Making a local backup

You should have a regular daily routine that takes a backup copy of your database. This is probably under the control of your System Administrator and it won't be easy to reach. You need to be able to make your own local backup copies before you make any serious changes to the design of tables, forms, or reports. A local copy will allow you to backtrack if you make a mistake or if you want to try another approach.

The simplest way to make a backup is to copy and paste within the Database Window. Select the report (or whatever it is you're working with), copy it and paste it. Access will ask you for a new name so give the copy a name like 'oldReport' - choose something obvious because you should delete these copies once you're happy with your new design.

If you do need to make a fresh start with your new design, delete the report you're abandoning, make a copy of the backup, and give it the original name again.