Access 2007 - Compacting and Repairing Access Databases

Compacting your Access database is an important part of making sure your database is as fast and efficient as possible.

I recently showed a client who had an Access 2003 database how to compact the database, reducing the file size from 100 to 6 megabytes. When she upgraded to Access 2007, she had a hard time finding the commands to compact her 2007 database.

Here are the instructions:

First, back up your database.

Click the Office button at the upper left hand corner of your screen.
Select Manage.
Click Back up database.
Select a location and name for your backed up database.

Then, Compact and Repair your database.

Back in your original database, click your Office button again.
Select Manage.
Select Compact and Repair Database.

In the background Access will compact, repair, save and reopen the database. This usually happens to fast that you notice it.

If the database is large and hasn't been compacted in a while, it may take a little longer to compact and repair.

For additional information:

Our Atlanta Access training classs - Access Database Design Bootcamp

Solving Office 2003 / 2007 Compatibility Issues

Solving Office 2003/2007 Compatibility Issues

(Word 2007, PowerPoint 2007, Excel 2007)

Office 2007 saves documents with “x” extensions. So Word 2007 documents, for example, are saved as .docx instead of .doc.

If you have Office 2003 and share files with Office 2007 users, there’s a good chance you’ve experienced the frustration of not being able to open their files.

Here are two solutions to this problem.

Solution 1 - Office 2007 Users

As an Office 2007 User, you can be kind to your fellow 2003 users by automatically setting up your software to save files in the 2003 version. This tip works in Word 2007, Excel 2007 and PowerPoint 2007.

Click the office button in the upper left hand corner of your screen.

A dialog box pops up. Click the Word Options button, which will be in the bottom right hand corner of the dialog box.

Click Save.

Under Save files in this format, Select Word 97-2003 Document (*.doc).

That’s it. From now on, every document you save will automatically be saved in 2003 format.

Solution 2 - Office 2003 Users

Microsoft offers a compatibility pack, which enables Office 2003 users to open any 2007 file (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) To find it, click here http://budurl.com/zw7r.