Choose Your Data Source

  1. Start Microsoft Access.
  2. Open an existing database or create a new one.
  3. Import or link tables based on your Access version:
    Access Version Action
    2000 or 2003
    1. Click File > Get External Data > Import or File > Get External Data > Link Tables.
    2. In the Import or Link dialog box, choose the ODBC Databases in the Files of type list box.
    2007 To import tables:
    1. Click the External Data tab.
    2. In the Import section, click the Access icon.

      The Get External Data - Access Database dialog box appears.

    3. Select a source file.
    4. Select Link to the data source by creating a linked table.

    To link tables:

    1. Click the External Data tab.
    2. In the Import section, click the More list, and then click ODBC Database.

      The Get External Data - ODBC Database dialog box appears.

    3. Select Import the source data into new table in the current database.
    Here's a brief comparison of working with imported or linked data. For more information, see your Microsoft Access documentation:
    Imported Tables Linked Tables
    Data is local — the entire contents of an imported table are read into a copy on local storage. Data is remote — only rows requested from the linked table are read into local storage.
    Note: You can link to a local table, rather than creating a second copy by importing it.
    Importing can take several seconds, or even minutes, depending on the size of the database. Creating a link is almost instantaneous, depending on the network connection.
    Space is required for local copies of imported tables. The link requires very little local storage.
    Data is static — if there are changes to the database, they are not reflected in local data. If the database is subject to frequent changes, linking can be preferable. Data is dynamic — you have access to any changes.
    If the network connection is broken, users still have access to data. If the network connection is broken, users have no access to data until connection is restored.
    Users cannot write to the indexed file source. Users can write to the indexed file source if the data source name (DSN) is read/write and the user has INSERT and/or UPDATE permissions on the object

    As a guideline, re-linking or re-importing is required when the table structure — such as the number of columns, or their names, sizes, and types — changes.

  4. In the Select Data Source dialog box, click the DSN that you established and click OK.
    AcuXDBC sources will appear on the Machine Data Source tab.
    Note: Click New to create a new DSN. See Setting Up DSNs on the Client for instructions on creating new DSNs.

    The AcuXDBC Login dialog box appears if you or an administrator established database security methods during AcuXDBC setup. If no security methods were established, a User ID and Password are not required, and the Login dialog box will not appear.

  5. If the Login dialog box appears, type a valid User ID and Password and click OK. Microsoft Access connects to the ODBC data source and displays the list of tables that you can import or link.
Parent topic: Accessing Data From Access