Now You Can Build Data-Driven Web Applications in Sharepoint 2010 using Access Services

Sharepoint provides an expansive list of tools and features to help business manage, organize and grow their most important assets - data, documents, human capital and the relationships between them. 

On its own, Access 2010 provides new features that make building stand-alone applications easier:

• Data Macros that allow you to create table-level events (think Triggers in SQL).
• New navigation for improved User Interface design.
• Ability to run SSRS-style reports, using a stand-along report engine available for download from Microsoft.

Now, with Sharepoint 2010 Enterprise, users can use Sharepoint Access Services to publish web-compatible Access 2010 application to the web, providing data-driven applications to anyone with a web browser - Access does not need to be installed on the user's machine.

Getting Started

If you have not yet explored the possibilities of an Access application, or need an example of web-compatibility in an Access application, Microsoft provides a web version of their famous Northwind database here. 

Quick overview - Access Services in Sharepoint and Access 2010 Web Databases require special consideration: 

• Access Services requires Enterprise licensing.
• Make sure Access Services is turned on within your Sharepoint farm.
• Web Databases must be built using Web Objects and cannot employ Client Objects.  Client Objects are objects in Access, such as pre-2010 database tables, that are not compatible with Sharepoint Access Services.  You can avoid issues when developing for Access Services by choosing to create an access database as a "Web Database".
• Forms and reports must be built using Layout Mode.

Publishing an Access Application to Sharepoint
 

To publish your access application to Sharepoint, you simply need to use the "Save and Publish" functionality on the Access file menu. 

• Click "Save and Publish", then choose "Publish To Access Services"
• A section called "Access Services Overview" appears on the right.  In that section, "Publish To Access Services" will appear as a graphical button right below an option to run the "Compatibility Checker".
• Fill in the URL to your Sharepoint 2010 site in the field labeled "Server URL".  Click "Publish to Access Services".