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# Field Comments on Linked Access Tables
- URL: https://nolongerset.com/field-comments-on-linked-access-tables/
- Published: 2021-05-26T03:18:59.000Z
- Updated: 2026-05-08T13:04:22.000Z
- Description: In part 1 of this series on field comments, we discuss maintaining column descriptions on tables linked to MS Access back-end files.
- Author: Mike Wolfe
- Tags: Basic, #Import 2026-05-20 02:59

*This is Part 1 in a [series of articles](https://nolongerset.com/field-comments-on-linked-tables/) discussing field comments on linked tables.*

Let's discuss linking to tables in a Microsoft Access back-end *mdb* or *accdb* file. I'm assuming that you already have your database split between a front-end and back-end file. If those terms are unfamiliar to you, read Allen Browne's excellent primer on the topic first: [Split your Access database into data and application](http://allenbrowne.com/ser-01.html).

#### Field descriptions carry forward from the back-end

When you link to Microsoft Access tables in a back-end database, the field descriptions from the source table show up in the front-end database automatically. 

#### Field descriptions can be overwritten in the front-end

From the front-end database, you can overwrite the field descriptions in any linked table. For example, if there are no descriptions in the back-end database, you can add them to the linked table in the front-end database. The downside is that if you drop and re-link the table, then all those descriptions you added in the front-end are lost.

In the Linked Table Manager, there are \[Refresh\] and \[Relink\] buttons at the top-right part of the form. Clicking \[Refresh\] on a table will not affect any column descriptions that you modified on the linked table. However, if you click the \[Relink\] button, then all the column descriptions from the source database will get re-imported into the linked table. If there *are no* column descriptions in the back-end database, then the descriptions in the front-end database will be wiped out.

#### Changing field descriptions on a back-end database is a pain...

It can be tempting to just set the field descriptions on the linked tables in the front-end database. Changing field descriptions on the back-end database requires exclusive access to the table(s) whose field descriptions you want to change. This means that no user can be accessing that table's data from their respective front-end database.

#### ...but it's better than the alternative

Changing the field descriptions on the front-end database is easier because you are the only one using your copy of the front-end. After all, that's one of the big advantages of splitting your database into a front-end and back-end. 

This is short-sighted thinking, though. Inevitably, you will have to re-link the tables in your front-end. And, if you only set column descriptions in the linked table(s), all of those descriptions will be lost.

In a perfect world, you will set the descriptions for all your fields in the back-end database file(s), before you deploy it/them.

*Image by [Daniel Reche](https://pixabay.com/users/fotorech-5554393/?utm%5Fsource=link-attribution&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=image&utm%5Fcontent=2667461) from [Pixabay](https://pixabay.com/?utm%5Fsource=link-attribution&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=image&utm%5Fcontent=2667461)*