Alternative Options to Access Web App

Question

So In the past I have used Access Web Apps on SharePoint to act as a database to store the data related to all of the CAD workstations for my company. With the Access App, I was able to track workstations, who the workstations were assigned to, as well as keep track of the workstations age for replacement purposes. This made it easy to run reports every quarter to determine which workstations were up for replacement.

I have recently tried to create another one of these Access Apps for a similar situation and I ran into a problem. When trying to create the app, I received a message that said,

"Sorry, your company administrator has restricted creating new Access apps. For more information, see the Access Services in SharePoint Roadmap at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=847798"

After further reading, I discovered that Microsoft, "no longer recommend Access Services for new web apps and web databases"

The reading goes on to say that the feature will be retired from Office 365 and SharePoint Online starting June, 2017 and shut down any remaining web apps and web databases by April 2018

It suggest using PowerApps but I don't think this is a viable option.

---

Edit:

Specifications of the Access Web App

As mentioned above the database is used to store information regarding CAD workstations at my company Within the Access App I have three tables

• Computers
• Locations
• Users

The Computers table stores the information regarding the workstations: computer name, user assigned to that workstation, acquired date, replacement date, make, model, status

Locations table stores the location information for our various R&D sites and offices around the world: city, state, country, country code

Users table stores the users information: name, userID, location, email, manager, R&D group

---

Question:

Since I can no longer use Access, what are some of my options for creating a similar system that integrates with SharePoint??

I liked the interface of the Access App because I could give the various R&D group managers access the the App and they could easily run reports for the groups they managed for budgeting purposes, without it being to complicated for them.

I realize that the general data storage can be done with SharePoint List; however, I was wondering if I could get the same look, feel, and functionality with SharePoint as I do with Access, such as pop-up that allow you to add new entries without leaving the current list and run reports based on specific criteria (location, retired assets, ect.)

I'm up for anything and and suggestions are encouraged

Answer 1

I'm in the same predicament as you and have been scouring the internet for weeks searching for solutions.

The solution I'm thinking of using is Excel and VBA and, honestly, just create my own application with the interfaces I want. Generating reports is possible as well.

Since macros don't run in SharePoint Online, I will have to have users use the Sync feature and keep a "local" copy to use instead of using on the web interface.

It's a suggestion but I'm hoping someone else may have a better solution.

Answer 2

There are not many options in this case as MS wants us to use PowerApps and abandoning AWS which took the effort to make cant be dropped easily. There is no clean workaround either...I will lay down what we are doing here.

Background: Access Services and Access Apps will work with SharePoint Server 2016 till Product Life Cycle.

Option 1:

Customers who are using Access Services or Access Web Apps with Office 365/SharePoint Online can be moved to SharePoint Server 2016 environment. You could look for some provider who can provide Access Web Apps in hosted SharePoint environment. There are quite a few of them. For example, we have been providing Hosted SharePoint since SharePoint 2007 days to the latest SharePoint Server 2016. We are also a direct Tier 1 CSP (we get to see both sides and hence have some benefit). Many of our customers who use Office 365/SharePoint Online along with Access Web Apps are facing a similar dilemma. We recommended some of them to move to our Hosted SharePoint 2016 environment. We have been able to move them successfully in almost all cases along with the database and Access Apps. We are doing the same with Office 365 customers who contact us-We recommend them to get a Hosted SharePoint 2016 Enterprise with a hosting company.

Option 2:

Setup an on-prem dedicated server and move the apps. This takes you away from the cloud part and you will need to manage your own SharePoint environment which is costly to manage. You will need to take the app and get it working in your on-prem environment.

Answer 3

I've been dealing with the same mess. You can try moving to web based systems like HyperOffice HyperBase or Caspio. However, these systems will not integrate with Sharepoint.