Access® 2007 For Dummies®

Chapter 22. Ten Common Problems

In This Chapter

• Data entry problems

• Query woes

• Invalid validation

• Performance troubles

• Spreadsheet importation mess

• Dealing with corruption

• Unable to access Access

Yes, even so‐called “experts” have problems with computers. I've chosen ten of the most common Microsoft Access problems and presented them to you in this chapter — with their solutions of course!

Don't despair if your problem is not on my list. I find many solutions to my computing problems by searching the Access newsgroups online. Chances are, if I'm having the problem, someone else has already had it and figured out the solution. That's why the newsgroups are a valuable resource. The Appendix lists a few more valuable help resources.

Speaking of valuable resources, check out the ten problems in this chapter.

You Type 73.725, but it Changes to 74

Automatic rounding can frustrate the living daylights out of you, but correcting it is easy. By default, Access sets all number fields to accept long integers. As you may remember from your high school math days, an integer is a negative or positive whole number. You need to change the field size setting to one that accepts decimals. Here's how:

1. Open the table in Design view and then click the field that's not cooperating.

2. On the General tab of the Properties area at the bottom of the screen, click the Field Size box.

3. Click the down arrow on the end of the box, and then select Single, Double, or Decimal from the drop‐down menu that appears.

4. Save the table, ...