Chapter 10: Simplifying Data Entry by Using Forms


Chapter at a Glance

image from book

image from book
Create a form, pages 258 and 283. Refine form properties, page 262. Add controls to a form, page 273. Change the arrangement of a form, page 268. Add a subform to a form, page 285.

image from book

In This Chapter, You Will Learn To:

  • image from book Create a form by using the Form tool.

  • image from book Refine form properties.

  • image from book Change the arrangement of a form.

  • image from book Add controls to a form.

  • image from book Enter data in a form by using VBA.

  • image from book Create a form by using an AutoForm.

  • image from book Add a subform to a form.

A database that contains the day-to-day records of an active company is useful only if it is kept current and if the information stored in it can be found quickly. Although Microsoft Office Access 2007 is fairly easy to use, entering, editing, and retrieving information in Datasheet view is not a task you would want to assign to someone who’s not familiar with Access. Not only would these tasks be tedious and inefficient, but working in Datasheet view leaves far too much room for error, especially if details of complex transactions have to be entered into several related tables. The solution to this problem, and the first step in the conversion of this database to a database application in which you can efficiently manage information, is to create and use forms.

A form is an organized and formatted view of some or all of the fields from one or more tables or queries. Forms work interactively with the tables in a database. You use controls in the form to enter new information, to edit or remove existing information, or to locate information. Like printed forms, Access forms can include label controls that tell users what type of information they are expected to enter, as well as text box controls in which they can view or enter information. Unlike printed forms, Access forms can also include a variety of other controls, such as option buttons and command buttons that transform Access forms into something very much like a Microsoft Windows dialog box or wizard page.

Tip 

You can also create forms to navigate among the features and functions of a database application and have little or no connection with its actual data. A switchboard is an example of this type of form.

As with other Access objects, you can create forms manually or with the help of a wizard. It is best to create navigational and housekeeping forms, such as switchboards, manually in Design view. However, you should always create forms that are based on tables by using a wizard, and then refine the form manually-not because it is difficult to drag the necessary controls onto a form, but because there is simply no point in doing it manually.

In this chapter, you will discover how easy it is to create forms-either by using the Form tool or by using the Form wizard-that you can modify to suit your needs, and how to present information from multiple tables in one form by using subforms. You will control a form’s function and appearance by inserting controls and modifying the form and control properties. Then you will learn how to automatically enter data in a form by using Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) when a user performs an action in the control, such as clicking or entering text.

See Also Do you need only a quick refresher on the topics in this chapter? See the Quick Reference entries at the beginning of this book.

Important 

Before you can use the practice files in this chapter, you need to install them from the book’s companion CD to their default location. See “Using the Book’s CD” at the beginning of this book for more information. image from book

Troubleshooting 

Graphics and operating system-related instructions in this book reflect the Windows Vista user interface. If your computer is running Microsoft Windows XP and you experience trouble following the instructions as written, please refer to the “Information for Readers Running Windows XP” section at the beginning of this book.



2007 Microsoft Office System Step by Step
2007 MicrosoftВ® Office System Step by Step
ISBN: 0735622787
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2004
Pages: 231

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