Form Design - No Longer Set

5 Ways to Build Consistent Form User Interfaces in Microsoft Access

Make your Access application feel more professional with a consistent user interface design. Form templates make it easy.

Code Library

ObscureInfo(): Hide Sensitive Information in Access Form Controls

Avoid over-the-shoulder attacks and prevent accidental disclosures in your Microsoft Access forms with this easy-to-implement function.

Form Design

Triple-State Modern On/Off Switch in Access

Yes, No, or I Don't Know (or Don't Care). With this updated design, you can offer your users a third option with your modern on/off switches.

Form Design

Modern On/Off Button in Access

Leave those boring checkboxes behind and move into the 21st century with these modern on-off switches for Microsoft Access. Very little code required!

Form Design

Choosing the Right Font

Fonts fall into six main categories. There is no one "best" type of font. Rather, each type serves different purposes.

Form Design

Abbreviations in Lookup Tables

One way to boost the signal-to-noise ratio on your continuous forms is to use abbreviations rather than full descriptions for lookup tables.

Form Design

5 Ways to Set a Default Font on Microsoft Access Forms

If you don't like the default fonts in MS Access, you don't have to change them one control at a time. Here are 5 techniques to simplify the task.

Form Design

Overlapping Windows vs. Tabbed Documents

Access gives you two options for displaying forms and report objects: windows or tabs. Read on for the advantages of each and which one I prefer.

Combo Boxes

Dealing with Inactive Items in a Combo Box Row Source

There are many ways to deal with inactive RowSource items in combo boxes. Here's a no-code technique that I find myself coming back to time and again.

Form Design

Add a Custom Right-Click Menu to an Access Control

It's easier than you might think to add a right-click menu to a control on your Access form.

Form Design

Tabbed Master-Detail Form

The tabbed master-detail form is the heart of my Access applications. The first tab has record details, while the other tabs provide subforms for one-to-many relationships.

Form Design

Modern Message Boxes in Access

These modern message boxes from Kevin Bell will help set your Access applications apart from the crowd.

Form Design

IslaDogs: Getting Creative with the Access Application Interface

This one-hour video from Colin Riddington (aka IslaDogs) is jam-packed with API-based Access user interface hacks.

Form Design

Two-Way Many-to-Many Form

Presenting many-to-many relationships intuitively is tricky. I use this style of form when the two sides of the relationship have a small number of records.

Form Design

Progress Tracker Form

For recurring processes that have lots of required subtasks but with no dependencies among the subtasks, I turn to my Progress Tracker Form.

Form Design

Master Lookup Form

The Master Lookup Form is the hub of my Access applications.

Form Design

Form Design Gallery

An ever-expanding gallery of Microsoft Access form design tips, techniques, and inspiration.

Code Library

How to Highlight the Current Record in a Continuous Form

Step-by-step instructions for applying a custom highlight to the currently selected record in a continuous form in Microsoft Access.