A new toolkit is available to help system administrators identify any Access databases that will not work correctly with Access 2003. Although the vast majority of Access databases can be updated to the latest version without trouble (around 99%, according to Microsoft), some require modification before they can be used successfully. Organizations migrating to Office 2003 need to be able to identify all the Access databases in their organization in order to ensure a smooth transition. Prior to the July 2004 availability of the Access 2003 Conversion Toolkit, developers and IT administrators were not easily able to determine in advance which databases could be upgraded directly and which would require modification.

(The most common reason for an Access database conversion to fail is that the developer converted it from an MDB file to an MDE, which compiles the code and secures the database from changes to its schema, forms, and reports. In such cases, the developer must locate the original MDB file, upgrade it to Access 2003, and then reconvert it to an MDE file.)

The Access 2003 Conversion Toolkit consists of a scanning tool, a reporting tool, and documentation.

The scanning tool scans local hard drives and network shares, locates any Access databases, and identifies any possible conversion problems. The scanning tool also identifies some potential problems not related to migration, such as whether an Access database is approaching the maximum 2GB size. The tool has a command-line interface and can be deployed and run via Systems Management Server (SMS).

The reporting tool presents the results of the scan to the administrator. For example, it can tell the administrator the total number of Access databases found and the number likely to require additional intervention before they can be used with Access 2003.

The documentation in the Conversion Toolkit includes white papers and best-practices guidelines to help administrators plan how to update problem databases, such as locating the original MDB file in the case of a compiled and secured database, and how to use the tools to estimate the amount of work required across their organizations.

The scanning tool requires Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 5, Windows 2000, or later. The reporting tool is an Access application and requires Access 2002 or later.

The Access 2003 Conversion Toolkit can be downloaded from www.microsoft.com/office/ork/2003/journ/accessconvert.htm.