Losing some MS Access Data that has been entered using a form

[Evelyn]

I am a contractor working on several databases I have inherited. One database, that is shared from a network drive (not split), is being used by multiple users. One of those users has begun to notice that some data she has entered into form/subforms is "disappeari ng" when she returns to the form/subform. I have checked the tables, and the data does not appear to be in them. She is accessing the database from off-site through the companies network.

Any ideas on where I can start to track this down. I am not an Access Guru, mostly self-taught. Thanks in advance.

[Luk3r]

This is going to sound very trivial, but I would start with the user. Have you confirmed that the problem is repeatable? Are any other users doing the same tasks that this specific user is doing? If any, are those users able to replicate the issue using the same method? Is this the only user working remotely? Does the same issue persist if this specific user is "in the office", so to speak?

I would definitely stay away from troubleshooting the technology until you've confirmed that the user isn't the issue. If the user inputs data and sometimes the data records as expected and sometimes it doesn't, it's likely a problem with the process, not the technology.

[NeoPa]

Evelyn:
One database, that is shared from a network drive (not split), is being used by multiple users.

I think that tells us all we need to know.

Access is very much prone to struggling to deal with multiple accesses of the same front end. If, as you say, the back end is also part of the front end, then I would expect repeated problems of this form.

It's fine to share the BE with proper sharing settings set, but it's generally advised to have each user use a separate distinct copy of the front end. I appreciate this means both splitting the FE & BE, as well as providing a means for distributing copies of the FE as and when required, but anything short of that is a recipe for continued problems in my experience.

@Luk3r.
Even if we may disagree on our advice, I notice that you're back and offering advice where you can. Good for you.

[Evelyn]

Yeah, my thoughts have been the problem of a simple shared database, but the manager did not want to split the database. Meeting with him today and will take him your thoughts. Thank you!

[NeoPa]

A pleasure Evelyn.

If it helps, and you haven't already seen from my profile, I'm a Microsoft MVP in Access as well as a very experienced contributor in the Access forum of this site. I couldn't be either without a pretty deep understanding of the product, so I know what I'm talking about.

You'd be hard pressed to find an experienced expert who doesn't agree with what I've told you. Sometimes credentials are necessary when taking advice up the tree, as it were.

Good luck.