If I set up a separate schema, wouldn't the SysAdmin have access to it? Couldn't he put himself in the group the schema is restricted to?

Also, the "remote" database wouldn't have to be on a flash drive. It just occurred to me that it could reside on the payroll operator's local drive. When he starts to process executive payroll, the Front End could dynamically link to the tables in the database on his local drive, giving the linked tables the name for programs are looking for.

Does this alter your previous response?