Use a one-file Access database with several versions of Microsoft Access

To use a Microsoft Access database that is one file in several versions of Microsoft Access, convert it to a front-end/back-end application. The data remains in the oldest version of Access, and you use a front end that has been converted to Access 2000.

1. Convert the Access database to Microsoft Access 2000, specifying a new name.
   
   
2. Use the Database Splitter Wizard to split the converted database into a front-end/back-end application.
   
   
3. Delete the back-end database that the Database Splitter Wizard created. You want your data to remain in the original database, so you are going to be using the original database as the back-end database. The back-end database should be in the oldest version of Microsoft Access that is being used.
   
   
4. Run the Linked Table Manager (Tools menu, Database Utilities command) to link the new Microsoft Access 2000 front-end database to the tables in the previous-version database. You can then enhance the Microsoft Access 2000 front-end database to support new features, for users that have upgraded to Microsoft Access 2000. Users of previous versions can continue to use the previous-version database. For example, if the back-end tables are in Microsoft Access version 2.0 format, you can use up to four versions of Microsoft Access: Microsoft Access version 2.0 (using the original database), Microsoft Access 95 and 97 (using an enabled version of the original database or a converted front-end database), and Microsoft Access 2000 (using a converted front-end database).