Access link to mobile devices???

[TOPSie]

Hi,
I do tech support for a long standing Access application used be a small distribution company (only ten vehicles). Whilst I have updated much of the central system to incorporate more modern features the drivers still go on their rounds with a stack of paper delivery notes and these get annotated as they deliver and someone has to do a data entry job from these sheets at the end of the day.


Can anyone give me any pointers to commercial offerings which would combine hand-held devices with the ability to download and upload information from and to Access.

Failing a viable commercial offering what hand held devices are there which can run Access? (as I could do all the necessary coding myself)

Many thanks

[June7]

Start with review of https://boundstatesoftware.com/blog/...ablet-or-phone

[CJ_London]

Another option to investigate is using access dataverse (or migrate your tables to sql azure) and use power apps for mobile devices to connect and interact with the data.

another (perhaps) is to use Google sheets as a means of inputting data, then back in the office these can be downloaded and imported to access and presumable access can upload or amend a new sheet

[Edgar]

A Surface notebook can run Access apps.
A mobile app can be built to facilitate data entry, but it is not cross-platform, so Android and iOS would require different apps.
A web app can also be built to facilitate data entry and it'd be cross-platform, build one and it works everywhere with a browser.

I don't know how to use Azure or how to connect to Remote Desktop services. However, I can setup a Firebase Realtime Database in 1 minute from scratch and within the next 10 minutes, I'd be able to insert into and retrieve data from it using REST API from Access, without paying. A web app can also be built to let drivers work from their phone.

So, basically:
1. Access + Surface Notebooks + Firebase
2. Access + Web App + Any Phone + Firebase *cheapest, likely free
3. Access + Web App + Any Phone + SQL based server *just pay hosting
4. Web app hosted on VPS *just pay hosting
5. Access + Azure/Dataverse/PowerApps *paid monthly

[isladogs]

This may be of interest Running Access on a Tablet PC (isladogs.co.uk)

This app includes a version optimised for tablets and intended for use by delivery drivers UK Postal Address Finder (isladogs.co.uk)
Communication with LAN data would normally be done before / after the day's activities. Wifi connection possible but NOT recommended

[TOPSie]

I found your links very useful. I already have all the PostCode stuff in my main application, but I have looked at your digital signature capture. It seems to make an attempt to do character recognition, but most "I have received this delivery" signatures are not recognisable. Rather than attempt to turn it into letters, can it just be captured as a jpg or bmp?

[June7]

Web search "capture signature in Access database"

Review https://www.access-programmers.co.uk...nature.297858/

That might have same info as Colin's link since he is author in both.

[isladogs]

@TOPSie
My postal finder app linked above does capture the signature as an image file saved in the name of the signatory.
You may be thinking about another article on my website Signature Capture (isladogs.co.uk)
That includes two separate apps. The first captures a signature as an image. The second, InkEdit converts a signature (if legible) into text and isn't suitable for your purposes.