Copying, Exporting, and Mailing Sorted and Filtered Data | Special Edition Using Microsoft Office Access 2003

A common use for filters and customized datasheets is to export the filtered and sorted records to another application, such as Microsoft Excel or Word. Several methods for exporting filtered and custom-formatted records are available:

Copy the entire datasheet to the Clipboard and then paste the datasheet into the other application as a table or a range of cells. Hidden fields don't appear, and formatting (font, font attributes, and row height) is preserved.
Use the Export feature to export the datasheet to an Excel worksheet (.xls) or a Rich Text Format (.rtf) file for Word or other Windows word-processing applications. (Choose File, Export, and then select the file type you want in the Export Table 'TableName' To dialog's Save as Type drop-down list of the Save Table In dialog.) Save As/Export preserves the attributes you use to customize the filtered and sorted data when you choose Excel format. Hidden fields, however, appear when you open the resulting file in any version of Excel.
Use the OfficeLinks toolbar button or choose Tools, Office Links, Analyze It with MS Excel to save the filtered or sorted data in an Excel worksheet; choose Tool, Office Links, Publish It with MS Word to save the data as an RTF document. Whether you choose to Analyze It or Publish It, Access starts Excel or Word with the exported document displayed.
Use the toolbar button or choose Tool, Office Links, Merge It with MS Word to create form letters with Microsoft Word.
Choose File, Send To to send the file as an attachment to an email message. Hidden fields don't appear, but formatting isn't preserved in some types of messages.

Note

If you make the Database window the active window and choose File, Export, the entire content of the table is exported regardless of the filter you added.

The next chapter provides complete descriptions of Access's traditional data export features, including exporting filtered and sorted tables to Microsoft Word mail-merge documents. Chapter 23, "Exporting and Importing Data with XML," and Chapter 26, "Collaborating with SharePoint Team Services 2.0," describe Access 2003's new data export/import features.