How to share MS Access form/file with multiple end users?

[vha7]

My goal: Distribute this 'mini search engine' form that I have created to multiple users (2-50?), sourcing from an updated publications/papers database (in the form of a .xlsm file) on a monthly basis.

I have no relationships, queries, etc used - I just have one simple linked table to an .xlsm sheet (I.e DataFile_CURRENT) that I receive on a monthly basis that is my external data for my form.
i.e
DataFile_CURRENT.xls <-- the latest data file for September, 18 (this is the one linked to Access; I will be updating the file manually)
DataFile_18_08.xls <-- Data file from August, 18
DataFile_18_07.xls <-- Data file from July, 18
DataFile_18_06.xls <-- Data file from June, 18
DataFile_18_05.xls <-- Data file from May, 18

How do I go about sharing my entire access file/form where end users are able to only interact and NOT modify anything on the form, other than the search engine capabilities (i.e text box search, category combo box, listbox options, etc). I plan on only allowing myself have the ability to update the source file on a monthly basis whenever I have the update file. I have read about front-end and back-end in other posts but could someone clarify this for me?

Additionally, I only want to share it either through a shared folder internally, through sharepoint, (or through a zip file maybe? If that works?), but I do not want to download any external programs to be able to share it (i.e Access Runtime).


So what is the best way to distribute this to multiple users most conveniently so they can use the 'search engine' I created?

Thanks!

[ranman256]

make a split database, Backend tables on the server, Front end given to each user.

Someone , (admin) must import the monthly file into the BE.
this would keep appending the .xls sheet to the master table. (or overwrite, not sure whats in the file)

Save the excel file to a generic name, say c:\temp\ImportFile.xls
Attach (link) this file into access as a linked table, say: xlFile2Import (done just this once)
Build a query to append the data from xlFile2Import to your target table, say: qaImportXLdata
Build a macro to run the monthly import. mImportXL
The macro will have the query : qaImportXLdata

So every month,
1. save your data to the generic file: c:\temp\ImportFile.xls (overwriting the previous one)
2. Then run the import macro, mImportXL
Done.

[vha7]

Build a query to append the data from xlFile2Import to your target table, say: qaImportXLdata
Build a macro to run the monthly import. mImportXL
The macro will have the query : qaImportXLdata

So every month,
1. save your data to the generic file: c:\temp\ImportFile.xls (overwriting the previous one)
2. Then run the import macro, mImportXL
Done.

Thanks for the input - will follow what you said. But could you clarify those steps you mentioned above? I would build a query/macro within Access?

And to just clarify, I, as admin, was thinking of manually just renaming the linked table of interest (I.e file_CURRENT); the data update each month is pretty much new publications/papers where, lets say, April has 200 publications, then May would have 250 publications (50 extra + 200 from the previous months), and so forth.

[ssanfu]

I just have one simple linked table to an .xlsm sheet (I.e DataFile_CURRENT) that I receive on a monthly basis that is my external data for my form.

If I understand what you wrote, you DO NOT have any Access tables, you just have a linked Excel workbook?
You update the linked Excel workbook each month??

[vha7]

If I understand what you wrote, you DO NOT have any Access tables, you just have a linked Excel workbook?
You update the linked Excel workbook each month??

Correct - I used to have one table to make my search engine prototype; however, I didn't realize that I needed a linked excel workbook to update my data on a monthly basis. Does that affect anything?