Can run on: Windows, Linux
Microsoft Access Input
Description
Microsoft Access Input is a step in the Input Plugin for Process Studio Workflows. Microsoft Access Input plugin step reads directly from Microsoft Access "MDB" files.
The step belongs to the Input plugin group in Process Studio workflows. Use the Microsoft Access Input step to read rows from a table in a Microsoft Access database file (.mdb or .accdb) and pass the rows into workflow.
Note: A Result fieldname row was removed. The step has no such field; the text belonged to the Table exists step. A duplicate Preview rows row was removed as well.
Example:
The file sales.mdb holds a table named tbl_Orders:
| ord_id | dt_ord | amt |
|---|---|---|
| 1001 | 2026-07-03 | 1250.00 |
| 1002 | 2026-07-05 | 940.50 |
Configure the step as follows:
- File or directory on the File tab: D:\sales\sales.mdb — the path to the Access file holding the table.
- Table on the Content tab: tbl_Orders — the table inside the file.
- Fields tab: one row for each column inside the table. Rename ord_id to order_id, dt_ord to order_date as a Date, and amt to amount as a Number.
The step sends the following rows into the workflow:
| order_id | order_date | amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1001 | 2026-07-03 | 1250.00 |
| 1002 | 2026-07-05 | 940.50 |
Configurations
| Field Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Step name | Specify a unique name for the step, which will help you identify and reference it easily when debugging or linking steps in the workflow. The field is mandatory. |
| Filename is defined in a field? | Select the checkbox when the file names arrive in a field from the previous step instead of a fixed list. Example: Select the checkbox when a Get File Names step passes the file names. Note: After you select the checkbox, the step disables the Selected files list. |
| Get filename from field | Select the incoming field with the file name and path. Note: The field is available only when you select Filename is defined in a field? |
| File or directory | Specify the path to the Access file the step reads and click Add button to add the file path or directory to Selected files list. Example: D:\sales\sales.mdb or ${SALES_INPUT_FILE} Note: You must click Add button to add the file, directory, or wildcard combination to the Selected files grid below. The field accepts static or variable value. |
| (Button) Add | Click to add the specified path to the Selected files list. Note: The step reads only the added files to the list, else step fails. |
| (Button) Browse | Click to open a file picker. The picker shows Access database files (.mdb and .accdb), and also has an All files option. |
| (Button) Variable | Click to insert a variable into File or directory. |
| Regular Expression | Enter a regular expression to select the files inside the folder. Example: • sales_.*\.mdb: Reads every file with a name starting with sales_. • .*2026_07\.mdb: Reads only the files for July 2026. Note: The field supports folder selection only. Specify the folder path in File or directory. |
| Exclude Regular Expression | Specify a regular expression to skip files inside the folder. Example: .*_draft\.mdb: Skips every draft file. Note: The field supports folder selection only. Specify the folder path in File or directory. |
Selected files:
Lists the files, folders, and wildcards the step reads. Each row also shows whether the file is required and whether the step searches subfolders.
| Field Name | Description |
|---|---|
| File or directory | The path to the file or folder the step reads. |
| Required | Select Y to stop the step with an error when the file is missing or the step cannot open the file. Select Y for a file the workflow cannot run without. Select N to skip a missing file. The column applies only to entries without a wildcard. Default Value: No. |
| Include subfolders | Select Y to search the folder and all subfolders, else select N Default Value: No. |
| (Button) Delete | Click to remove the selected rows from the Selected files list. |
| (Button) Edit | Click to move the selected row back to the fields above, so you can change the entry. The step removes the row from the list. |
| (Button) Show Filename(s) | Click to list every file the step reads. The list resolves folders, wildcards, and variables, so you see the exact set of files before you run the workflow. If no file matches your entries, a warning appears. |
Content Tab:
Use the Content tab to choose the Access table and to add extra information to each row.
| Field Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Table | Specify the name of the Access table the step reads. The field is mandatory. Get fields and Preview rows show "The table name is missing !" when the field is empty. |
| (Button) Get tables | Click to open the first file in the Selected files list and list every table inside the file, including system tables. Use Get tables when you do not know the table names in an unfamiliar file. With no file in the Selected files list, the dialog shows "You have to specify at least one access file name !". |
| Additional Fields | |
| Include filename in output? | Select the checkbox to add a String field with the name of the file each row comes from. The field helps most when the step reads several input files from different sources. |
| Filename fieldname | Specify a name for the file name field. The field is available only when you select Include filename in output?. |
| Include tablename in output? | Select the checkbox to add a String field with the name of the Access table each row comes from. |
| Tablename fieldname | Specify a name for the table name field. The field is available only when you select Include table name in output?. |
| Include rownum in output? | Select the checkbox to add an Integer field with the sequence number of each row (1, 2, 3, and so on). Use the row number to point to a single row when you report an error back to the team sending the file. |
| Rownum fieldname | Specify a name for the row number field. The field is available only when you select Include rownum in output?. |
| Reset Rownum per file? | Select the checkbox to start counting from 1 again for each file, so the number matches the position of the row inside the file. When you clear the checkbox, the counter keeps running across all files. |
| Limit | Specify the maximum number of rows to read. When the step reaches the limit, the step stops reading and closes the output. Enter 0 for no limit. Default Value: 0. |
| Add filename to result | Select the checkbox to record every file the step reads in the result file list of the workflow. The step keeps a unique list in memory, and later steps or process entries can use the list. Default value: Cleared. |
Fields Tab:
Use the Fields tab to describe the columns the step reads from the Access table, and the shape each column takes in the workflow. Add one row for each field.
Give each field the name the rest of the business uses. A column called dt_ord in Access can arrive in the workflow as order_date, to keep downstream reports readable.
| Field Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Specify the name of the field in the workflow. The field accepts static or variable value. |
| Column | Specify the name of the column in the Access table. The field accepts static or variable value. |
| Type | Select the data type for the value: • String • Integer • Number • Date • Boolean • BigNumber • Binary Example: Date for an order date, Number for an amount, Integer for a quantity |
| Format | Specify the mask the step uses for the conversion. Example: • yyyy-MM-dd for 2026-07-03 • dd/MM/yyyy for 03/07/2026 • #.## for 1250.00 |
| Length | Specify the length of the value. For numbers, the length is the total number of digits. Example: 9 for an amount up to 9,999,999.99 |
| Precision | Specify the number of digits after the decimal point. Precision applies to numbers only. Example: 2 for a currency amount. |
| Currency | Specify he currency symbol appearing in the incoming value. Example: $ or Rs |
| Decimal | Specify the character separating the decimal part. Example: • . for 1250.00 • , for 1250,00 |
| Group | Specify the character grouping thousands. Example: • . for 1250.00 • , for 1250,00 |
| Trim type | Select how the step removes spaces around the value: • None: keeps the value unchanged. Default. • Left: Removes leading spaces. • Right: Removes trailing spaces. • Both: Removes leading and trailing spaces. Example: Both turns " Acme Ltd" into "Acme Ltd", so the name matches your customer list. |
| Repeat | Select Y to reuse the value from the previous row when the incoming value is empty (null). Select N to keep the empty value. Default Value: N. |
| (Button) Get fields | Click to read the columns of the Access table and fill the grid with one row per column. The button sits at the bottom of the Fields tab. |
Additional output fields tab:
Use the Additional output fields tab to add details about the source file to every row, such as the folder holding the file and the date of the last change. The details build the audit trail for your data.
Every field on the tab is optional, and every field accepts variables. When you enter a name for a field, the step adds the field to every row. When you leave a field empty, the step adds nothing.
The examples below assume the step reads D:\sales\sales.mdb.
| Field Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Short filename field | Specify the name for the field holding the file name without the path. Example: file_name : sales.mdb |
| Extension field | Specify the name for the field holding the file extension. Example: file_extension: mdb |
| Path field | Specify the name for the field holding the folder of the file. Use the path when the same file name appears in several folders. Example: file_path: D:\sales |
| Size field | Specify the name for the field holding the size of the file. Use the size to spot an empty or truncated submission. Example: file_size: 2457600 |
| Is hidden field | Specify the name for the field showing whether the file is hidden. Example: file_hidden: N |
| Last modification field | Specify the name for the field holding the date and time of the last change to the file. Use the date to confirm you are reading the latest version. Example: file_modified_on: 2026-08-01 09:14:22 |
| Uri field | Specify a name for the field holding the URI of the file. Example: file_uri: file:///D:/sales/sales.mdb |
| Root uri field | Specify the name for the field holding the root part of the URI. Example: file_root_uri: file:/// |
| Preview rows | Click to view a sample of rows, so you can check the output before you run the workflow. The button sits at the bottom of the dialog and works from every tab. |