Videos

Description

If you are concerned about making good backups of your database, then this template is for you. Most backup solutions don't properly backup Access files. They have a hard time copying files that are open or in use. This is an Access-based solution that deals with that problem. This template includes a form that you can copy into any database which will ensure that all of your database files are backed up from the source folder to a specified destination folder.

In addition to just the template, there are also several videos which give you a good background on how to perform proper backups, how to use Google's Backup and Sync cloud service, how to perform automated backups, how to kick other users out of the database at a specified time (if they leave the office and forget to close Access) and how you can run your automated backup at a specific time, like 4am. Watch the first two free videos above for more information.

Sample Database

If you'd like to download a sample copy of the database template, you can do so here. This is a NON-EDITABLE version of the backup template which will let you see it work in action.

Full Purchased Database

Once you have purchased the full database template, come back to this page and click on the Download button below. This will give you access to the ZIP file containing the Template ACCDB file. You will also have access to videos 2 and 3 above. Please watch them.

Q&A

Does the Backup Template require me to know VBA? You'll have to know how to use a little VBA if you want to customize the Backup Template to run at a specific time of day. If you want to run the event manually then all you have to do is drop my form in your database and click RUN yourself. However, if you want to have it kick off at, say, 4am, then you need to insert just a few lines of code into an event on your main menu form. I show you how to do this in the videos, but I do recommend you at LEAST watch my Intro to VBA video.
How often per day does the Template back up? I show you how to kick off the event once per day, however with a little modification you could run it as many times as you want. For most businesses I think once per day is just fine.
Will it backup to my NAS (Network Attached Storage)? Sure. It basically performs a file copy of all of your database files. You can copy it to another hard drive, a networked hard drive, a Google Drive backup folder like I recommend, or wherever else you can copy files normally.
I have continuous backup to the Cloud. Is this better? Continuous cloud server backups are nice. Consider this a supplement. I use Google Backup & Sync myself as I show in the videos. The problem is that Access keeps ACCDB and MDB files open and locked when they're in use. Sometimes they'll copy just fine. Sometimes they won't. I had a client who was using a Cloud-based backup and really needed to restore yesterday's file, but found out it wasn't properly backed up. This solution takes care of that problem.

License

For internal use only. This template does NOT come with a royalty-free license. You may only customize the template for your business needs and for use within your organization at one location ONLY. You may not resell or distribute any form of this template to others without express written permission. Contact me for additional information on obtaining a license to distribute if you plan on including this template in a product you are reselling. Additional licenses are required if you plan on using this template with more than ten (10) employees or in multiple locations within your organization.

Not a Finished Product

Please keep in mind that most of my template databases are not designed to be finished products that are ready to go in a working environment. My templates are meant as starting points for you to customize for yourself so you don't have to reinvent the wheel. This requires that you have a basic understanding of Microsoft Access development. To work on most of my databases you should have completed my Access Beginner series and the first couple levels of my Expert series at a minimum. Most of my databases require knowledge of SQL and VBA as well. Keep in mind that most of my templates are not like off-the-shelf software. They're starting points for developers to be able to modify and use as their own. It really is going to be in your benefit to watch all of the prerequisite videos so you understand the database and how it works moving forward. This is not like QuickBooks where you just install it and use it. My templates are mostly designed for people who already have an understanding of how Microsoft Access works.

Customize For Your Needs

If you would like to discuss customizing this template for your needs, and integrating it into your current setup, please see my consulting page for details. While I no longer accept custom jobs that are specific to a single user, I may include your features in a future version of this template if they have mass appeal. If you are looking for custom enhancements made to this template just for you, visit my Developer Network.

Technical Support

Please note that technical support is NOT guaranteed for any of my courses, seminars, or templates. If you require help with modifying this template, you may post a question in the Forums, however an answer to your question is not guaranteed. If this template comes with an accompanying Seminar, then you should purchase that Seminar to see how the database was constructed. If not, then you should have taken the suggested courses. Most of my templates are designed on a Developer level and you should have a thorough understanding of SQL and VBA before attempting to modify them. If you have a problem with one of my databases, I will only support the unmodified database exactly as it's downloaded from my site. If you have modified it in any way, it may not be something I can help you with. You can post in the Forums, and I may be able to help you, but if the issue doesn't exist in my unmodified database, it's not something I can support.

Questions?

Got sales or customer service questions about this template? Feel free to contact me. If you have technical "how do I" questions about this template, you discover a bug, or want to suggest a new feature, then please post your comments below.

Keywords

microsoft access, ms access, ms access tutorial, #msaccess, #microsoftaccess, #help, #howto, #tutorial, #learn, #lesson, #training, #database, #templates, backup database template, automated backup

Comments for Access Backup Template

Age	Subject	From
2 years	Code in Video	Jeffrey Nabarek
4 years	backup question	John Yeung
5 years	Backup Manager	Brad Weekley
5 years	Integrate with Updater	Brad Weekley
5 years	Very useful and simple app	Despina Karayanni
5 years	Backups Made Easy	Mark Pierce

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Intro

This page introduces the TEMP Access Backup Template for Microsoft Access, a solution designed to help advanced users automate the backup of their Access database files, even when files may be left open on the network. I will show you how to incorporate the backup form into your database, schedule automated backups, and ensure users are logged out at specific times for safe copying. We will talk about setup requirements, cover some necessary VBA coding, and highlight essentials for scheduling and running backups properly. This template is intended for users with solid experience in Microsoft Access and basic VBA knowledge.

Transcript

Welcome to the database backup template videos brought to you by AccessLearningZone.com. I am your instructor, Richard Rost.

The backup template is a form that you can put in any database that will back up your database files from whatever folder they happen to be in into a specified backup folder. The problem with most automated backup solutions, whether they are cloud backup, tape backup, or whatever you happen to be using, is that most backup solutions will not copy files that are open. If your Access database is left open by anybody on your network, chances are it will not copy, or it might get corrupted.

One of the things I will show you how to do in the videos that accompany the template is how to make everybody else close their Access database at a time like 4 a.m. so that you can run the backup, which will back up all the files from the front end and the back end and copy them safely to your backup folder. Then, whatever other database backup solution you have, whether it is Google Drive, Dropbox, tape drive, or anything else, can then safely back up the backups of the database files.

As a warning, this is not just a plug-and-play backup template. You have to know a little bit about Access and some VBA in order to get this to work properly if you want it to be automated. If you just want to drop my form in your database and then run it manually, great, but if you want to have it automated, if you want to have people kicked off at 4 a.m., you are going to have to know a little bit of VBA.

I strongly recommend my beginner, expert, and advanced series and at least Developer Level 1. You should, at the bare minimum, watch my Access VBA video. I am not promising that you will know enough to be able to incorporate this database if you do not have my developer lessons under your belt. So, again, this is for seasoned Access people only.

If you are a beginner, do not get the template and expect me to help you plug it into your database, because that is not what it is about. It only takes about 5 to 10 minutes to set it up, but you have to know Access VBA. I will show you how to do it in the videos, but it is not for beginners. Sorry.

The template should work with pretty much every version of Access going back to about 2007. I am using Access 365, which is roughly equivalent to 2016 or 2019.

If you have questions, feel free to post them in my forums or in the comment box below.

The next video is actually one of my free TechHelp videos on database backups, specifically how to do it manually. I want you to watch this video so you get some good foundational information, some fundamentals on backing up your database.

The second video is the extended cut for my members. Also, watch this video for some fundamental information on how to copy files with Access. Backing up when the database closes, you can incorporate that if you want to, forcing your users out at 4 a.m.

This is the part that is important. The part that is actually in the template, there is no code for that. So, that is in here. It is one line of code: DoCmd.Quit, but knowing where to put it is important. Watch this video if you plan on putting that into the front ends that you distribute to your users so that a timer event kicks them out at 4 a.m. Watch this video. Then, there is code to run your backup at 5 a.m., and you can have that launch your template.

The third video is a proper walkthrough of the actual template file itself that you purchased. You will see how to set up your backup to schedule at any time you want to on your main menu. I have mine set up at 4 a.m., and again, I will walk you through the code. I am going to show you everything that I have done, but you need to have a little VBA under your belt before you try to make changes or incorporate this into your existing database.

Sit back, relax, and watch these videos before you try using the database template yourself in your database. If you have any questions, feel free to post them down below. Thanks.

Quiz

Q1. What is the main function of the backup template mentioned in the video?
A. To back up database files from their original folder to a specified backup folder
B. To analyze database queries for optimization
C. To automatically update data within the database
D. To create new access user forms

Q2. What is a key reason why most automated backup solutions struggle with Access databases?
A. They do not recognize Access file formats
B. They cannot copy files that are open
C. They slow down network performance
D. They require cloud storage only

Q3. What is one solution proposed for ensuring the Access database can be backed up safely?
A. Upgrade to a newer version of Access
B. Have all users close the database at a scheduled time, like 4 a.m.
C. Split the database into many smaller files
D. Store the database in a different file format

Q4. What is necessary to automate the backup and user logoff process described in the template?
A. Knowing some VBA coding in Access
B. Having a fast internet connection
C. Installing a backup plugin
D. Using Microsoft Excel

Q5. Who is the intended audience for this database backup template?
A. Access beginners with no VBA experience
B. Advanced Excel users
C. Seasoned Access users with some VBA knowledge
D. Anyone who can use email

Q6. How long is it estimated to set up the backup template if you have the necessary skills?
A. 1-2 hours
B. 30-60 minutes
C. 5-10 minutes
D. Several days

Q7. Which versions of Access is the template said to be compatible with?
A. Only Access 365
B. Any version after Access 2019
C. Access versions going back to about 2007
D. Only Access 97

Q8. What should a beginner NOT expect when purchasing the template?
A. A step-by-step walkthrough suitable for beginners
B. Immediate compatibility with Excel
C. Plug-and-play with no knowledge required
D. Personal beginner-level support to install into their database

Q9. What should users watch before using the template in their database?
A. The three tutorial videos provided with the template
B. Only the video on DoCmd.Quit
C. A general Access overview course
D. No videos are necessary

Q10. What does the template use to force users out of the database at a set time?
A. Windows Task Scheduler
B. A special plugin
C. A timer event with DoCmd.Quit in VBA
D. An external batch script

Answers: 1-A; 2-B; 3-B; 4-A; 5-C; 6-C; 7-C; 8-D; 9-A; 10-C

DISCLAIMER: Quiz questions are AI generated. If you find any that are wrong, don't make sense, or aren't related to the video topic at hand, then please post a comment and let me know. Thanks.

Summary

Today's video from Access Learning Zone focuses on the database backup template that I created for Microsoft Access. I designed this template as a form that you can easily add to any Access database to back up your database files from their current location to a chosen backup folder.

A common problem with most automated backup solutions, like cloud backups or tape drives, is that they usually do not copy files that are open. If someone leaves your Access database open on the network, the backup might not complete successfully, or worse, generate a corrupted file. In the accompanying videos for this template, I explain how you can ensure all users close their database connection at a specific time, such as 4 a.m. This allows you to safely back up both your front-end and back-end files. Once you have your database files copied to your backup folder, you can use any other backup system, like Google Drive or Dropbox, to handle those backup copies securely.

It is important to point out that this backup template is not a simple plug-and-play solution. If you want to automate the backup process or automatically log everyone out of the database in the early morning, you will need some familiarity with Access VBA. You can still use the template manually by dropping the form into your database and running it yourself, but automation and more advanced features do require programming knowledge.

I highly recommend that you complete my beginner, expert, and advanced Access courses and at least my Developer Level 1 course before attempting to set up this template. At a minimum, you should be comfortable with VBA in Access. The instructions and walkthroughs are there to help, but this solution is intended for users with some Access experience.

If you are just starting out with Access, this template may not be the right fit. I cannot provide one-on-one support for beginners looking to just drop this into their projects. Setup itself is quick, just five to ten minutes, but using and customizing it properly assumes you are comfortable with Access and VBA.

This template works with most versions of Access, starting with 2007 and newer, including Access 365, which is very similar to Access 2016 and 2019.

If you have questions along the way, feel free to leave a comment below or visit the forums for assistance.

After this introduction, the next video I provide is one of my free TechHelp videos that covers manual database backups. This will give you some core knowledge about how to safely back up your Access database.

The second video is an extended cut available to members. It gives you important details on how to use Access to copy files, how to set up backups to occur as the database closes, and how to automatically log users off at a scheduled time, like 4 a.m. If you plan to distribute front-end copies to other users and need to enforce automatic shutdowns, pay special attention to this segment, since knowing how and where to use commands like DoCmd.Quit is key. There is also advice on running backups on a schedule, for example at 5 a.m., by launching the template.

The third video is a detailed walkthrough of the template you purchased. Here I demonstrate how you can set up and schedule your database backup directly from your main menu, using any time you prefer. In this video, all of the setup steps and the VBA code are fully explained, but again, you will want some VBA experience before trying to adapt this to your setup.

I recommend watching all of these videos thoroughly before trying to use the template with your own database. If you need help, just leave a comment below.

You can find a complete video tutorial with step-by-step instructions on everything discussed here on my website at the link below. Live long and prosper, my friends.

Topic List

Overview of the Access database backup template
Setting up a backup form in your Access database
Copying database files to a specified backup folder
Automating backups by closing user sessions at a set time
Backing up both front end and back end Access files
Running backups on a schedule using VBA
Incorporating backup routines into your main menu
Using DoCmd.Quit to force Access to close
Requirements for automating the backup with VBA skills
Version compatibility with Access 2007 and newer