Creating Business Solutions with Access Services RAYMOND MITCHELL & WES PRESTON

Abstract In this session we’ll look at where Access sits in the solution landscape, how to get started, and then walk through demos of creating and publishing a custom web app without writing code. We’ll also look at what it means to configure Access Services in your environment and show examples of integration opportunities. Bring lots of questions and an open mind – you’ve never seen Access like this!

@iwkid linkedin.com/in/iwkid Raymond Mitchell Independent Consultant Owner of IWSPACE, LLC Specialize in SharePoint & Information Worker Technologies SharePointing since

@idubbs linkedin.com/in/wpreston Wes Preston Independent Consultant Owner of TrecStone Information Worker, No-code/low-code solutions for business. SharePointing since

Agenda Overview Getting Started Creating Access Web Apps Access Functionality Reporting & External Connections Publishing & Upgrading Resources & Questions

Overview ACCESS SERVICES

Access 2013 Still clinging to life.. Start from a blank Database or from one of many templates

Access Services 2010 Quick survey – who here used Access Services 2010?

Access Services 2010 “Web Databases” Data was stored in Lists Publish your existing databases Lots of limitations: Not all form control events are supported in Web databases Not all column data types are compatible with Web lookups Not all field data types are compatible with the Web At the end of the day – not so great Possible reason to miss them? On-prem configuration was much easier

Access Services 2013 Still requires a Service Application on-prem Introducing Access Web Apps Data is stored in SQL Server Every Access Web App is a database in SQL

Access Web Apps They’re real SharePoint Apps! Uses “familiar” installation process Can be distributed just like other apps Corporate Catalog Deployed to the SharePoint Store

Where does Access Fit? Fills *some* of the gaps left by SharePoint Designer and InfoPath changes No-Code solutions (advanced capabilities for power users – queries, integration, macros) Arguably better than SharePoint at transactions / relational data Reporting is definitely better – data is in SQL Definitely part of Microsoft’s “to the cloud” vision Easiest on Office 365 Leverages SQL Azure

Limitations Form and page layout is closed – development is limited to Apps for Office extensions No SharePoint-style Alerts No Workflow No true granular security within the app

Getting Started WHAT’S NEEDED

What’s needed SharePoint 2013 SQL Server 2012 or SQL Azure (depending on deployment platform) Access 2013 client for design work

Office 365 Almost ZERO configuration – it just works May have to activate the Access App Site Feature Available on ALL levels (not just Enterprise) Gets the latest and greatest improvements (Cascading dropdowns!!!) May have some data/capacity limitations with SQL Azure

SharePoint 2013 On-Prem Only available with Enterprise license SharePoint 2013 March Update ( ) may as well go to SP1 ( ) now that it is stable SQL 2012 configured for mixed-mode authentication It’s difficult to configure Going to be another example of the push to the Cloud…

Platform Differences Office 365 SQL Azure Latest features first Setup: On-Prem Local SQL Server 2012 Latest features on 2-3 year release cycle Setup:

Quick thoughts Configuring On-Prem Configure Apps first – that’s enough fun for one day Use the official white paper AND Kirk Evans’s blog post for referencewhite paperblog post Insane permissions issues not addressed in the white paper Really should have a separate SQL Server or at least Instance Can’t use SQL Aliases Be prepared for firewall rules and such Be prepared – all you get are GUIDs When you’re stuck, reboot

Create Access Web Apps START FROM SCRATCH

Creating Access Web Apps When creating from scratch, two starting points: Access SharePoint

DEMO Create an Access Web App from SharePoint Show how to create from Access Show Table Templates Show Navigation Tables, Default views Launch the App

Create Access Web Apps START FROM A PUBLISHED APP

Installing Access Apps from the Store Existing Microsoft-created Access Web Apps Salon Management Asset Management System Meal Delivery Recruiting Helper Tool Tracker Student Drop in Management Training Management More! Only recently added the ability to publish Access Apps to the Store – more will be coming Install process is like other Apps – except that Access Services must be configured first

DEMO Add an Access App from the SharePoint Store Show how to customize an Access App from the store

Access Functionality BUILDING BLOCKS FOR ACCESS WEB APPS

Tables Data is stored in ‘Tables’ (as opposed to Lists) Table Templates are available to get started There are a LOT of samples available with one or more tables and associated views Search for ‘all’ to see the full list Add a new blank table – to start from scratch Existing data sources

Tables - Data Types Shift from SharePoint thinking… In Access, data type is separate from data display

Views / Forms A little terminology overlap from SharePoint

Macros Types of Macros Event Data OnStart On Deploy Data Macro (ODDM)

Macros Types of Macros Event Data OnStart On Deploy Data Macro (ODDM) Respond to clicks on a view

Macros Types of Macros Event Data OnStart On Deploy Data Macro (ODDM) Respond to data events

Macros Types of Macros Event Data OnStart On Deploy Data Macro (ODDM) Execute when the app opens

Macros Types of Macros Event Data OnStart On Deploy Data Macro (ODDM) Execute during install / upgrade scenarios

SharePoint Integration List Lookups Site permissions Site branding App-style Navigation (back to site link)

DEMO Walkthrough of the building blocks

Reporting & External Connections USE THAT SQL SERVER

Reporting Instance Create a client-only database that links to your SQL database Separates reporting from application maintenance

Enabling Connections Where’s my data? Database named with GUIDs In Azure *somewhere* What’s my username? What’s my password?

External Connections Excel Visio Power View Crystal Reports Custom Code External services that can connect to SQL Azure (like

DEMO Configuring External Connections Connecting with Excel

Publishing & Upgrading LIFECYCLE OF AN ACCESS WEB APP

Application Package Create an.app Package Four deployment options: Create an Access App by uploading the.app Upload to Development Site Deploy to your Corporate Catalog Submit to the SharePoint Store Pay close attention to the “Include Data in Package” option

Application Package Access Client SP1 Save As Options Includes better support for upgrade scenarios All Upgrade functionality is new (was releasing around SPC14 timeframe)

Upgrading Table Locking On Deploy Data Macro Runs when the app is installed or upgraded Migrates data or loads sample data Access Solution Developer owns the logic (Great Power + Great Responsibility) App Locking Removes the “Customize in Access” If modified, cannot be upgraded

DEMO Package and Deploy an Access Web App

Resources AND STUFF

Resources Kirk Evans post – deploy Access on Prem premises-installation.aspx premises-installation.aspx SPC14 Sessions on Channel9 Conference/2014?sort=sequential&direction=desc&term=&tag=access&tag=access- services#theSessions Conference/2014?sort=sequential&direction=desc&term=&tag=access&tag=access- services#theSessions (SPC204) Anyone can build a SharePoint App with Microsoft Access Book: Microsoft Access 2013 Inside Out – Jeff Conrad ebook/dp/B00JDMPLLO/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid= ebook/dp/B00JDMPLLO/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=

Resources Add notifications to your Access 2013 web apps using Zapier to-your-access-2013-web-apps/ to-your-access-2013-web-apps/ Visualize your Access 2013 web app data in Excel

Resources SPC ◦SPC204 – Anyone can build a SharePoint App with Microsoft Access ◦SPC285 – No-code SharePoint 2013 Solutions for power users ◦SPC301 – Access is back! High-value, ‘no code’, functional & flexible business apps with the new Access ◦SPC335 – Rich extensions to SharePoint Apps using Microsoft Access ◦SPC338 – The ‘how to’ guide for selling and managing SharePoint Apps build using Access ◦SPC348 – Update on InfoPath and SharePoint Forms

Questions?