Troubleshooting Access Applications with Ben Sacherich

Every Access developer has faced that dreaded moment when a user reports "it's not working" without any further details.

In this Access Pacific user group presentation, Ben Sacherich shares his systematic approach to troubleshooting Access applications. Drawing from over 25 years of experience working with Access, VBA, and SQL Server, Ben outlines practical strategies for isolating problems, gathering meaningful information from users, and methodically narrowing down potential causes until a solution is found.

Whether you're dealing with intermittent bugs, corrupted databases, or vague user reports, this presentation provides a valuable framework for approaching Access application troubleshooting more effectively.

Working with Users

Initial Information Gathering

• Get detailed screenshots showing full context
• Ask specific questions about what "not working" means
• Determine if the problem is repeatable
• Document when and where the issue occurs
• Identify where the problem does and doesn't happen

Key Questions to Ask

• Does it happen on all computers or just some?
• Did it work previously? When did it stop?
• What specific steps trigger the issue?
• Are there any patterns to when it occurs?
• What exactly happens when the error occurs?

Systematic Problem Solving

The Binary Search Approach

• Divide the problem space in half
• Eliminate areas where the problem isn't occurring
• Focus investigation on remaining possibilities
• Continue narrowing down until root cause is found

Time Travel Debugging

• Check previous versions of the application
• Compare against older data
• Review backup copies
• Test on different computers/environments

Practical Troubleshooting Tips

Environment Management

• Close and restart Access/Excel completely
• Check Task Manager for orphaned processes
• Hold Shift key when opening Access
• Consider cold reboots when appropriate

File Management

• Make zip backups before investigating
• Use consistent backup naming conventions
• Include timestamps in backup files
• Maintain multiple restore points

Best Practices

• Make only one change at a time
• Document all attempted solutions
• Maintain organized troubleshooting notes
• Create logs of user actions when needed

Dealing with Microsoft Issues

Version Considerations

• Stay behind the curve for production systems
• Be aware of recent Office updates
• Check for known bugs in current versions
• Consider deferring updates

Conclusion

Ben's methodical approach to troubleshooting emphasizes the importance of systematic investigation and proper documentation when solving Access application issues. By following these structured techniques, developers can more efficiently isolate and resolve problems while maintaining clear communication with users throughout the process.

Recording

The full recording is available on YouTube:

Join Live!

Want to get even more out of these presentations? Join the live Access User Group events! The next upcoming events are listed on the AUG Event Calendar.

Attending live gives you the opportunity to:

• Interact directly with presenters during Q&A sessions
• Network with other Access developers
• Share your own experiences and challenges
• Get immediate answers to your specific questions
• Participate in group discussions

With multiple user groups across different time zones (and languages!), you're sure to find a meeting time that works for your schedule.

Acknowledgements

• Base cover image generated by FLUX-schnell
• Initial draft generated by Claude-3.5-Sonnet