If your clinic will use more than one computer, you are probably interested in security and networking. Microsoft Access© applications support multiple users, and user and group account permissions provide a method of securing your database to suit your needs.

Networking

There are two ways to use this system in an environment where more than one computer will access the database.

• Sharing the folder that contains the database, and mapping that network share on other computers in your clinic.
• Using a split database, with the back end (the database) on a server, and the front end (the interface to the system) on the client computers.

Both of the above methods require you to share the folder that contains your database file, and permit other computers on the network to modify that folder. Additionally, it is very important to insure that when you open the database on the computer that has the database installed on it, it is being opened in the correct mode. To do this, open the database, select the Tools menu, then Options. On the Advanced tab, under "Default record locking", be sure to select "Edited Record".

The first method is the simplest to use - simply share the folder that contains the database, permit other users to modify that folders contents, and then for each client computer, map the network drive, and place a shortcut to the database on the desktop of that machine.

If you do not know how to share a folder and enable other users to modify it's contents, or if you don't know how to map a network drive (a shared folder on the network), go to the Windows© Help and Support Center, and search for folder sharing.

The second method - splitting the database, is a bit more trouble to set up, but it is the prefered method in larger networks, as only the data requested by each client needs to be transmitted across the network. If you only have a handful computers that will be using the system, you will most likely be fine with the first method, but if you experience problems with the network, you might want to consider using the split database method.

Splitting the Database

To split the database, first decide which computer will act as the server for the database, install the system on that computer, and follow these steps:

• First, make sure you have a backup copy of your database file!
• Open the VetSysDB database, and then be sure to close the switchboard
• Select Database Utilites from the Tools menu, then select Database Splitter
• You can just click OK until the process completes

You should now have two files - one named "VetSysDB.mdb", and the other named "VetSysDB_be.mdb". The "VetSysDB_be.mdb" file is the back end file - it contains none of the forms and reports, etc. - only the tables that hold the data. The "VetSysDB.mdb" file contains only the forms and reports, etc. This file links (points to) the tables in the "VetSysDB_be.mdb" file.

You now have several steps to perform to get the system working for each of the other computers you will be using. First, share the folder that contains the "VetSysDB.mdb" file, and make sure that other users can modify the contents of the folder. Next, for each of the other computers:

• Map the shared folder:
• Open Explorer - (Right click the start button, and select Explore)
• From the tools menu, select Map Network Drive
• Be sure the "Reconnect at logon" box is checked, and browse to the folder that contains the database
• Copy the "VetSysDB.mdb" file to this computers "My Documents" folder
• Open the file you just copied to the "My Documents" folder
• Be sure to close the switchboard.
• In the Database window, on the left side, select Tables
• You need to delete ALL of the links to the tables. Don't worry - those are links, not the actual tables. Once you select the first table, you can just hit the Delete key, followed by the Enter key, to delete each table.
• After all the links to tables are deleted, go to the File menu, and select "Get External Data", then select "Link Tables".
• Browse to the network drive (shared folder) you just mapped, and select the "VetSysDB_be.mdb" file
• The list of tables contained in the "VetSysDB_be.mdb" file will be displayed. Click the Select All button, and click OK.
• Now close the database window, and re-open the "VetSysDB.mdb" file you saved in the "My Documents" folder. You should now be able to access the back end that is on the server.

Microsoft Access© uses a workgroup information file to define security settings that are related to users and groups. Setting up that workgroup information file is more than can be covered here, however we can provide a reasonable set of default settings for you to use. This workgroup information file contains several groups and users:

• The Owners group and the Owner user
• Members of the Owners group have complete (administrative) control of the system
• The Doctors and StaffUsers groups and Doctor and Staff users
• Do not have modify/design rights for tables,forms, reports, etc.
• Cannot view financial or employee data

Of course you can add new users, assign them to groups and set passwords, etc. as you wish. If you would like to utilize user level security, please contact us, and we will send you the workgroup information file along with some installation and usage information.