How to Create a Form/Subform in Access

One of the easiest methods in creating a form is to use the Form Wizard. To begin Click on forms, and Create form using wizard

This will prompt you to answer a few questions before the process is complete. Here is the first screen you will see:

Basically this screen asks you to select what table or query that you would like to have included on your form. For this example we will show the movie name, what theater the movie was shown in as well as how much sales were reported. To accomplish this just select the different tables and its corresponding field. Note this example is creating a form from information in three tables, which requires you to create relationships in Access (if you are unsure what this means read over the Access relationships tutorial). If you accomplish this successfully you should receive the following screen.

At this juncture you are offered a choice in the method that the data is displayed. For this example we will use the default Access selection. The next step is to select the method in which Access will display the data.

One you select the method, Access will offer you different choices in presentation style.

It really doesn’t matter too much what you select as you can always make changes in design view. Last step—give the form a name-in this case we again like the Access default selection so we click OK and we view the form.

Here is the completed form

At this point we can click on the Drafting Triangle and make cosmetic changes like background color, type font, etc.

Form Extras

Say you want to add some fancy control buttons to assist the end user in their quest to use your forms. To begin Select Design View and have the Toolbox menu visible. Click on the Control Button option and drag it on to the canvas.

Upon doing so the Command Button Wizard will appear asking you what you would like your button to do.

In this example we will selection GOTO NEXT RECORD—but you’ll notice you have many other options. Click next and the following screen will appear:

This screen asks you what you would like to be on your button, ie text or a picture. For this example we will stick with the Access default. All that is left to do at this point is to Click Next, give the button a name and Click on Finish

If successful your screen should now look something like this: