Access forms are much like paper forms: you can use them to enter, edit, or display data. They are based on tables. When using a form, you can choose the format, the arrangement, and which fields you want to display. This lesson teaches you how to create forms. Using the Form ButtonAccess can automatically create several types of forms. For example, when you click the Form button on the Create tab, Access places all fields in the selected table on a form. If the table has a one-to-many relationship with one other table or query, Access creates a stacked form (the records are displayed in a column) for the primary table and a datasheet for the related table. If there are several tables with a one-to-many relationship, Access does not create the datasheet. To create a form:
You can use the Navigation bars to move through the records on a form.
Tip: After you create a form, you can save it. You can open a saved form at any time. To save a form:
You can also save by right-clicking a form’s tab and then selecting Save from the menu that appears. Access saves the form unless you are saving for the first time. If you are saving for the first time, the Save As dialog box appears. Type the name you want to give the form and then click OK. Access saves the form. You can now access the form by using the Navigation pane. Create a Split FormA split form is a form in which the same data is displayed in two views simultaneously. One part of the form displays in Form view (stacked fields), while the other part displays in Datasheet view. The two views are synchronized, so as you select a field in one view, it is automatically selected in the other view. You can add, change, or delete the data in either view. Using a split form gives you the benefits of two types of forms in a single form. For example, you can use the datasheet portion to locate records and the form portion to edit records. To create a split form:
Create a Multiple Items FormYou can use the Multiple Items button on the Forms tab to create a form that displays multiple records, one record per row. To create a multiple items form:
Tip: A view is a way of looking at an Access object. Forms have three views: Form view, Layout view, and Design view. You can enter, edit, and view data in Form view. You can modify a form in Layout view or Design view. In Layout view, you can see your data, and the form you see closely resembles what your form will look like when you view it in Form view. You can make most, but not all, changes to your form in Layout view. Design view displays the structure of your form. In this view you cannot see the underlying data, but you can perform some tasks in Design view that you cannot perform in Layout view. This tutorial focuses on Layout view. To change the view:
Modify a FormAfter you create a form, it opens in Layout view, where you can modify it. To change the size of a field:
To move a datasheet:
To resize a datasheet:
To apply an AutoFormat:The AutoFormat option on the Format tab enables you to apply formats quickly, such as background colors, field colors, field label colors, and fonts.
To change a form title:When you create a form, by default, Access uses the form name as the title. You can change the title.
To add the date and time:You can easily add the date and time to your form.
Change Fonts and Formats You can use options on the Format tab to manually apply individual formats to your report. However, before you can apply a format to a field or field label, you must select it. To select a field or field label, click it. To select multiple items, hold down the Shift key and then click each item you want to select. A box surrounds selected items.
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