Keep your data in sync with Access database replication

by Mary Ann Richardson | Feb 13, 2007 8:00:00 AM

Tags: Databases, Microsoft Office, Mary Ann Richardson, replica, Microsoft Access, database, Click Yes, Microsoft Office Suite Access Tips Newsletter

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Takeaway: By keeping your Access database on a local server, you have one centralized home for all your data, while allowing your employees to upload new data at will from their own replicas. Mary Ann Richardson describes the process of database replication.

For less network congestion, you can have your employees work off of a local server, and then periodically upload any changes to keep all data throughout the organization in sync. For example, if would like your salespeople to work with a local copy of the Access database on their department server, you can use Access' replication feature to create a replica of the database for them to work with and then synchronize that with the master copy on the central file server. To create the replica, follow these steps:

Open the database that you wish to replicate.
Go to Tools | Replication.
Select Create Replica.
Click Yes.
Click Yes again.
Select a folder on the department server, and then click OK.

You can change the replica data but not the database design; also, only the design master can change. The department should periodically (e.g., once an evening) synchronize the data and design of the replica copy with that of the design master. Follow these steps:

Open the replica.
Go to Tools | Replication.
Select the Master Design DB from the Directly With Replica drop-down list.
Click OK.
Click Yes and then OK.

The data and design of both the master and replica are now up to date.

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