Simple Way to Let Many Edit/View Single Table

Hi,

I have a large project with different people working on different parts. We
currently have a spreadsheet with some data on the status of each
sub-project. This is slightly cumbersome, because multiple people can't use
at the same time and frankly because some non-savvy users simply have a hard
time navigating to our network drive.

I was just investigating the possibility of making an Access Data Access
Page that I could stick on our intranet. I had to have our IT support
install some XML thing on my computer, and the Data Access Page feature
finally works for me in Access, but I can only create Data Access Pages in a
general forms view, when what I really want is a datasheet view. The users
really need to be able to see a table, not one record at a time.

I'm not wedded to the Data Access Page idea, but does anyone have any ideas
for alternatives, or for how I can get a datasheet view Data Access Page? I
know I could create a front-end/back-end database and hand out copies of it,
but I find when that happens I end up babysitting people who don't know how
to do simple things like copying a file from a network drive to their local
drive. There's too many people in this project for me to start doing that.

A related question I have is how many people can I safely have editing a
single database (i.e., not a front-end/back-end set-up) simultaneously? I
seem to remember doing more than one once, but I also remember reading that
it can't support very many. Any details about this? If I was reasonably
sure that not more than a few people would be on at any given time, could I
just email everyone a link to a single database? Whould it make it any
better if I emailed everyone a link to a single front-end database that
edited a separate back-end database?

Any other thoughts are welcome.

Thanks,
TD

One, I'm not an expert
Two, No one should have to navigate to find work, that is what shortcuts are
for
Three, Data Access has its place but you need to be advanced user and have
full and fuller support of network folks
Four, Frontend and backend is very good for workgroup size office
Five, copying files should never have to happen at user level, must handle
in your application if you want it dependable.
Six, Quanty of people using front and backend data file really depends on
complexity and size of the datafile. By the way, you can use one front end
and many backends to extend Access for record count but be careful with
queries, and forms so the backends are logically grouped and closed when not
needed.
Seven, Every user must have their own front end and they can share the
backends as needed.
Eight, Performance and quanity of useres, I have used frontend and backend
with up to 50 users with no problem and I have also replicated with the 50
but if you don't replicate by the numbers...you better have a super backup
program.
Nine, You want to keep network bandwidth down, why pass forms, and such back
and forth, stick with frontend on workstation and data on network!!!!
Really good questions, you're thinking, Pete

"td" <td RemoveThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:368B6B4C-B1B6-4769-954D-0BB6C366F30B@microsoft.com...
> Hi,
>
> I have a large project with different people working on different parts.
> We
> currently have a spreadsheet with some data on the status of each
> sub-project. This is slightly cumbersome, because multiple people can't
> use
> at the same time and frankly because some non-savvy users simply have a
> hard
> time navigating to our network drive.
>
> I was just investigating the possibility of making an Access Data Access
> Page that I could stick on our intranet. I had to have our IT support
> install some XML thing on my computer, and the Data Access Page feature
> finally works for me in Access, but I can only create Data Access Pages in
> a
> general forms view, when what I really want is a datasheet view. The
> users
> really need to be able to see a table, not one record at a time.
>
> I'm not wedded to the Data Access Page idea, but does anyone have any
> ideas
> for alternatives, or for how I can get a datasheet view Data Access Page?
> I
> know I could create a front-end/back-end database and hand out copies of
> it,
> but I find when that happens I end up babysitting people who don't know
> how
> to do simple things like copying a file from a network drive to their
> local
> drive. There's too many people in this project for me to start doing
> that.
>
> A related question I have is how many people can I safely have editing a
> single database (i.e., not a front-end/back-end set-up) simultaneously? I
> seem to remember doing more than one once, but I also remember reading
> that
> it can't support very many. Any details about this? If I was reasonably
> sure that not more than a few people would be on at any given time, could
> I
> just email everyone a link to a single database? Whould it make it any
> better if I emailed everyone a link to a single front-end database that
> edited a separate back-end database?
>
> Any other thoughts are welcome.
>
> Thanks,
> TD