POLICY: Microsoft Product Support Guidelines for MS Access

ID: Q166776

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Access versions 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 7.0, 97

SUMMARY

Novice: Requires knowledge of the user interface on single-user computers.

This article presents the guidelines that Microsoft Product Support Services (PSS) support professionals follow when supporting Microsoft Access customers.


MORE INFORMATION

Product support for Microsoft Access is incident-based support. An incident of product support for Microsoft Access is defined as a support question broken down in simplest terms, and the reasonable efforts to resolve it. For example, a question about how to implement a combo box on a form constitutes an incident.

For phone numbers and support options on all Microsoft products, please see the information available on the Microsoft Web site at:

http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/overview/overview.asp

Additional support for Microsoft Access Developer's Toolkit is available with Priority Developer support, which is pay-per-incident support available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The cost of Priority Developer support is $95 per incident, which is payable by credit card: 

   Microsoft Priority Developer Support
   -------------------------------------------
   (800) 936-5800 (Billed to your credit card)

For phone numbers and support options on all Microsoft products, please see the information available on the Microsoft Web site at:
http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/overview/overview.asp

For more information about Microsoft Product Support Services offerings, please visit our Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/support/, or call Microsoft Support Sales at (800) 936-3500.

When you need technical assistance with Microsoft Access products, there are ways to gather technical information that may provide answers to your questions before you use an incident of Product support. For example, technical articles, white papers, free software, and access to Microsoft's public newsgroups are available on the Internet:
http://support.microsoft.com/support
http://www.microsoft.com/Access
http://www.microsoft.com/AccessDev

When you call for telephone support for Microsoft Access, or when you use Microsoft's electronic Web Response support, PSS support professionals strive to provide you with a consistent level of product support. In order to do so, PSS support professionals use the following guidelines for supporting of all versions of Microsoft Access.

NOTE: If you need product support beyond what the following support guidelines offer you, there are other options you can consider:
  • Microsoft-sponsored newsgroups on the Internet allow you to receive assistance from experienced Microsoft Access developers everywhere. There is no limit to the assistance you can request, and the service is free (except for any fees you pay for Internet access). Connect to Microsoft Access newsgroups at:



    • http://support.microsoft.com/support/news/
  • Office Developer Consulting is a service that puts experienced Microsoft PSS support professionals to work on your database application. For more information about this service, call (800) 936-5200


  • Microsoft Premier Support services provide a complete, personalized suite of support services targeted for business enterprises. For more information about Premier Support, call Microsoft Support Sales at (800) 936-3500, or visit the following site on the Internet:
    http://www.microsoft.com/Enterprise/support.htm


Microsoft Access Support Guidelines

Setup


  • Assist you with installation of Microsoft Access as a stand-alone or network application as explained in the user documentation


  • Troubleshoot your installation by performing general hardware checks and review of configuration files, and by checking the integrity of your installation disks


  • Assist you with setting and customizing program options via the user interface in Microsoft Access


Database Design


  • Assist you in implementing a specific database design feature using the Northwind, Developer Solutions, or Orders sample databases


  • Give you conceptual design advice to help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of a particular design option


  • Show you examples that illustrate design concepts in the Northwind, Developer Solutions, or Orders sample databases provided with Microsoft Access


  • Refer you to additional resources for information about database design, such as books, Help, and technical articles


Database Objects (Tables, Queries, Forms, Reports, Macros and Modules)


  • Explain the general concept of any database object


  • Address your specific question about how to implement a feature of a particular object


  • Show you examples of how to use database objects in the Northwind, Developer Solutions, or Orders sample databases


Import/Export/Link Data


  • Ensure that the data import and export drivers supplied with your version of Microsoft Access are correctly installed


  • Check versions of applicable files with you to be sure they are correct


  • Check system settings where applicable to be sure they are correct


  • Verify that a data import/export option is working correctly using the Northwind, Developer Solutions, or Orders sample databases


Security


  • Explain the basics of the Microsoft Access security model and refer you to resources to learn more


  • Use a sample database and workgroup file to illustrate creating groups and users, and assigning permissions to database objects


Replication


  • Explain the effects of replication on your database


  • Explain the advantages and disadvantages of making a database replicable


  • Help you to understand the importance of planning the appropriate topology and schedule for synchronizing data and design changes between replica databases


  • Describe the different types of replication synchronization conflicts and explain how to resolve each type of conflict


ODBC


  • Help you to install and use any ODBC drivers supplied with your version of Microsoft Access


  • Help you to troubleshoot connection problems with ODBC drivers supplied with your version of Microsoft Access


Visual Basic for Applications Code


  • Assist you in troubleshooting syntax in a particular statement or line of code


  • Show you ways Microsoft Access provides for you to debug your code


  • Suggest a Visual Basic statement, property, or method that may assist you in accomplishing a particular task


  • Recommend resources for obtaining more information about writing and debugging Visual Basic code


Internet Features


  • Help you troubleshoot an Internet connection problem by copying and pasting the Internet uniform resource locator (URL) into the address line of your Web browser


  • Assist you in creating HTML pages using the wizards provided with Microsoft Access 97, or the Internet Assistant add-in available for Microsoft Access 7.0


  • Assist you in creating a Hyperlink data field in the Northwind sample database, explain the different parts of a hyperlink address, and explain how to edit them


  • Explain the system requirements for HTX/IDC and ASP files as documented in Help and the Microsoft Knowledge Base


  • Help you troubleshoot ODBC issues with HTX/IDC and ASP files within ODBC support guidelines


Automation


  • Interpret and explain syntax, connectivity, functionality, and purpose of automation


  • Direct you to Help topics and Microsoft Knowledge Base articles which include sample automation code using Microsoft products


  • Help you troubleshoot automation issues using Microsoft Access to control a second instance of Microsoft Access


Interoperability


  • Direct you through the Pivot Table Wizard, explaining its functionality


  • Demonstrate the use of Output To, Analyze it with MS Excel, and the Mail Merge Wizard using the Northwind sample database


  • Refer you to Help topics and Knowledge Base articles about interoperability with other Microsoft products


Microsoft Office 97 Developer Edition (ODE), Microsoft Access Developer's Toolkit (ADT), and Microsoft Access Distribution Kit (ADK)


  • Ensure proper installation of the product from its original media


  • Demonstrate functionality of the ODE/ADT/ADK using the Northwind sample database


  • Help you troubleshoot the Setup Wizard using the Northwind sample database


  • Suggest troubleshooting steps for complex setup images by starting with a simple Setup program, and then methodically adding files, shortcuts, components and registry settings to determine which element causes the problem


  • Help you distribute other Office applications using the Setup Wizard.


ActiveX Controls


  • Assist you with installing the ActiveX controls shipped with your version of Microsoft Access


  • Demonstrate the functional usage of a control by inserting the control in the Northwind sample database and adding sample code found in Help for the control


  • Direct you to the sample ActiveX controls database for examples of functional use of ActiveX controls


  • Describe the methods, properties, and events associated with ActiveX controls


SourceSafe Integration with Microsoft Access


  • Assist you with SourceSafe integration issues using the Northwind sample database and the Microsoft Access user interface to SourceSafe


  • Explain checking in and checking out database objects, including the binary Data and Misc. Objects


  • Explain the concepts of source code control and project management, and refer you to Microsoft Knowledge Base articles and the Source Code Control white paper


Software Available on Microsoft Download Services


  • Assist you in installing supported software


  • Assist you with basic usage, walking you through the user interface and explaining what you see


  • Troubleshoot potential problems with Setup and the user interface to the point of identifying any problems that exist


Additional query words:

Keywords : kbpolicy NpdMTS
Version : WINDOWS:1.0,1.1,2.0,7.0,97
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbinfo


Last Reviewed: June 30, 1999
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