To my knowledge, Access does not have any "built-in" features to identify differences between databases. I have a couple of workarounds that I have used.
The first uses the "Database Documenter" feature in Access. This feature produces a report object documenting--in some pretty specific detail--the objects in your database. I will typically run the "Database Documenter" selecting all objects in the database and selecting all of the available options. I then export the report object.
Do this for each database and then you can compare the exported files outside of Access using other tools. For example, I usually export the report as a PDF and then use Adobe Acrobat (or WinMerge with the xdocdiff plugin) to compare the two PDFs. You might also export a Word document or Rich Text Format (RTF) and compare those in Microsoft Word or OpenOffice.
This method will allow you to identify any changes in the *DESIGN* of the database. For example, if someone has changed the width and background color on a text box in one of the forms or if someone has changed the format of a field in one of the tables. If you are looking to identify differences in the *DATA*, I, again, will export the data and analyze the files outside of Access.
For example, to compare the same table from two different databases to identify any differences, you could export each table as a comma-separated value (CSV) or even an XML-formatted file. Then you can use other tools (like the aforementioned WinMerge) to identify differences.
One final piece of advice...when exporting your data for comparison, try to get the data sorted in the same sort order. Otherwise, your differencing tool may identify a difference simply because the data are in a different order.
I hope that helps. If that is not what you had in mind, then I would echo Heather's comment and ask you to elaborate on your question.
RE: Finding differences in databases
To my knowledge, Access does not have any "built-in" features to identify differences between databases. I have a couple of workarounds that I have used.
The first uses the "Database Documenter" feature in Access. This feature produces a report object documenting--in some pretty specific detail--the objects in your database. I will typically run the "Database Documenter" selecting all objects in the database and selecting all of the available options. I then export the report object.
Do this for each database and then you can compare the exported files outside of Access using other tools. For example, I usually export the report as a PDF and then use Adobe Acrobat (or WinMerge with the xdocdiff plugin) to compare the two PDFs. You might also export a Word document or Rich Text Format (RTF) and compare those in Microsoft Word or OpenOffice.
This method will allow you to identify any changes in the *DESIGN* of the database. For example, if someone has changed the width and background color on a text box in one of the forms or if someone has changed the format of a field in one of the tables. If you are looking to identify differences in the *DATA*, I, again, will export the data and analyze the files outside of Access.
For example, to compare the same table from two different databases to identify any differences, you could export each table as a comma-separated value (CSV) or even an XML-formatted file. Then you can use other tools (like the aforementioned WinMerge) to identify differences.
One final piece of advice...when exporting your data for comparison, try to get the data sorted in the same sort order. Otherwise, your differencing tool may identify a difference simply because the data are in a different order.
I hope that helps. If that is not what you had in mind, then I would echo Heather's comment and ask you to elaborate on your question.
What type of differences?
What type of differences are you referring to - data in tables, formatting? Could you please elaborate on what you are trying to find as a difference?