Re: [MSAccessProfessionals] [MSAccessProfessionals] I use MS Access in the office, how should I send work orders out to the field.....

hi Mike,

great. To test what you get with linking to a mailbox:

1. make a LOCAL folder on Outlook and put some messages in there.

in Access, to link local Outlook mailbox:

External Data ribbon
Import & Link Group: More
Outlook folder
-- chose Link and then pick folder and mailbox you want

Access should be able to send your text messages too! You'll need to know the carrier for each of the phones you want to text so the  proper email address can be constructed. Have a look at this wiki article for more info:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_gateway

and here is a pretty good list of domains to use for different carriers:

https://avtech.com/articles/138/list-of-email-to-sms-addresses/

kind regards,
crystal

On 6/1/2021 12:04 PM, michael simpson via groups.io wrote:

Crystal - 

This is exactly what I want to do... "Access can link to, parse message, and get data" 

At the moment I am retyping the write up on the work orders, which is annoying to say the least...  On sending work orders to the field I am currently using text messages.. which is then copied to a paper work order, and then retyped by myself when the paperwork is submitted... 

A CSV file or something that can be up and down loaded for individual work orders, do not need access to the database in the field

 

Take care,

Mike the Plumber

Sac City Plumbing

Phone: (916) 837-2211  

On Tuesday, June 1, 2021, 09:20:35 AM PDT, crystal (strive4peace) via groups.io <strive4peace2008=yahoo.com@groups.io> wrote:

hi Mike,

I've had good success back-ends on Azure -- then Access can get to it too. You'd need a could interface for your field people unless they can use remote desktop to get to a computer that's running Access. Optionally, you can use email and direct all their responses to a local mailbox that Access can link to, parse message, and get data.

kind regards,
crystal

On 5/31/2021 11:20 PM, Bill Mosca wrote:

Hi Mike

 

Access was never designed to handle cloud database structure. I've seen work-arounds that are so complex they are almost impossible to maintain. Many developers have built such monsters and regretted it later as Access is not the platform for such a system. I would start with a database in SQL Server hosted In the cloud with maybe something like Office 365 as the base.

 

Regards,

Bill Mosca

 

From: michael simpson via groups.io <saccity101=yahoo.com@groups.io>
Sent: Monday, May 31, 2021 5:36 PM
To: MSAccessProfessionals+owner@groups.io
Subject: [MSAccessProfessionals] I use MS Access in the office, how should I send work orders out to the field.....

 

Good day,  I use MS Access as my business management system... I have a primary file at my home office..  I would like to be able to send, a short file file to the worker in the field, Perhaps a comma separated string (value), for the work order that can be updated in the field and then the updates pulled into my main database..  The ideal would be something that can be updated on a smart phone...

 

Any ideas on where to start?

 

Take care,

Mike the Plumber