Split a Database

If a database is shared with several people over a network, you should consider splitting it. Splitting a database reorganizes it into two files — a back-end database that contains the database's tables, and a front-end database that contains all the other database objects such as queries, forms, and reports.

There are a number of benefits to splitting a database, including:

• Enhanced Security: If you have saved a back-end database to your computer that uses the NTFS file system, you can use the NTFS security features to secure your data. Since users will access the back-end database through linked tables, it is more difficult for unauthorized users to access data from the front-end database.
• Greater Availability: Since a split database's data is sent across the network, actions made in it are usually quicker to complete, which allows the data to be more available to edit.
• Improved Performance: Splitting a database usually significantly improves its performance because only its objects' data are sent across the network, not its actual objects.

1. On your computer, make a copy of the database you want to split.
2. Open the local copy of the database.
3. Click the Database Tools tab on the ribbon.
4. Click the Access Database button.

   The Database Splitter Wizard appears.

5. Click Split Database.
   

   The Create Back-end Database dialog box appears.

6. Specify a name, file type, and location for the back-end database and click Split.
   

   A dialog box appears, informing you that the database has been successfully split.

7. Click OK.