Access 2013 - Dbase (.dbf) Table Import option

Anonymous
2013-02-03T16:16:55+00:00

I need to be able to import read/write Dbase dbf tables - yes they are still around so why has the standard option that was in Access 2010 gone?

I have seen mention of ISAM, which is gobbledegook to me. So please a simple answer - what do I need to install or change and how do I do it?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Access | For home | Windows

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ScottGem 68,840 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2016-09-08T09:08:22+00:00

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-07-21T22:30:39+00:00

    Actually that isn't an option for us. MS won't sell Access 2010 and won't let me downgrade an Access 2013 to 2010.

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  2. George Hepworth 23,120 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2014-06-24T22:41:18+00:00

    I feel the pain here, but I think there might be a bit of a problem with the statement "They should fix it to keep their promise of 'compatibility'."

    I don't think MS ever promised to maintain 100% compatibility with every possible software application forever. Suggesting that they should do so with the .dbf format is an over-reach.

    Another option which is 100% viable is to use Access 2010 to link to .dbf files, if that is required by your business.

    George

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-06-24T21:53:56+00:00

    It is really a shame to see Microsoft removing some existing functionality of linking/importing .DBF files in Access 2013. They should fix it to keep their promise of 'compatibility'.

    Thanks for the workaround using Excel to open/export DBF files. But I understand it is not feasible if you have a lot of DBF files.

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-04-28T13:16:54+00:00

    Just a quick question - how does Microsoft conduct their "research" into who is using what? 

    Is my turning off the "help Microsoft improve. . ." option hurting me in the long run since MS doesn't see what I'm using which makes what I'm using eligible for removal because not enough people are "using" it?

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