Trusted by 500+ businesses to solve complex database challenges.
The number one question we get right now is how to put an Access database online. Access web database, Sharepoint, MS Azure, ASP.NET front end with MS SQL back end, remote desktop to hosted Access db’s, etc. Our experienced consultants can help you navigate through the options to find the solution best suited for your needs.
MS Access was designed as a desktop application. Starting with the version Access 2010, Microsoft
Sometimes the best option is to develop a desktop application with a portion of the functionality built in an online form.
Online databases using Access require hybrid thinking: where data lives, how users authenticate, and what still needs the desktop client. We advise on SQL Server, Azure, SharePoint, and RDP patterns with cost and security tradeoffs documented for your leadership team.
Send your Access version, user locations, and deadline pressures. We respond with scheduling options and a short prep list to maximize first-session value.
Here are some answers to help you hone in on the information you need. That's our style as an Access Developer. We make doing business with us an easy and enjoyable experience.
Hybrid architecture is usually the answer: SQL Server or Azure SQL holds data online while Access front-ends handle reporting, VBA automation, and power-user workflows locally or via hosted RDP. Web forms collect field or customer data into the same tables Access uses for invoicing and fulfillment — one database, multiple entry points, no duplicate spreadsheets.
Azure SQL suits teams outgrowing ACCDB file shares with ten or more remote users. SharePoint-linked tables work when mobile list updates and simple list sync matter more than complex joins. Hosted RDP fits when staff need the full Access UI with zero retraining. We document cost, security, and latency tradeoffs for each option so leadership can approve architecture before build starts.
Yes. ASP.NET or Power Apps web forms write to SQL Server or SharePoint lists that Access links to as tables. Warehouse staff submit receipts on phones; office staff run reports and VBA workflows in Access against the same data. We design the schema once so web and desktop clients share one source of truth without manual CSV imports.
SQL Azure includes automated point-in-time backups; on-prem SQL Server gets scheduled backup jobs to offsite storage. Split ACCDB back-ends on network shares need scripted nightly copies to cloud-synced folders or Azure Blob storage. Every online database engagement includes a documented restore procedure your IT team can test quarterly — not just a backup job nobody verifies.
Access is a poor fit for public-facing SaaS products, thousands of concurrent web users, or teams that refuse any desktop client. We tell clients honestly when a web-native stack or dedicated cloud database platform fits better. When Access remains the right front-end or back-end component, we scope online connectivity at $90/hr after reviewing user locations, security requirements, and growth projections.