Microsoft Access: Custom AutoFormats for your Reports

You may be familiar with built-in AutoFormats through the form and report creation wizards. AutoFormats are saved collections of attribute settings for such elements as fonts, colors and object borders, and picture property settings. If you find yourself repetitively making the same formatting changes to form and report controls, you can save time by saving your formatting preferences as a custom AutoFormat.

1. Open a form that uses your desired default attributes in Design view.
2. From the Format menu, select AutoFormat.
3. Click Customize. Here is where you manage your system’s AutoFormats. You can create a new format, incorporate the changes you’ve made into whatever AutoFormat was selected in the AutoFormat dialog box when you clicked the Customize button, or delete the selected AutoFormat.
4. Select the Create A New AutoFormat Based On The Form/Report option button and click OK. You’ll then be given the opportunity to specify a name for the new AutoFormat.
5. To later apply an AutoFormat to a form or report you’re designing, simply redisplay the AutoFormat dialog box, choose the correct AutoFormat and click OK.

If you have any questions regarding this tip or need help implementing it in your own projects, contact Ranelle Maltas, Application Support Associate, at 472-0585 or e-mail at rmaltas2@unl.edu.