Question : "Get External Data" disabled in Acess by Company...workarounds?

My company works in a weird VPN background where we have to log in to an outside server to get on our system, access programs, email etc.  This company has disabled the "Get External Data" feature on both Access and Excel citing that it could allow us to gain access to other company's information.  

So my first question is....am I incorrect in thinking that without the ability to pull in data from the standard formats that data comes in (i.e. Excel, Text, etc.) is Access now basically completely handicapped from being usable, or is there anyother way to import/link data?

My second question is...is it possible that this company is stupid and takes the "Get External Data" name literally thinking you can actually access "external" data rather than what this feature really is used for which is importing?   My understanding is that this feature will open the same way that the generic "open file" feature would with the only difference between what it does to the file afterwards (i.e. does it open it or convert it).  Also we are able to import files into Outlook without it creating access to other company's info so wouldn't the same hold true for other programs import features (the only difference is that in Outlook the feature is clearly name "Import and Export" so perhaps this naming was clearer to them)?  

Answer : "Get External Data" disabled in Acess by Company...workarounds?

First Q - is Access now basically completely handicapped from being usable, or is there anyother way to import/link data?
If you can code in VBA, no. As you can see from previous posts.
If you can't code in VBA, yes. Not "completely" handicapped but you will need to create your own data sources.

Second Q - is it possible that this company is stupid and takes the "Get External Data" name literally thinking you can actually access "external" data rather than what this feature really is used for which is importing?
Your premise is incorrect. MS Access has the capability to "attach" to live data sources and make changes to the data, sometimes with catastrophic results. Some users will use the "Get External Data" feature to import data tables but there are users like most of the experts on this site that will "attach" to remote data sources to effect changes for many good reasons. It's the few uninitiated users that could  damage data sources that should be kept from getting to these areas. Most companies will protect these sources, as in the case of SQL Server, with user login/password protections which won't allow a user to attach or transfer data. This is a problem in a company that uses data sources other than a SQL type source that can not be protected from importing, like txt files or Excel files etc.
I hope this helps in your process of understanding why this feature in your MS Access has been disabled. If you still wish to work around this problem and get to data unimpeded you can get your own copy of Access and run it locally and not through VPN.