Access Cookbook

Maintain Multiple Synchronized Copies of the Same Database

Problem

You have a database that you’d like to distribute to mobile salespeople. Multiple users update the central copy of the database on a daily basis, and the salespeople also need to make updates to their own copies of the database. Is there any way to let everyone make updates and synchronize these copies when a salesperson returns to the office and plugs into the network?

Solution

Access 95 introduced a powerful feature called replication, which allows you to keep multiple copies of the same database synchronized. Subsequent versions of Access have continued to improve on replication. In this solution, we discuss how to set up a database for replication, how to synchronize the replicas, and how to deal with synchronization conflicts.

Warning

Although it’s easy to implement, it’s difficult to undo the effects of replication. We recommend that you create a copy of your database and work with that copy while learning about replication. Do not experiment with a production database until you are ready to handle any problems that may arise.

Replicating a database

The steps for replicating a database using the Access menus are as follows:

1. Back up the database and safely store the backup.

2. Select Tools → Replication... → Create Replica. A dialog will appear informing you that the database must be closed before you can create a replica and that the database will increase in size. Choose Yes to proceed. A second dialog will ...