I cover everything you need to know about splitting your database in Access Expert 21. I only cover it briefly in the Security Seminar because that's a more advanced database and I assume you already know how to split.

In a nutshell, you split the database, put the tables (back-end) on a shared server folder, and then give each user a front-end that includes the forms, queries, reports, etc. They all connect to the back-end which should be named the SAME for everyone. It could be a mapped drive like Z:\ or a UNC path like //SERVER/Database

Yes, an ACCDE file for the other users is not only allowed, it's preferred! Although if you don't care that they see the design of your database, it doesn't matter if they mess with it, because if they break something you just update their copy from your master copy and all is fixed.

Dispersing updates that you make on your master copy of the front-end has always been an issue for database admins. That's why I recently released the Access Updater. Check it out.

Best of all, you could get away with the Access Runtime for all of your other users, so you don't have to purchase a full copy of Access for everyone. Only the people who need DESIGN access require it.