Question about using Access with different client versions
Answered
Hello,
I have a Access database (around 100MB) on a server and all client computers accessing it are running Access 2010. The server has the back end file and the client computers have the front end file.
I will be replacing Access 2010 for whichever version comes with Office 365 (2016 or 2019).
Does the back end or front end need to be upgraded somehow or will everything continue working just the same?
Also, can you have clients running Access 2010 and Access 2016 accessing the back end or would it be better to move everyone to Access 2016 at once?
Thank you for your help!
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The backend database is hosted on a file server that does not need to have Microsoft Access installed on it. Even if Access were installed on the server, it wouldn't matter for Access. Access is a file server database architecture with the work performed by the client PC, not the server. The server just stores and share the database file but doesn't "know" about the data in it.
While we cannot speak on behalf of Microsoft or what their programs will do in the future (or should do today), a Microsoft database (ACCDB or MDB) on a file server can be used by different versions of Access on user desktops, provided the database is compatible with the oldest Access version being run.
For instance, Access 2016 and 2019 can support ACCDBs with support for BigInt data type in SQL Server. That was introduced after Access 2010, so Access 2010 is not able to open databases that have that feature.
To minimize inconsistencies, it's always better to have everyone use the same version of Access, Office, Windows, etc. Testing is necessary when changes are made.
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