Updates vs. Inserts when Exporting Excel files into Access

[Renee]

This should be a simple question, but I want to know if records get updated
when a primary key matches an existing record, or if those records are
ignored and only new records are processed.

My client wants a data dump of her online database to download and import
into her local Access database so she can run specific reports. The online
and local database have the same primary ids for the table in question.
However, she wants ONLY NEW RECORDS, and no overwritten data or updated
records from the online export.

I am dynamically creating the excel file (via PHP) and offering it for
download, but I need to make sure when she clicks 'import' it will only be
inserting records that don't already exist. If that's not true, is there a
way to turn off updates?

Your time and your help is appreciated.

Thanks,
-R

 

[bhicks11 via AccessMonster.com]

Hi Renee,

If the ID field is her primary key, it must be unique. So if the excel file
you send has the same ID and you are trying to append to that ID field, it
will not append. You can run either APPEND queries or UPDATE queries. They
are two different things. You can UPDATE a record with the unique ID.


By the way, questions are rarely as simple as you think.

Bonnie

http://www.dataplus-svc.com

 

[Klatuu]

First question would be is the online database an Access mdb, SQL Server,
HTML, or some other format? When you say online, do you mean she will be
transfering from a web site, or is it just an Access mdb or some other
database engine on the network?

Please provide some detail includeing Access version, Windows version,
whether her local Access database is split or not, and what kind of data she
wants to import.

This info will make a difference in how you do it.