Microsoft Access 2013 has all the tools needed to build no-code data-centric applications quickly on Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013 (on-prem or Office 365). Penny will show you how Access hides the normal complexities of creating a relational database (i.e., rules, schema, views) using a SQL-backed app on SharePoint, as well as showing you how to connect Access web apps to SharePoint lists.

1. Creating a SharePoint App with
Microsoft Access Services
PENELOPE COVENTRY, PPP CONSULTING LTD
SHAREPOINT AND PROJECT CONFERENCE ADRIATICS 2013
ZAGREB, NOVEMBER 27-28 2013

2. sponsors

3. Speaker Bio
• Independent Consultant
• Microsoft MVP SharePoint Server
• MCSE: SharePoint 2013
• Author/Co-author of 10+ SharePoint Books
• Trainer
• Worked with SharePoint since 2001
• Based in UK, work in Europe & US
• Blogs/Web Site
• http://www.sharepointdesignerstepbystep.com/
• Twitter: @pjcov

4. Agenda

5. Agenda

6. Enterprise Forms in SharePoint 2013

7. InfoPath 2013

8. Access 2013

9. Agenda

10. Two methods of creating Access web-based
solutions
• Access web database – SharePoint Server 2010
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•
•
•
•
•
Supported in SharePoint Server 2013
Cannot be created using Access 2013
SharePoint site
Access tables -> SharePoint lists
Forms / Reports -> web pages
Cannot be automatically converted to an Access web app
• Access web apps – new in SharePoint Server 2013

11. The Access 2013 mission
• Quickly create business value with server-based apps
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•
•
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App Templates & Table Templates
Maintain existing desktop databases & import data
App Experience without code
Apps for SharePoint in a browser

12. Access 2013 Web Apps
• New App Experience
•
•
Simplified design experience
Polished, consistent results
• SharePoint deployment
• SQL back-end
SQL
Database
SharePoint
Web Applications

13. What is an Access web app?
• SharePoint apps
• Can be deployed to SharePoint Store
• Data and Access objects saved to it’s own SQL Server
database
• Tables directly accessible
• Cannot create or initiate SharePoint workflows on Access app
data
• No unique permissions at the table or row level
• Access app data not automatically indexed by SharePoint
search engine
• Do not support Visual Basic (VB) programming language

14. Agenda

15. Access Desktop v
Access App
Desktop “classic” solutions
Access App
•
•
•
•
• Web/SharePoint applications
• Data lives in SQL 2012
• Access client only needed for
designing applications
• Central access control
• Security
• Sharing
• Scaling up
• Standard Professional UI
• No code
20 years old
Very popular
Easy to create poor apps
Client machine deployment
required
• Solved business needs

16. Agenda

17. User Interface
• Access generates UI
• Runs entirely in the browser
• Forms are HTML & JavaScript
• No server-side rendering or processing
• Seamless SharePoint integration, including Themes
• Limited customizations
• Prevent non-designers from hurting themselves
• Enables improvements, more form factors

18. User interface model

19. WORKING WITH AN ACCESS APP

20. Agenda

21. How does it work?

22. Access 2013 App Templates
• Jump-start the creation of Access apps
• Templates:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Custom web app*
Asset tracking
Contacts
Issue tracking
Project management
Task management
• * Only template Access app template available when you first
start Access. Others only available when connected to the
internet.

23. Access app templates available over the
Internet
Template
name
Description
Tables
Views
Asset Tracking
Track equipment used by your
business and assigned to
employees.
Assets, Categories, Employees
List, Datasheet,
By Category,
By Group
Contacts
Manage individual and corporate
relationships.
Contacts
List, Datasheet,
By Group
Issue Tracking
Record issues related to your
business, associate them with
customers, and assign them to
employees
List, Datasheet,
Issues, Customers, Employees,
By Status,
Issue Comments, Related Issues
By Group
Project
Management
Manage projects by breaking work
items into tasks, associating them
Projects, Employees,
with customer, and assigning them to Customers, Tasks
employees.
List, Datasheet,
By Status,
By Group,

24. Access to SQL Server object mapping
• Access table* = SQL Server table
• Access data types = SQL Server data types
• Text fields => nvarchar
• Number => decimal, int or float
• Image => varbinary (MAX)
* Access provides table templates (nouns). You can also create
linked tables to display data from SharePoint lists including
external lists. For each table, two views are automatically
generated: List and Datasheet.

25. Queries
• Use when users extensively use the same filters, sorts or
column hiding
• Combine related tables
• Perform calculations
• Summaries
• Automatically apply changes
• Created as SQL Server
• Views
• Table-valued function (TVF)

26. Macros
• Miniature program
• Stored in Access app
• Automate common tasks
• Two types:
• User Interface
• Navigation to another view
• Showing or hiding controls
• Attached to command buttons or combo boxes
• Data macros
• Implement business rules at data level

27. Permissions
• Inherited from the site where the app was created
• Solution creators => Full Control
• Consumers
• Create, update, delete data => Contribute
• View => Read

28. BUILDING AN ACCESS APP

29. Agenda

30. Advantages of Access Services
• Centralize data/administration/security
• End-user created
• Professional interface
• Usage monitoring
• App Store
• Upgrade path?

31. Agenda

32. Every you need for Access Services is in
Office 365
• SQL (Azure)
• Security
• Identity
• Access control
• Redundancy/Backup

33. On-premise Access Services
SharePoint Server 2013
Web Servers
Application Servers
Office Web Apps Server
SQL Server 2012 SP1
(Mixed Mode - SQL Server
authentication and Windows
authentication)
SharePoint
Content databases
SQL 2008 R2
SQL 2012
Access Web
Apps
databases

34. Finding the SQL database name

35. Agenda

36. Review
• Most Organizations have Access desktop databases
• Access app = central control
• Self Service – Reduce IT Workload
• Office 365 has Access Services
• Need Enterprise Client Access Licenses to use Access Services
on-premise

37. Resources
• Changes in Office 2013
•
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc178954.aspx
• Comparison of services: Office 365, Standalone and On-premise
•
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-US/library/jj819267.aspx
• Access Team Blog
•
http://blogs.office.com/b/microsoft-access/
• Discontinued features and modified functionality in Access 2013
•
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access-help/discontinued-features-and-modified-functionality-in-access-2013-HA102749226.aspx
• Installing Access Services on-premises
•
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30445
• Add custom actions to the Action Bar
•
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access-help/add-custom-actions-to-the-action-bar-HA102840216.aspx?CTT=1
• Moving and backing up your Access 2013 web apps
•
http://blogs.office.com/b/microsoft-access/archive/2012/09/27/moving-and-backing-up-your-access-2013-web-apps.aspx
• Add apps to the App Catalog
•
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/fp161234.aspx#AddApps
• Add apps to a SharePoint 2013 site
•
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/fp161231.aspx
• Visualize your Access 2013 web app data in Excel
•
http://blogs.office.com/b/microsoft-access/archive/2013/01/22/visualize-access-data-in-excel.aspx
• The Access Show: Developing Access 2010 Hybrid Apps
•
http://blogs.office.com/b/microsoft-access/archive/2010/07/20/the-access-show-developing-access-2010-hybrid-apps-with-dickmoffat.aspx
• Creating Access web databases with Access 2010 and Access Service
•
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff402351(office14).aspx

38. questions?
WWW.SHAREPOINTDESIGNERSTEPBYSTEP.CO
M/BLOG
@PJCOV

39. thank you.
SHAREPOINT AND PROJECT CONFERENCE ADRIATICS 2013
ZAGREB, NOVEMBER 27-28 2013