Importing/linking for large numbers of users

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gordon
  • Start date Start date
G

Gordon

I'm trying to design an Access DB (User.mdb) which will be
used by about 50 users. This DB should get data from a
central DB (Main.mdb). Main.mdb is updated with new data
each month. These 50 users just need to get into the
User.mdb and view reports based on data from Main.mdb.

Each of the users need to get a different cut of the data
from Main.mdb, and the amount of data that each user gets
can be as much as several thousand records. Also, the 50
users most likely will need to view their reports at the
same time.

What would be the recommended way to do this?

Gordon
 
Hi Gordon,

If all the users are on the same network, and "view their reports at the
same time" just means 50 users running various reports during working
hours, you will probably be all right using a conventional front
end/back end setup, with all the data in a shared copy of Main.mdb on a
file server and linked tables in User.mdb. There should be a copy of
User.mdb on each workstation. It may be necessary to take special care
with designing indexes, forms, queries to make it perform well when
under heavy use.

Other possibilities are

1) given that it's read-only data updated only monthly, keep the
front-end/back end setup but keep a copy of Main.mdb on each
workstation. That way User.mdb doesn't have to drag all the data it
neeeds across the network every time. Every month, distribute the
updated Main.mdb. This setup works when users are disconnected from the
network, if that's a factor.

2) use a client-server setup (e.g. an Access front end and a SQL Server
back end). Properly set up this will support 50 users better than a Jet
(mdb) back end can.
 
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