Microsoft Access Report Tips

How to print multiple columns in a report (and save wasted paper)

Starting Report page numbers from a number other than one

Consecutive numbering for each record in a Report

Can I convert my Form into a Report?

How to load your Report into MS Word

How to make text in a Report appear in Bold when it fulfills certain criteria

How to print multiple columns in a report
Firstly, you need to work out how many columns you need and whether they will fit onto the page. Then open the report in Design View and select FILE, PAGE SETUP, COLUMNS. For Grid Settings, enter the number of columns you want, the amount of space between rows and in the Column Spacing text box enter the amount of space you need between columns. For Column Size enter the column Width and then the Height of the detail section of the report. In Column Layout you can choose Down, Then Across which will produce horizontal columns, or Across, Then Down which will produce a layout similar to mailing labels. Then select PAGE, and under Orientation choose either portrait or landscape. Click OK.

Starting Report page numbers from a number other than one
In Design View place an unbound text box in the report footer or header. Then enter the following:

="Page " & [Page]+([Starting Page]-1)

When you view the report Access will ask you for a value for 'Starting Page'.

To amend this so that the report shows Page A of B, change the contents of the text box you have created to:

="Page " & [Page]+([Starting Page]-1) & " of " & [Pages] + ([Starting Page]-1)

Consecutive numbering for each record in a Report
Add an unbound text box to the relevant section of the report. In the properties for the text box change the ControlSource property to =1. Then change the Running Sum property.

If your records are grouped and you want to number each group separately then change the Running Sum property to Over Group. Otherwise change it to Over All.

Can I convert my Form into a Report?
If you have a form that you wish to save as a report open that form in Design View. Then select FILE and SAVE AS REPORT.

How to load your Report into MS Word
Open up your report, or from the Database window, click the name of the report you want to save and load as a Word document.

Select TOOLS, OFFICE LINKS, and click Publish It With MS Word. The output is saved as a Rich Text Format (.rtf) file in the folder where Microsoft Access is installed. Word will automatically start up and opens the document. You can then treat the document like any other Word document.

You can also follow this method to load the output of a datasheet or form into Microsoft Word, or just a selection of a datasheet.

How to make text in a Report appear in Bold when it fulfills certain criteria
You will need to use the format event in the Detail section of your Report. Say you have a control named ctlExample that needs to appear in bold if it is greater than 10 and normal if it is less than or equal to 10, then you can use the following syntax:

If (Me![ctlExample]>10) then
If Not Me![ctlExample].FontBold then
Me![ctlExample].FontBold = True
End If
Else
If Me![ctlExample].FontBold then
Me![ctlExample].FontBold = False
End If
End If

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