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Why MS Access Linked Table Manager Removes Relationships & How to Fix It
Question details
Users notice that table relationships disappear or fail to enforce data integrity after using the Linked Table Manager in a split Microsoft Access database.
- Product
- Microsoft Access
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Updating table links in the front-end of a split Access database.
- Observed behavior
- Relationships displayed in the front-end database do not enforce referential integrity or appear to be deleted after running Linked Table Manager.
Identify which Access file acts as your front-end interface and which acts as your back-end data storage before modifying relationships.
Create and Manage Relationships in the Back-End Database
To enforce referential integrity, relationships must be built directly within the physical back-end database, not the linked front-end.
In a split Microsoft Access database, relationship lines shown in the front-end are purely cosmetic and do not restrict data entry. Real referential integrity is stored exactly where the tables reside. The Linked Table Manager is designed only to update file paths, and it cannot enforce or delete actual back-end relationships.
Locate and open the physical back-end Access database file where your source tables are stored.
Navigate to the 'Database Tools' tab on the top ribbon and click the 'Relationships' button.
Drag the primary key from your parent table to the foreign key in the child table. In the Edit Relationships dialog box, check the 'Enforce Referential Integrity' box and click 'Create'.
Save and close the back-end database. Open your front-end database and use the Linked Table Manager to refresh the connection to the updated back-end.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do relationship lines disappear in the front-end database?
Front-end relationship lines are only cosmetic. When you update table links using the Linked Table Manager, it refreshes the connections but does not automatically redraw these cosmetic lines. Your actual data integrity remains secure in the back-end.
Can I enforce referential integrity between tables in different back-end databases?
No. Microsoft Access requires that both tables involved in a relationship with enforced referential integrity reside in the exact same physical back-end database file.
Does using the Linked Table Manager delete my database relationships?
No, the Linked Table Manager only updates the file paths to your linked tables. If relationships are missing, they were either accidentally deleted in the back-end or never properly established there in the first place.
