Microsoft® Access 2003 Forms, Reports and Queries

Chapter 9. Designing Forms for Efficient and Accurate Data Entry

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Preventing Errors by Validating Data

• Using Controls to Limit Data-Entry Choices

• Case Study

• Data Entry with ActiveX Controls

Data entry is one of those tasks that I describe as “dangerous” because it's a chore that's both tedious and important. It's tedious because entering dozens or hundreds of records is no one's idea of fun; it's important because the data must be entered accurately or any analysis of the data becomes at best misleading, and at worst just plain wrong. The danger, then, lies in the fact that data entry is prone to errors, but can't afford to have any.

As a forms designer, you can help to reduce this danger by setting up your forms so that data entry is ...