Use of relational Database in TEAMS

Hi. Unfortunately, Access wasn't designed to be shared with multiple users over the Internet. If that's what you need, you may have to move away from using Access. There are options for keeping Access but moving the data to a web-capable data storage, or perhaps using remote connections instead. Otherwise, depending on your needs, there are also possible alternatives to using Access, such as SharePoint or PowerApps.

The short answer is the one theDBGuy already offered.

However, if you want to extend specific pieces of functionality to others, you do have options. PowerApps comes to mind. I see PowerApps as an adjunct to a full-featured relational database applications built with Access. It is in no way a replacement or alternative to a fully developed relational database application in Access. That said, if you need remote users to perform a specific function, such as entering data collected in an off-premises meeting into your central database, PowerApps handles that kind of task well.

As an example, a painting contractor could send estimators to prospects homes to take photos of the house and yard, enter dimensions of the building and other pertinent details into an app on a tablet or phone. That data, including the photos are available through the full Access relational database application sitting on the desks of your inhouse users. They can work up the estimate and email it as a PDF to the prospect while the estimator is still on site. Note that this does not assume that phone app does everything, or even a significant part of what the full relational database application does.

Your Teams users CAN use PowerApps in Teams (I've not done that yet, but it's clearly an option) in such situations.

The data, of course, has to move out of an accdb into a server-based database such as SQL Azure or a remotely hosted SQL Server. Access itself is not yet enabled as a data source, unfortunately.

Another option that theDBGuy mentioned is to move your data into SharePoint lists and connect your accdb front ends to those lists. This allows your existing Access front end accdb to be used pretty much as it is now used with an accdb back end, but extends it to anyone who can connect to that SharePoint site.

Here is a YouTube video explaining the latter approach.

Just to clarify: you CAN continue to use the Access FE, but you would move the BE data to SQL Server, hosted in an internet-accessible location such as your ISP or Azure.

There will be performance ramifications. Hard to know how much until you do it. SQL Server Migration Assistant can be used to upsize the data.

Also: per the roadmap Microsoft 365 Roadmap | Microsoft 365 we have an upcoming Dataverse connector with interesting capabilities both from Access as well as from Teams.

Tom, out of curiosity re Dataverse. Have you had a chance to explore it?

Yes, I am on the beta test team. Some good, some bad.