Karen,

First of all CONGRATS on your success! Now that that is out of the way...

Deep breathes... What makes you think your application is NOT 'grown up'?
Doesn't sound like your users are complaining, quite the opposite! Sounds
like you're the one concerned it's not sophisticated enough for others to
use. Let's take a gander at the application (I don't mean literally)...

1. From your description, sounds like it is not split. In the scenario in
which it will be used I would recommend splitting it whether it is one user
or 20 users. My reasons are, if I have to deliver updates/changes/fixes I
don't need to have the end user send me their entire application and wait
while I import my modifications, all I have to do is send them a new front
end to 'pop' in place. There are additional items to consider, such as,
what if there back-end is sitting a drive you don't have or a server you
don't have. In that case the is AutoFE Updater
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/downloadsindex.htm

Implementing a Successful Multiuser Access/JET Application
http://www.accessmvp.com/TWickerath/.../multiuser.htm

Albert Kallal has an EXCELLENT article
http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKal...plit/index.htm

2. Depending on the version of Access you can purchase the 'Developer'
extensions an distribute as a stand-alone thereby eliminating the need for
your Clients to have Access. (Not in Access 2007 those extensions are
free). HOWEVER, not so easy to get prior versions if you do not already own
them. You will need to look on reliable sites like Amazon.com.

3. You also might want to consider what version of Windows these
prospecitve Clients have. Do you have the ability to test on a Windows XP
machine, Windows Vista machine? Though, if you application runs into
trouble you can search the newsgroups, plenty of answers for people that
have run into this very same issue.

4. There are a ton of Access pages out there with all kinds of helpful
hints and tips. The MVP's and others in this group was sites you can go to
and read up on best practices and all kinds of cool stuff. All you have to
do is 'follow the yellow brick road'!

5. AND MOST IMPORTANT!!! We ALL started somewhere! For alot of us, the
newsgroups 'bailed' us out, helped us out and enlightened us! I have been
doing this for years and still feel like a beginner when I stand next to
these guys. Being a successful programmer is not always knowing the answer
but where to go get the answer! You came here to find out the best
approach, you're already on the right track.

Lastly, please ignore Aaron, his solution to EVERYTHING is an SQL Server!
(I am still trying to figure out how I can get it to make my coffee in the
morning!) While there are 'real' reasons to move to a SQL Server yours does
NOT sound like one of them. When and IF it every does, believe me someone
with way more experience and know how will point you there!

--
Gina Whipp

"I feel I have been denied critical, need to know, information!" - Tremors
II

"Karen" wrote in message
...
Hi John,

That's it exactly--------just have to figure out how to 'grow up' an
application that has had unexpected success.

Karen

"John Marshall, MVP" wrote in message
...
Looks like you have been bitten by our local troll. He is very myopic and
will no matter what the question will reply with "Use SQL Server". I would
strong avoid any recommendations he makes.

What you are asking is not that hard and some of the regulars should be
able
to give you good advice. What you are looking for his information on
packaging an Access application so that 500 independant users can use the
application with their own data. They will not be sharing information.

John... Visio MVP

"Karen" wrote in message
...
Thanks Aaron,

I think I was not clear about 500 users, think of it as 1 application to
500 independent investigators. I do think that it is likely that the
next logical step will be upsizing the application to also work in small
offices with a few users but.....................I have no intent to
wander into the world of corporate use. As you say, this application was
designed for an independent investigator to automate both the collection
and retention of commonly used data like Insurance
companies/contacts/clients/addresses/phone numbers etc. The resulting
dataset changes from independent contractor to independent contractor.

As far as "partnering with someone that is serious about Access"---that
is really the gist of my original post. I'm just an independent worker
who created an application for a client, it was never my intent to create
an application for 'the world' but, it is spreading and 'they' want to
offer it now to a much larger community of independent investigators.
Shoot, I think that's great, a little extra income would be great BUT I
cannot overstress how 'ignorant' I feel in regards to how to do this well
and properly

Karen

wrote in message
...
Karen;

Id reccomend one of two strategies:

a) Focus on moving to SQL Server.
b) partner with someone that is serious about Access. I know of a
very top-notch Access firm in Seattle.. they could help you with
something like this.

But don't count on scaling to 500 users easily.

If you want something that with much throughput; you should just pick
up a copy of dreamweaver; and copy the forms; use wizards to make
webpages. Access just isn't designed for 500 users; and there isn't a
person in the world that can make a flawless (fast) solution using MDB
linked tables to SQL Server that supports 500 users.

Are you going to just keep SQL on one server?
Or one server at each office?
Or a local copy of SQL Server on every laptop?

The Office 2000 Developer Editon has all the tools that you need to
deploy SQL Server to desktops for local storage.
Then you would just need to configure replication.

The VB 2005 Express Edition has all the tools to do this also.. it is
free and easy. That might help you to minimize a lot of the
complexities of something like this.

I mean-- these are fire inspectors that run around to different sites
with a laptop right?
It's not like they can inspect across the internet; right?

I just think that you'd be best served by focusing on the SQL Server
side of the equation. Do that, do it right for a year-- before diving
into something like this.

In general-- Access is _NOT_ a professional software development
platform. Yes; some companies use it quite successfully. But if
you're talking about something like this-- do you even know the
security ramifications of this data? I think that security on this
type of data is probably 100 times more important than it first seems.

Upsizing a MDB database to SQL Server isnt' going to work with that
many users-- unless you move to ADP.

Sorry-- but those are the facts.

-Aaron

On Apr 8, 2:09 pm, "Karen" wrote:
Hi All,

I've got an Access application that was originally developed for a
customer
who is an independent fire investigator. The same customer has now
'sold'
the app to fellow independent investigators, both other fire
investigators
and other insurance investigators and it has been 'in the field' for a
little more than four years.

The original customer who paid for the development and has been sharing
it
with his buddies now wants to place an ad in an industry-specific
publication and start selling this app.

Quite frankly, although the app has worked famously for the current
users
and support of those customers has been negligible, distributing this to
a
wider audience scares the heck out of me. I'm proud of the app and the
enthusiasm that the current users have for it but there will be a HUGE
difference between 50 users and 500 users. So.............I need to
consider what it takes to distribute this. Some of the questions that
keep
me up at night:

Although currently a one-user application, it would also make sense to
develop a means to let an entire
office use the application. The user front-end would talk to a SQL
Server backend.
Do I use the developer tools to develop the installation package or
migrate
to InstallShield or Wise
or.......?

Where do I look for deployment specialists who are familiar with Access
applications? If not the newsgroups then how do I find those 'experts'
who
know how to take the next step? The newsgroups are great but I'm up for
finding the right 'experts' to contract with; just have no idea where to
look

I know many of you have developed robust applications, what is the next
step?

Karen