How to Connect Crystal Reports 2020 to an Access Database

Crystal Reports, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel

The last couple of versions of Crystal Reports, 2016 and 2020, have seen a significant change in regard to connecting to data sources. Specifically, the ability to connect to Microsoft Access databases and Excel workbooks has changed. For Crystal Reports 2016 and earlier, the connection called “Access/Excel DAO” should still be available. Some versions are 32-bit and can still use the Microsoft Data Access Objects connector. When going into the Database Expert, this item should be available on the left side of the dialog box (“Available Data Sources”).

However, Crystal Reports 2020 is a 64-bit application. It’s meant to work in a hardware environment which can process 64 bits (the ones and zeroes) per tick of the processor’s clock. And the Microsoft DAO software does not exist in 64-bit form. It can’t work with a 64-bit application. And Microsoft deprecated it some time ago.

The critical item which will allow a connection to the Access (and Excel) data sources we sometimes still need to use is the Microsoft Access Database Engine 2016 Redistributable. The 2010 version is no longer available from Microsoft. But there are 32- and 64-bit versions of the 2016 Engine available at:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=54920&irgwc=1

Check with your IT department on which one to download, and to find out if they’ll have to do the installation or if the user can run it. (In a business situation, it’s highly advisable for the IT staff to handle this, just in case.)

Below are two PDF documents from SAP, the company which produces Crystal Reports. They detail how to download, install, and make use of the Engine. (The information was written when the Engine was available in the 2010 version. It refers to that year, but the 2016 installation is essentially the same.)

This question has come up fairly regularly during the last few years. It seems logical to have a workable solution, which we present here for your convenience.