Appending/merging records with VBA?

[andersonm82]

Hello,

I'm looking for a way to append records to a database.

Ideally the system I had envisioned would have each of our guys having a copy of the entire database on their laptop. When they are out on business they enter things into the database, though without changing fields or tables. Every week they copy or have synchronised their local copies onto separate folders on a network drive, I append every unique record from each of them onto the central database, then have this complete version synchronised to each. All entries use a GUID as autonumber, so collisions shouldn't be a problem.

Is there a better way to do this? E.g. appending or updating by Outlook without too advanced code?

What is the best way to append unique records from each of the separate copies, ideally using VBA?

Also, is there a way to not only append new records, but to append any changes to existing records as well, keeping the newest alteration?

Greatly appreciated.

 

[boblarson]

Why not check out the Replication feature? It can be used with disconnected databases. So, if you have the main backend database on the file server and then have each of the laptops get a replicated copy (you copy it to their laptop via the replication item in Database Tools) and then when they connect back up to the network they can do a synch and Access takes care of the synch for you. There can be conflicts that occur and you have to resolve them, but it worked really well for us with about 12 pc's and laptops.

 

[andersonm82]

Thank you very much, I didn't know about that. Looks spot on.