Suggested Improvements & Fixes for the NEW Linked Table Manager (now available to Office 365 Insiders and Office 2019):

First, I want to say I really appreciate the new Linked Table Manager in Access (as available for Office 365 Insiders and Office 2019) and it's many incredible improvements. However, I have some suggestions to improve usability, address issues and add functionality to it:

1. Remove / Clarify Repeated Relink Table prompts when Change Data Source Path

Clarify "Do you want to relink the selected tables in the new data source" as for optional table renaming and replace "Cancel" button for Relink Table prompt with "OK to All"

Currently "Do you want to relink the selected tables in the new data source" prompt is shown after browse to select new data source file, but it's confusing, seeming (to myself and even MVPs I've seen) to be a data source (eg. filepath) edit confirmation, instead of prompt to show dozens of rename (Relink Table) prompts. This should be clarified.

And, for those who click without meaning or wanting, at least add "OK to All" to the following dozens of Relink Table prompts. Ideally that would replace the "Cancel" button, because that has the unexpected side effect of causing all following tables to end up with "Failed" status (skipping showing them all) even though wouldn't be Failed if didn't choose "Do you want to relink" originally.

Instead, only show Relink Table prompts for Not Found tables when Relinking entire data source

You can always easily edit specific tables by checking each then Relink (or in one click, as suggested further below) and rarely need to rename every single table.

Also you may want to remove the "&" from the "Re&link {LocalTableName}" prompt title.

2. Add / Rename Columns, Making Editable, Sortable & Resizable (Also removing need for confusing Edit/Relink buttons and repeated prompts)

● Local Source Name / Table (editable, renamed from "Data Source Name")
● Source Type (Access, Excel, CSV, etc.) (as a drop-down)
● Target Path / Table / Source (editable, renamed from "Data Source Information")
● Browse/Edit button column (shown like hyperlink, opens up Browse or large Connection String editor dialog)
● Delete button column
● Password (editable, shown as ***)

Having editable cells and inline buttons/links entirely removes need for Edit and Relink buttons and even for checkboxes.

That would also avoid confusion with Edit vs. Relink, why Edit isn't shown when only select Tables, etc. and removes need for repeated Table rename prompts (with Cancel issues and confusing "Do you want to relink" prompt before that).

If absolutely needed, you could allow multiple selection + Delete key (or Delete hyperlink for Source/Table or Delete button where it is now), so checkboxes become unnecessary and just confusing or time-consuming (checked vs. selected, need to uncheck all then check vs. just click to select & edit).

3. Allow Relinking Easily when Relative Paths or File Names remain the same (eg. "Relink Find in Folder" or "Relink Base Path") (An often requested feature can build into New Linked Table Manager!)

Please consider adding support for Relinking based on relative file paths into the new Linked Table Manager.
You can allow selecting a new folder to be used to find all selected data sources in, for those with the same file name, ideally searching subfolders too if not found.
You can allow specifying old base path to be removed from absolute paths to determine relative paths, if needed.
This is arguably the most common use case by far for Linked Table Manager – just changing paths due to different absolute (but same relative) file paths, such as when receive file from someone else or when begin working on development copy or before switch back to production backend usage.

4. Don't disable Linked Table Manager for new databases

Linked Table Manager is disabled in External Data ribbon when there aren't any existing Linked Tables. This should change now that Linked Table Manager can be used to Add new data sources / linked tables (vs. just edit them), especially for those who don't know that Add Data Source button = Add Linked Table, or for those who prefer radio buttons to drop-down buttons.

5. Add an "Add Table" button and/or context menu action to add new Linked Tables to existing Data Sources:

This will avoid need to setup connection/source repeatedly and workaround the below mentioned issue related to that.
Add Table dialog should show already-added tables as grayed out or filtered out.

6. Issue: Fails to Detect / Group as Same Data Source without Copy-Paste Connection String:

If you add a new linked table for existing data source (by re-entering data source, etc. as is needed now, until Add Table for Data Source is supported) it fails to be grouped under an existing data source, even if Source Name and Connection String/Path matches.
Workaround: You have to use Edit on existing source > Copy, then Edit on new source > Paste, then the two data sources end up combined.

7. Stop showing repeated "Could not find object …" error message boxes (with OK and Help buttons) for every broken table for every time you Refresh:

Just show a single warning message pointing that failures occurred and referring user to look at the Refresh Status column (ideally can also list all failed tables in that message box too).
I'd also suggest having Failed text in Refresh Status column shown in red or highlighting those failed tables in some other fashion.

8. Add "Text / CSV / HTML / XML" to Data source type radio buttons

Add "Text / CSV / HTML / XML" as another "Select data source:" instead of just lumping under Custom now.
This way you get browse dialog upfront for CSV files just like for Excels, and without Connection String complexity.
Also, ensure CSV is mentioned in name since Text may be confusing (many just open CSV in Excel, not considering to be Text files).

9. Add other major data source types to radio buttons

dBASE
SharePoint List
Outlook/Exchange Folder
ODBC Database
Data Services

You could start out just reusing existing wizards (from New Data Source), ideally skipping or setting default for initial "Import vs. Link" wizard prompt if possible.

10. Edit dialog should have a Browse button, like supported with Relink and Add dialogs.

11. Auto generate unique Data Source names (File Name + incremented) to avoid all sources named "Access", etc.

What, if anything (beyond description) is Data Source Names used for or may want to be unique for?

12. Add a "Refresh All" button to Linked Table Manager + in Ribbon for that common use case

"Refresh All" button on ribbon (like commonly used "Refresh All" in Excel) could skip showing Linked Table Manager (or auto open and close) or just show it if errors occur.

Can you clarify what exactly Refresh does?

13. Rename "Edit" button to "Edit Data Source" and "Relink" to "Relink Tables" to clarify difference and when can be used (eg. why Edit is unavailable when select subset of tables)

14. Provide Global Option to always remove schema prefix when renaming (vs. just fixing from "dbo." to "dbo_" as do now).

Thanks again to the Access development team for its incredible improvements in functionality and usability with not only the new Linked Table Manager, but with Microsoft Access in general of late (ranging from Modern Charts and Salesforce & Dynamics connectors to Big Int, Black theme and Northwind template)!

I hope this feedback proves helpful in refining your incredible new Linked Table Manager further.

Appreciatively,
Dan

--

Dan Moorehead
Founder, PowerAccess (https://PowerAccess.net)

"Empowering Microsoft Access with new PowerAccess Tools | VBA Framework | PowerGit | PowerSQL | CodeGen | Excel ➜ Access ➜ SQL Conversion"

I know that this idea has been floated twice before and I also note that the Access team have responded and indicated that this is not part of the development and I also note that its been closed so more votes cannot be taken on it. Thought it was important to re-open because its actually quite a popular idea. I understand that SQL Server / SQL Azure or SQL Express are the way to go if users are wanting larger backends but for quick and dirty working for ETL projects or random data analysis of large datasets individuals may not wish to have the additional overhead of enterprise grade backend database install. Remember a basic SQL Server install will require SSMS and the SQL engine ontop of Access - For individuals in large organisations this may require petitioning central IT for a number of weeks or months. I would always recommend using SQL as the backend for even smaller projects but increasing the max file size would just make Access even more flexible. Anyway keep up the good work MS

ACCDE files provide significant security especially if combined with password protection, disabling shift bypass, hiding navigation pane/ribbon/application window, using a SQL Server backend etc.
Doing so prevents users importing forms/reports & of course code from another database. However, a major weakness & common complaint is that users can still import all tables & queries including hidden & system tables.
It is possible to make tables 'deep hidden' to prevent this ...but even that can be reversed ...if you know how.
Please add code to prevent this security loophole using VBA (not in the ribbon!). If users lock themselves out by doing so, they only have themselves to blame

Since 8/1/2018, MS Access has been crashing repeatedly on multiple machines in our office. We are on 64 bit Office 365 and Windows 10. It appears some bug must have been introduced during one of the automatic updates.

This crash appears to occur with automation where I think a second instance of MS Access is calling an MS access program, but not totally sure:

Faulting application name: MSACCESS.EXE, version: 16.0.10325.20118, time stamp: 0x5b64d927
Faulting module name: OLEAUT32.dll, version: 10.0.17134.48, time stamp: 0xebd737a3
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x000000000008a283
Faulting process id: 0x32a0
Faulting application start time: 0x01d43fb636a345d3
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\MSACCESS.EXE
Faulting module path: C:\WINDOWS\System32\OLEAUT32.dll
Report Id: b87fac84-eca0-480b-8855-0437a376d7e8
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:

This crash occurred with conditional formatting in a continuous form

Faulting application name: MSACCESS.EXE, version: 16.0.10325.20082, time stamp: 0x5b524023
Faulting module name: ntdll.dll, version: 10.0.17134.165, time stamp: 0xf4df6dc2
Exception code: 0xc0000374
Fault offset: 0x00000000000f4d1b
Faulting process id: 0x2f34
Faulting application start time: 0x01d42cda8c32b6c7
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Root\Office16\MSACCESS.EXE
Faulting module path: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll
Report Id: cd99d3ff-d7aa-4af6-9385-5db23f91f481
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:

This crash occurs when we click in a combo box and that box is locked and enabled is set to false:

Faulting application name: MSACCESS.EXE, version: 16.0.10325.20118, time stamp: 0x5b64d927
Faulting module name: mso30win32client.dll, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x5b5da093
Exception code: 0xc000041d
Fault offset: 0x000000000009b445
Faulting process id: 0x1178
Faulting application start time: 0x01d43fbb05c2f1a3
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Root\Office16\MSACCESS.EXE
Faulting module path: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Office16\mso30win32client.dll
Report Id: 2d2299db-57cf-42f3-8ced-5cea27393b1b
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:

Issue:
Access database in the current *.accdb format contains a client table & queries used as a data source in Word Mail Merge. The Access database is encrypted and password protected using the recommended encryption (default), but Word Mail Merge can't open the data source (using OLE DB Database Files or MS Access Database via ODBC (*.mdb.accdb)). Switching to the older encryption (legacy) bypasses the issue on costs of weaker encryption or using the deprecated MS Access Database via DDE (*.mdb,*.mde) but this causes Access to shut down after the Word document is closed (this DDE method is not recommend by Microsoft).

Impact:
Important, customer can bypass the issue selecting a lower encryption level (legacy) for the database to successfully execute mail merge but regarding the new challenges in data security Word should be able to use Mail Merge with the current version of Access and their recommended encryption level. Using lower encryption levels and deprecated procedures can cause security breaches.