Re: What my best solution?

In message <6_fv8.8341$e5.50059_at_news.indigo.ie>, Ed <mint400_at_eircom.net> writes
>Hi There,
>
>We are a small property sales company that have recently implemented a LAN
>into our office for simple file and print services. Up to now we have been
>using MS works database for our customer/business details and this has
>worked very well. The file is stored on one of the PCs on the LAN but in
>order for another PC to have access the file must be closed. This system is
>nigh impossible to maintain as sometimes the office is very busy and one
>might forget to close the file. We are now at the stage where we want a
>database solution that can be open at all times and be 'live' updated. as we
>are P2P at the moment we don't really mind having to buy a file server but
>would like to save the money if possible. I have heard of MS Access and sql
>Server but I need more information, i.e.
>
>Can we transfer our existing Works database into access and/or SQL.

That shouldn't be a problem. You should be able to either export the data to a text file or perhaps cut & paste.

>
>Will this be a live situation, so that we don't have to close the file when
>someone else requires use.

Access does support multi-user access but I've got no practical experience of its limits. I think you should be OK if you have less than 10 people accessing the same database at the same time.

>
>Are ther any other simple software solutions where we might not need to
>incorporate a server on our LAN.

You don't need to but someone will just have to live with their machine suddenly slowing down a lot when someone else accesses the database. You may be under the impression that servers need to be incredibly powerful and expensive machines. That's not true. You may be able to use an ordinary desktop PC as a server system for up to 10 users. (If you need more than 10 simultaneous users I'll elaborate on why the limit might be 10.)

>
>Please give an-easy-to-understand answer(s)

I don't know how much of this you understand. E-mail me if you need any more details. Bear in mind that I've used Access and networks a lot but I know almost nothing about Works.

-- 
Bernard Peek
bap_at_shrdlu.com

In search of cognoscenti