your code, you can create a compiled version of this new copy, the extension for a compiled Access database is *.accde, for 2007 onward and *.mde for prior versions. This is what I thought you meant by 'i know how to release an access project'.