Access Workflow Designer provides fully integrated support for offline capabilities and serves as a single interface making it possible for a user to synchronize the SQL Server database and the solution Web pages using Internet Explorer.
Offline support makes it possible for a team solution to be stored and used on a computer that is not connected to a network. A user can take the team solution and its associated data offline using the client components and the Microsoft Data Engine (MSDE) as the local data store.
The users can work with the data as they would online, reconnect to the network, and merge changes back into the master team solution. While offline, security and workflow rules continue to be enforced. The offline synchronization component of Access Workflow Designer manages replication and synchronization of data, and it provides mechanisms for conflict resolution.
When the user chooses to take the team solution offline, a subscription to the solution is created on the user’s computer. Then, the solution data is replicated as defined by the publication. The replication includes the system objects that store and enforce the workflow and security rules.
When reconnecting to the solution on the server, the user can synchronize the two sets of data. If there are any conflicts (for example, if more than one user has made changes to a given row), the user is given a chance to merge, overwrite, or cancel the changes. In addition, developer can establish conflict management rules—for example, always merging changes when a conflict exists.
The first step in the offline development process is to install offline replication components. Once this has been accomplished, you can create offline publications.
After creating your publication, you also must make sure the Web interface with which users interact is modified to redirect the data connection to the offline data source. To do this, you must include offline redirection script or the Offline toolbar in your pages. For details, see Developing the Solution User Interface.
In addition, it is recommended you explain to users what happens when they go offline. For more information, see Adding Help to Your Solution or the Help files associated with the Issue Tracking solution. For an example of how to implement offline support, see Offline Support in the Issue Tracking Solution.
| For information about | See |
| Using the Offline Publication wizard to add new publications to your team solution | Creating an Offline Publication |
| Making changes to an offline publication | Modifying an Offline Publication |
| Adding or removing the main user tables that are copied to the local database | Specifying Main Tables for an Offline Publication |
| Creating filters that determine which rows are copied to the local database | Filtering Data for an Offline Publication |
| Designating the roles that can take a publication offline | Defining Permissions for Offline Publications |
| Designating additional database objects that are available or restricted from the offline copy of the database | Specifying Database Objects for Offline Use |
| Configuring your team solution for offline replication capabilities | Installing Offline Support for the Team Solution |
| Implementing offline support in a team solution | Offline Support in the Issue Tracking Solution |