Hi Mary. An ACCDE file only encrypts your forms, reports, and modules. It's so someone can't modify the DESIGN of your database. The tables (the data) has to be unencrypted. So yes, anyone who knows what they're doing can open your back-end (table) database and play with the data.

You have three options: you can upgrade to an in-house database server, like SQL Server. There is a free version called SQL Server Express which I am currently planning a seminar for.

Your second option is to use an off-site database server, like SQL Server or mySQL in the "cloud." I use GoDaddy, but Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and others can host your data off-site. The benefit to this is that your users can access your data from ANYWHERE. Again, I have a seminar planned for this too.

Another option is to use SharePoint, which I cover in my SharePoint Seminar.

The other option is to encrypt your back-end data using a technique similar to what I do in my Access Encryption Seminar. It essentially scrambles sensitive data (credit card numbers, etc.) so that users see gibberish.

What do I suggestion? If you have ANY desire to allow remote access to your data, I'd go with the GoDaddy-hosted SQL Server setup (seminar on that is coming). If you want to keep your data in-house, then an on-site SQL Server is best. If you only want to keep some sensitive data (credit card numbers, sales figures, salary info) from prying eyes, the Encryption Seminar is just fine.

I will look forward to seeing the SQL Server Express seminar. I'm also interested in the off-site database server.