>I am not sure there is a VFP-specific methodology here... Are you asking for advice on how to build such a system.... What data store to use...etc...????

I think i already know a preferred method: Buy a back-end server and have the remote offices communicate to corporate with remote views and sql-updates on the central table.

The solution i'm 5 months entrenched in: Each remote server has a native VFP table accessed via a workstation, which processes the data into a server-stored file for FTP. It is envisioned that once the files are retrieved, another process will get the branch data into a main corporate table. I haven't developed the automated file retrieval. I'm still not past the client program installation.

Basically, I'm sick of this whole project. Noone here really grasps this monumental undertaking, yet expects it to already be done. I've hit a wall. In smaller projects, at this point, I'd scrap the convoluted code and start over with a better understanding of the problem. I've spent too much time already, and can't afford that luxury. Now i'm slogging through my (what is now) painfully ignorant code, trying to make it work as envisioned.

[cue the world's smallest violin....]