Workbench Legacy Desktop Client

Note: the legacy desktop version is no longer provided with new installations.

The Workbench client application will normally be installed on several or many user PC's on the network, or Remote Desktop Services (RDS) / Terminal Server, or Citrix Presentation Server. 

The client consists of the Workbench client 'program', which is a Microsoft Access compiled application, commonly known as a Program MDE, or just MDE. The Workbench MDE provides a desktop user interface to the Workbench database. A master copy of the MDE is held on the Workbench Server, where clients sync a local copy of the MDE from. Support for the MDE ended on 31 December, 2021. Users should migrate to WebWorkbench as soon as possible.

Operating System

Any Windows operating system that can run Microsoft Access 2010 is capable of running Workbench, this includes:

• Microsoft Windows 8
• Microsoft Windows 8.1
• Microsoft Windows 10
• Microsoft Windows Server 2012
• Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2
  
• Microsoft Windows Server 2016
• Microsoft Windows Server 2019

Microsoft Access

The Workbench application uses Microsoft Access and can work with the following version:

• Microsoft Access 2010 (32-bit version only; 64-bit version is NOT supported)

Note: 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Microsoft Access and other Microsoft Office products normally cannot be installed "side-by-side" on the same PC. Keep this in mind when installing Office products on computers that will also run the Workbench client.

Workaround for Office 365 64 bit: Office 365 64 bit has to be installed before Access 2010 Runtime, otherwise installation will abort after detecting the presence of another 32 bit Office product.

If a full version of Microsoft Access 2010 is not installed on the PC, then Microsoft Access 2010 Runtime will be installed (supplied at no cost as part of the Workbench Client Install).

Microsoft Office Versions

Microsoft Access 2010 is the only supported version of Access capable of running the Workbench client program.

It is possible to open Workbench in newer version of Microsoft Access such as 2016 and 2019. However those versions will not be able to render reports as the Crystal Reports controls are not compatible with the new versions of Access.

The various installation options are:

When running Access 2010 Runtime alongside newer versions of Access such as 2013 or 2016, an extra switch is required in the application shortcut to enforce the use of Access 2010 Runtime.

"AccessExe:C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14\MSACCESS.exe"

Sample shortcut: 

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Workbench\Scripts\Workbench.vbs" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Workbench\Live\workbench.mde" "Runtime:Yes"  "AccessExe:C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14\MSACCESS.exe"

Without this extra switch Workbench will open with the default application for Access files on the computer, which may not necessary be Access 2010 Runtime.

Workbench Application Share

All Workbench client PC's need to have access to the Workbench Application Share. The share is accessed during Workbench client installation and throughout normal Workbench usage.

For more information see the Workbench Server Environment (Legacy) documentation.

Workbench Client Setup

Every PC running the Workbench application must also have the Workbench Client installed. This installs on each PC, the Crystal Reports runtime and viewer controls, as well as several other Windows files required by Workbench, including a iGrid and RTF controls which are used on various Workbench screens.

The Workbench Client Install also installs any required Windows Updates to run the Workbench Program MDE.

Crystal Reports

Workbench uses Crystal Reports to print reports and to render them to screen in preview mode. The necessary Crystal Report Runtime files are installed as part of the Workbench Client Setup.

Workstation Screen Resolution

A minimum screen resolution of 1280 x 800 is required to run the Workbench application. Screens with less than 800 pixels height will not render screen menus properly.

Active Directory and Peer to Peer (Workgroup)

A Workbench is designed to run in a Windows Active Directory domain using all the functionality encompassed in that technology. Workbench is not supported on a peer to peer aka Workgroup network without a domain.

VPN Access

Workbench does not support client server connections over a VPN.

End of Life of Office (Access) 2010 and Workbench

Microsoft has announced Office 2010 will no longer be supported after October 13, 2020. Although it will not necessarily stop Access 2010 and existing Workbench desktop client from working, it is strongly recommended to consider migrating to the web version. If that is not an option, please consider upgrading to Workbench 7.41.3 or above, which supports Office 365 Access 32 bit and the free runtime. Standalone Access 2016/2019 32 bit with latest service packs and updates may also be compatible. Note 64 bit versions are not compatible with Workbench. 

Workbench 7.41.3 works around Crystal Reports incompatibility by introducing a new PDF viewer mode which is enabled by default. In this mode desktop reports will be opened by the default PDF viewer available on the client machine instead of the embedded Crystal Reports Runtime which is not compatible with later versions of Access.