Can't import to table

[jessgold]

Hello, I am having some trouble with a few basic things in access. first off let me say I am learning access as I go and atm vb coding is over my head. I have been asked to create a database that is viewed by many people in my company all day long. The data that is being viewed has to be updated in real time by one employee while several others wish to view the data and see the changes in real time. The data flows in from an imported excel spread sheet that is redownloaded and reimported every 10 min or so. So I have a table and a saved import to that table that will overwrite everything in the existing table with the most current data. I test this with two instances of access running and run into issues. if the table is being viewed either from the person who must update via import or the end user that simply wishes to view the data it says the file is in use and cant update. I tried queries or forms with locked fields and the result is the same as long as those queries or forms are open in any instance of access. is there a simple way around this? is there a better way to do this? I am just beginning the design phase so any suggestions would be of great help. please keep in mind I am new to access and tackling vb coding might be too difficult in the short term. Thank you for your suggestions.

[June7]

Is database split?

If yes, is each user working with their own copy of frontend?

[jessgold]

Is database split?

If yes, is each user working with their own copy of frontend?

While im testing from the same db file and same user for that matter, just two separate instances of access on the same pc, I imagine the database will be the same one for all. accessed on a shared network drive. Being new im not sure what you mean by split. I assumed that all users would be operating off the same access db file on a shared drive. one user realtime updating. The other users "read only" in realtime from same db file and their own copy of access itself. There may be a better way to do what im trying but that was how I started from. if there is a better way of course I would prefer that way.

[June7]

Review
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/ac...010342026.aspx

[jessgold]

Review
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/ac...010342026.aspx

Thank you for the suggestion. After reviewing that and splitting the db I get the same problem. Any form, table or query open on the front end and I cannot import to the back end. The front end forms will be open all day so I am not sure where to go from here. Is there anyway to update a table that is being viewed elsewhere without forcing all the users to close all queries forms and table views? I would have though it would be easy as the tables must be refreshed to reflect changes anyway. this is somewhat confusing. the best I can figure is that every couple of minuites the users import from a db that the updater exports to. this will no doubt lead to it only working most of the time and seems extremely clunky to me. Hopefully in my ignorance I have just missed some basic setup procedure that will make this all work as I am sure there is a way I just don't know where to begin to find it.

[June7]

I don't routinely import/export data in a multi-user database so I can't really say it is/isn't possible to import to a table while someone has form bound to the table open. Never faced the situation, will have to do some experimenting this weekend.

[jessgold]

I really appreciate you taking the time. I will keep at it as well and post if I find a solution.

[jessgold]

Someone suggested in another forum to delete all old records then run import append and that seems to work. I would guess the type of importing I was doing was trying to recreate the whole table while in use and this apparently is not allowed. Hope this helps someone else in the future facing this problem. If anyone else has any more information on this subject I hope you will post it here as it still seems that there may be a more elegant solution to this then has been covered to date. I will be posting anything new I find here and once again thank you for your time.