The replica set retention period setting controls the number of days non-synchronized records are retained in system tables. The retention period is established when the database is initially made replicable. If you replicate the database by using Replication Manager, Data Access Objects (DAO), or Jet and Replication Objects (JRO), the default retention period is 60 days. If you replicate the database by using Microsoft Access or Briefcase, the default retention period is 1000 days.
The retention period can be changed in a Design Master by using Replication Manager or through the JRO RetentionPeriod property. The retention period must be between 5 and 32,000 days. The replica set should have a large retention period if the replicas do not synchronize frequently. However, if the replicas synchronize frequently and you want to keep the replica size small, specify a shorter retention period.
A replica or Design Master must receive, as well as send, data and schema within the retention period. When you open a replica in Microsoft Access or Replication Manager that expires within 5 days, a message reminds you that the replica expires soon. If the retention period expires for a replica, Replication Manager and Access will not synchronize changes between the expired replica and the other replicas in the replica set. If a replica does not synchronize with another replica in the set within the retention period, the next time you attempt to synchronize the replica, it gets removed from the replica set. If the Design Master expires, you must recover the design master to change an existing or new replica into the design master.
More information
Create a replica of your database with Access
Create a replica with Briefcase
Replication with Data Access Objects (DAO)
Replication with Jet and Replication Objects (JRO)
About synchronizing data in your replica set