Need Advice: Use different front ends, or user logins to set defaults?

[Sienna]

I'm running Access 2010 and Windows 7.



Right now, I have a database that is used by 4 people on a regular basis. We all just open it and use it at will. Two of us know how to create forms, queries, etc., so if we need to do something that requires exclusive access, we just ask the others to close the database for a while.

We write notes to each other in the database for particular records, and we "sign" those notes by choosing our name from a drop-down list. It would be nice if that drop-down box defaulted to our own name. It would also be nice if certain changes to records could be tracked by username--but that is a much lower-priority.

I understand that having usernames and passwords in Access 2010 is very difficult and not really secure. I don't need us to have password access, however. If users could select their name, that would be good enough. No password needed.

I downloaded a template which had the feature that I would like. It had a pop-up window where you select who you are when you first start the database. I couldn't see the design view, though, so I couldn't see how it was done. Is that something that I could do, where certain defaults could be set according to who is logged in? I have taken an Introduction to Visual Basic course, so I have some rudimentary knowledge of Visual Basic.

The other option I already know how to do is to split the database and have each person have their own front-end. I am not very fond of this idea, because I like to be able to update the design of the forms everyone uses, and it would be a pain to have them all download a new version every time I make a change.

So what would you all recommend?

Thanks!

[Sienna]

Just trying to think this through on my own.

I create a Users table with 2 fields--an autonumber for ID, and text field for their names. I input the four user names.

I create a form where they select their username and click OK. On the click event for the OK button, it sets a property--somewhere. My first thought was that it should change the value of a cell on a "Current User" table, but if more than one person was logged in at the same time that wouldn't work.

Maybe there's a property that could be set according to individual computer.

This is as far as I get.

[Bob Fitz]

If you have multi users, IMHO the first thing you should do is split the db. You would then have a single back end data file and a front end on each users machine which are linked to the tables in the back end db.

[Sienna]

Am I correct that in order to update their forms they would need to import the new form through the Import & Link feature on Access?

I probably should have split the database a long time ago. The pros that I see is that each user can have their FE customized to suit them, and it will ensure that no one accidentally deletes a table. Are there other reasons to split a database?

My hesitation mostly has to do with getting people to update forms. Two of my users can be...a little difficult. I'd have to walk them through the updating, and I prefer to just update the form in the database we all use whenever I want or need to. They use it less often than the other user and I do, though, so they could probably just update their forms less often.

[Bob Fitz]

I probably should have split the database a long time ago. The pros that I see is that each user can have their FE customized to suit them, and it will ensure that no one accidentally deletes a table. Are there other reasons to split a database?

Yes. Without it you are far more likely to end up with a corrupted db.