I see where you are coming from now.
You just want to have an off-the-shelf front end, point it at your database, and hey presto !
All I can say is "Good Luck" !
There are 'generic' apps out ther that claim to do some of this, but Access is one of them !
My main concern here, is your comments about Access.
And I dont' want to offend here, but in order to help you, I must point out that it appears that your understanding of 'how things work' needs building on before going any further.
If you are using Access and still having multiple copies of data, then you are doing something terribly wrong !
If the users are being faced with complex screens, then you are not using Access correclty !
Instead of running away from this particular problem, I personaly feel that you need to face it and overcome.
If you can't do it in Access, purely for the reasons mentioned, than you will only struggle going forward, and you will not be in a position to make a wise choice of other software to use in place of Access.
storing data in Access leads to copy, copy and more copies
No, No, no !!
Whatever system you use, be it Access or other, you should have ONE instance that contains only data objects. All your data lives here in ONE place, ONE copy. This the 'Back end'
You then create another instance with your forms and reports - no data!. This is the 'Front End'
You then create data links between the Font & back Ends.
When you open a form on the FE, data is fetched accross the network from the BE and displayed in the form.
Your user interacts with the data, and any changes/additions get sent back to BE and stored there.
No data remains in the FE.
The only 'copies' that should exist, are that each user will have a copy of the FE, which is a copy of the forms only, not a copy of data.
Access has a large menu system and is not geared towards input, but is geared towards a lot of other functions.
Again "No" !
When you create forms, you design the forms to show ONLY the fields, buttons and menus that you explicity want the user to see and use.
All other menus, buttons, superfluous data, functions - are hidden by the person making the form.
You just have to use it right !
Seriously, hit Google, buy a book, take a course and learn how to use it properly.
I now create my Front Ends in ASP, C#, Excel, webservices ... BUT, it is only by first getting to grips with the basics on an 'easier' platform like Access that made all that possible.
If you try to go for another option before getting the basic conecpts worked out, you will be just hiding the problen under the rug.