Data 'disappears' from my database

[KjWhal]

I inherited this database and I can't figure this out so I'm looking for some causes.

the database is in one .mdb file, the interface in another and links to the database via the linked table manager.

The tables aren't normalized, nor was there any attempt at relational integrity (Strike 1). Thats obvious

But what isn't so obvious is that data in fields just disappears, it'll get entered, verified and a couple weeks/months later, its just gone and no one claims responsibility for taking it out (and in 99% of cases, we wouldn't)

It is a multi user database but there are only 10 people in the office and I doubt more than 3 are ever connected at once. And most of the time is only one of us at a time based on our schedules.

Anyone have any ideas? I'm going to advise the bosses that we take the time to start over with sql server, normalize the tables and take better care of developing the forms (in .net)

 

[KeithG]

If you only have 3 concurrent users I would stick with Access. I have a problem believing that the data just disappears. Usually when unexplained things happen with Access I find that 99.999999999% percent of the time it is because of user error.

 

[boblarson]

If you limit users to accessing forms and reports, then you can set up an audit trail to track modifications and deletions from the tables.

 

[Dennisk]

Strange I'm having the same problem myself, so i've written some debug code so when data in a table is updated then same data is written to a debug table. So far no luck with tracing the problem. At first I thought it may be because I was using transactions, then I remembered I had removed the tx code. But then again it is M$ Access so what would you expect.
Buggy, Irrational behaviour etc. I've just had to remove all workgroup protection on one db as no more than 3 or 4 users could open it at any one time. The shortcut would fail to find the .mdw file. the network people tell me its not the network, the techies tell me Access is correctly installed.
Welcome to the world of M$ Access database development. But on the bright side only 3 years and 11 weeks to go I will never, never, never go near M$ Access again.