Access 2013 compatibility with Access 2003

[jimatqsi]

I'm looking for information about compatibility between Access 2013 and Access 2003. I've been approached by a firm that wants to begin upgrading their systems.

I want to know if it is reasonable to plan to keep the back-end of an Access database in 2003 format while gradually updating client machines from Office 2003 to Office 2013.
The front-end is pretty simplistic. It has about a dozen forms, some or all created in the 90s, no queries and 3 or 4 reports.

Microsoft's information on this topic is clear as mud.

Thanks,
Jim

[NeoPa]

You can certainly link to 2003 from 2013. How many changes are required in the FE depends on what's in the FE. In your position I'd check out Allen Browne's site for such details.

[twinnyfo]

All,

I was under the impression that it was possible to open Access 2003 FEs with 2013 with no harm. I have only experienced problems when opening the BEs. I would like to understand the issues better myself....,

[NeoPa]

Be careful opening a 2003 database with 2010 or 2013. It can link the project to different libraries in some circumstances and leave it unworkable in the original version. Not pretty.

[jimatqsi]

Thanks very much, NeoPa. I couldn't find any reference to 2013 on the Allen Browne site.

Jim

[NeoPa]

That's a shame Jim. I'm pretty sure he's retired now, but his site is still a veritable gold-mine of useful information on Access past and (almost) present.