Switching Microsoft Access Versions

[vX987]

What's your advice?

I am currently using Access 2000. How much of a difference would it be if I updated it to 2007. Would I experience a lot of problems? Would this not be a good idea? Will users that DO NOT have the updated version have problems opening it?

And if I wanted to, how would I go about doing it? Would just updating Microsoft Office do the work or are there extra steps involved.

Thank you for your input!

 

[boblarson]

This might be a good place to start, if you haven't been here yet:

http://allenbrowne.com/Access2007.html

 

[missinglinq]

Allen's site will give you some good poop; it's titled, I believe, The Good, The Bad and The Buggy! The one thing that I've gathered, from trolling five or six Access forums dailey, is that the primary thing that Access2007 shares with all the previous versions is the name Access! It's almost an entirely different database development program, and it will have a large learning curve.

 

[Banana]

But how much of the changes to 2007 is really under the hood? I've felt that it was change for sake of change, with much of same machinery under the hood.

 

[vX987]

hrms, THANKS Bob for the website and the missinglinq for the advice. One thing I have on my database is Access' built-in security and noticed that THAT portion of Access is no longer useable in the new version... I'm a novice to Access, so... it's PROBABLY BEST I not update right away.

I'll explore more, possibly create a backup and mess with it. Thanks!

 

[boblarson]

One thing I have on my database is Access' built-in security and noticed that THAT portion of Access is no longer useable in the new version

Actually, you CAN use it with Access 2007 as long as you keep the database compatibilty mode to Access 2000-2003. You can't use the new ACCDB format, but you CAN still use the security if you stick with the MDB format.

 

[CEH]

Theres not THAT many differences to call it a "Whole new Access" any mdb will open it 07..... some added properties..... a little time learning how to get around... and of course the new "Ribbon" to ....."love".... or "Deal with" depending on your feelings. A strong word of caution.... I still have not seen one BIG bug fixed! Access 2002 (XP) and 2007 do NOT get along! In fact my experience has been that 2007 renders 2002 just about useless. I keep 2002 on one machine and 2003 and 2007 on another. As Bob said..... you can develop in 2007 and still save in mdb format. But at this point I think it would be a must to keep your older versions also.