The Access Workbench Help File 

The Access Workbench is a program that will help you manage your Access databases.  Click here for the software feature list. 

Latest Version / Installing / Registering The Software

Click here if you want to read/download about the latest version of the program
Click here to find out how to install the software
Click here to find out how to start the software once it has been installed
Click here to find out how to order and register the software

The Main Form

This application does a lot behind the scenes but has a relatively simple user interface.   The easiest way to describe the software is to explain what happens under each of the buttons.  First though, here is the main form (Figure 1) and below that you will find links to the help screens that related to the buttons in the main menu.  This example shows users from 3 other networked computers plus the current workbench session logged into a database.

Figure 1 - The workbench shows 4 computers logged into an Access 2000  database

The Main Menu Buttons and Check Boxes

Select allows you to browse to another Access database file to see who is logged in and perform the other administrative tasks.  Database types supported include MDB, MDE, MDW and LDW formats.  Read more

Open will startup a new Microsoft Access session using either Access 97 or Access 2000/2002.  This depends on the file format. The software will use the workgroup file that you have selected when it opens.  If you do not use workgroup files, it will ignore this.  Read more

Who's On  will refresh the list of users that are currently logged into the database.  Read more

The Compile checkbox will open the database, find out if it has been compiled and if it hasn't, it will compile it for you. If a compiler error is encountered, the database stays open so that you can sort it out. Read More

The Compact checkbox will tell the workbench to compact the current database the next time that the Who's On list is empty. Read More

The Decompile checkbox will remove all compilation code from your database. This is useful to run every now and again as it will remove unwanted compilation material and reduce the size of your database. Read More

The Backup checkbox will tell the workbench to backup the current database to the backup folder the next time that the Who's On list is empty.  Read more

Lock will stop any new users logging into an Access 2000/2002 database.  This is useful when you are trying to get everyone off a database for maintenance or installations.  This changes to Unlock when the lock has been set.  This will be disabled if this program is stopped. Read More

Administration will allow you to send messages to your users and shutdown the database. Read More

Security allows you to select workgroup files and store usernames and passwords to use with your database. You also enter your database password here if you use one. Read More

Options allows you to change the location of your Access executables and select workgroup files to use with your database.  Read more

About tells you about the current version of the program.  It is also shows who the workbench is registered to and provides a link to system information. Register

Favorites tab allows you to quickly switch between databases. You can also sort the databases using the different columns in the grid. Read More

Folder tab makes it easy to switch to and compact/backup multiple databases in a folder. Read More

Screen Size - A form that makes it easy to setup your Access window in a uniform size.

Exit closes down the workbench and removes any locks on the selected database.

Command Line Switches The Access Workbench can also be started from shortcut files and the Scheduled Tasks program in the Windows Control Panel. Read more

Internal Access Logging
The Access workbench comprises of two parts. This program and a demonstration database with full source code, objects and tables that you can import into your databases. This database will show you how to keep a permanent log of people who open and close your database (successfully). It also shows you how to log the usage of forms and reports with a format suitable for easy modification of the DoCmd OpenForm and OpenReport vba methods. It provides reports to understand this information as well. Read More

Workbench Features

Lists of computers and Access usernames that are currently using your database.
Work out whether your database is Access 97 or 2000+ format.
Open the database exclusively when no one is using it.
The workbench will compact or backup your database the next time no one is using it.
Allow you to send user messages to users when you add some VBA code to your database
Allow you to shutdown the database easily when you add some VBA code to your database
The ability to stop new users logging into a database.
Allow you to specify a workgroup security file and users to open the database.
Allow you to specify refresh times for updating the current users of the database
Storing your workgroup passwords in encrypted form is safer than windows shortcuts.
Easily add version information to your database before releasing to users and/or clients

Other Access Workbench Topics
Install | Starting Up | Open | Who's On | Options |  Internal Logging | FAQ Page | Orders