In a follow up to our previous article about the Top 10 Reason to Split an Access Database, this post will give you the quick and easy way to get started with the process.
Splitting an Access database is essential when sharing a database via internal network our cloud hosting. If you have ever received errors when multiple users are editing your Access database, it is likely that you are not operating with what is called a split-database.
When splitting a database, you reorganize it into two separate files. The front-end database contains all the objects such as queries, forms, and reports while the back-end database contains all of the data tables.
Here are the direct instructions from Microsoft for how to split your database:
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On your computer, make a copy of the database that you want to split. Start with the database file on your local hard drive, not on the network share. If the database file is currently shared from your local hard disk drive, you can leave it where it is.
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Open the copy of the database that is on your local hard disk drive.
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On the Database Tools tab, in the Move Data group, click Access Database. The Database Splitter Wizard starts.
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Click Split Database.
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In the Create Back-end Database dialog box, specify a name, a file type, and a location for the back-end database file.
NOTES
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Consider using the name that Access suggests. It preserves the original file name, and indicates that the database is a back-end database by inserting _be into the name, just before the file name extension.
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Do not change the file type unless some users will use an earlier version of Access to access the data.
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You can enter the path to the local or network location in the File Name box, in front of the file name. For example, if the network location for the back-end database is \\server1\share1\ and the file name for the back-end database is MyDB_be.accdb, you can enter \\server1\share1\MyDB_be.accdb in the File Name box.
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The location that you choose must be available to everyone who will use the database. Because drive mappings can vary, you should specify the UNC path of the location instead of using a mapped drive letter.
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When the wizard finishes, it displays a confirmation message.
Once you finish with the process, your database will be far more efficient and reliable while also ready for shared usage. You’ll be able to distribute the front-end and back-end files to either your local network storage or a cloud solution such as Access Hosting’s Access RDP Pro plan to start sharing the database with multiple users.
To get started with a 30-day free trial of Access Hosting’s MS Access RDP Pro plan, click here.
