The following are the few feasible solutions to publish data into a SharePoint Site.
- To create a SharePoint list from an Access table, right-click on your table and choos Export to a SharePoint List. Now you must specify the SharePoint site where this list will be active by filling out the Export - SharePoint Site dialog. Note that if the table was a child in a relationship, all the parent tables would also be exported. When the export process is finished, you are given the option of saving the export procedure so you do not need to repeat them. At this point, you can go to the SharePoint site and see that the data that was uploaded.
This simple operation is useful for moving data into SharePoint and making it accessible to users. The benefits are increased security, since data is now being saved in a SQL Server database and easier access, because information is available via the browser.
![]()
- Another operation is linking lists in SharePoint since tables in Access turns out to be a much more effective way to integrate Access and SharePoint. To do this click on the External Data tab in Access and choose SharePoint List under the Import group. This brings up the dialog box. Fill in the details that are required.
![sharepoint list]()
- A third way to integrate tables and lists is initiated through SharePoint.
Choose a list and, under the Actions tab, click on the "Open with Access" choice. A dialog box pops up that asks for the name of the database (new or existing). After entering the name of the database, you choose whether to simply link to the data on the SharePoint site or export the data outright into Access.
![]()
- The fourth option is to move the entire database to the SharePoint site. The benefits of moving an entire Access database to SharePoint are that all the tables are converted to SharePoint lists, a backup is made of the Access database, and the lists automatically become linked tables in Access. When you choose to move the entire database, a Publish Changes message bar appears below the ribbon. This allows you to keep the local changes to the design and data in sync with the copy on the server. If you don't select this option, only the tables will be converted into lists and linked into Access. In this case, the entire database is not available to the user community and is not backed up as an object in SharePoint.
After choosing one of these options, the database and its associated information will be available through the SharePoint site you chose. Again, a table is automatically created called "Move to SharePoint Site Issues." This is where any conflicts due to the migration are documented. You can review any issues that Access encountered when uploading the table on the SharePoint site.
In the Database Tools tab under Move Data Section select the SharePoint Icon. That will move the entire database to the SharePoint site.
![]()
Note: Some limitations to keep in mind are: Microsoft recommends a limit of 2,000 items per view to obtain optimum performance; SharePoint doesn't enforce referential integrity; OLE Objects are not exported into SharePoint; validation of data is limited.