Don't upload Microsoft Access Databases into SharePoint

My favorite word is No. But I like to follow No with But.

Often, site owners ask me to allow upload of Microsoft Access files by disabling the block of the .mdb file extension. Here's my template "No...but" response.

We will continue to block MDB files due to the fact that unsafe code can be included within an Access database. However, Office Access 2007 allows code to be either verified as safe or disabled so the ACCDB extension can be uploaded into SharePoint.

Here are steps to convert the database from MDB to the safe ACCDB format: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access/HA100908451033.aspx

Alternatively, If you can’t convert to Access 2007, consider publishing any data in Access 2003 dbs (like flat tables) into SharePoint lists.

We've deployed the Office 2007 clients globally so it's easier for me to say no in this case. My goal is to get people to adopt SharePoint...and with deeper integration and more Access-like features coming in SharePoint 2010, they're going to be better off moving away from a strictly Microsoft Access app.