RE: Saving Form

Is your form bound to a table, that is, is its RecordSource property set to
the name of a table or query? If it is a query, is it "updateable"? Some
queries, for a variety of reasons cannot be updated. You can tell if it is
by executing the query by itself and attempting to change data in it.

If it is bound to a table or updateable query, are all of the form controls
(textboxes, combo boxes, checkboxes, etc.) bound to fields of the
RecordSource, that is, is their ControlSource property set to the names of
each corresponding field?

If the answer is Yes to all of the above, your data IS being saved to you
table(s). You HAVE the computer record of the invoice that you want. You
don't need to do anything further. If you want a printed copy for a paper
file, either print the screen (File, Print), or if that loses too much of the
formatting for your taste, define a report, and print it for the current
record as I described in an earlier post.

If the answer to any of the above is No, correct the deficiencies.

Good luck.

Sprinks


"DistrautMan" wrote:

> ill try all that out. the point of the entire database is that we have an
> invoice in microsoft word aleady but what we need was 1: a table that stored
> everything we need to know about our inventory ex. distributer, product, buy
> price, sell price, quantity, reorder. then i had to duplicate the existing
> invoice into access where i could now select the product from drop menus that
> will display the prices and a command button that will total them, the only
> place ive figured out how to do this is the form. but ive already
> accomplished all that. the reason im using access is because i need the
> invoice to tie into the inventory so that it automatically subtracts the "in
> stock" value from the database, which i will attempt to do in a few minutes
> from your explinations. but now i cant save like i need it do be saved. i
> dont care which format i use as long as it saves in the same view as the
> printed copy. i need two ways of storing invoices: one as a hard copy print
> out to put in a drawer and another as a saved copy on the computer.
>
> "Sprinks" wrote:
>
> > My point of confusion is that you seem to be using an Access form simply as a
> > replica of a paper form, or a Word form. Normally, Access forms are used to
> > enter data into tables and/or display existing data. If your form is used in
> > this way, each time you entered a new invoice, the data would be stored in
> > tables. There would be no need to print an extra hard copy of each invoice
> > because the invoice could be reviewed through your form at any time. You
> > could, of course, print it if desired from a command button on the form that
> > would execute a report for the current record.
> >
> > I should caution you that, unlike Excel or Word, learning Access,
> > particularly from the design development side, is a significant learning
> > curve. If you will have the responsibility of developing applications for
> > your company, I strongly advise that you get some Access-specific training,
> > and to pick up one or more good Access reference books. Trying to develop an
> > application from ground zero is likely to be a very frustrating process.
> >
> > That said, an Update query is simply a type of query that changes data in
> > one or more tables. In Access parlance, a query can be a Select query (the
> > most common), Cross-Tab, Make-Table, Append, Update, or Delete. You can also
> > use a query to summarize data from your tables, for example, the total amount
> > sold to each customer last year.
> >
> > To experiment, start a new query based on some test tables with test data in
> > them.
> > Let's say you had one called InvoiceItems that stored each item's
> > partnumber, order quantity, and unitprice, a primary key ID, and an
> > InvoiceNumber that associates the items with the Invoice. Records would look
> > like:
> >
> > InvoiceItemID InvoiceNumber PartNumber Qty UnitPrice
> > ---------------- -------------------- -------------- ----------- -------------
> > 45 11111 12345 12 65.00
> > 46 11111 24654 10 75.00
> >
> > There is no need to store extended price because you can calculate in a
> > query as a calculated field. Similarly, the part description is not needed
> > because it can be obtained from the Products table through a join
> > relationship on the PartNumber.
> >
> > Now, let's say you have an Inventory table that stores the partnumber and
> > the current quantity on hand:
> >
> > PartNumber QtyOnHand
> > ---------------- --------------
> > 12345 650
> > 24654 55
> >
> > Show the InvoiceItems and the Inventory tables. If Access does not provide
> > a link between the two PartNumber fields, establish one by dragging one to
> > the other. Then drag the InvoiceNumber field from InvoiceItems to the grid
> > and the QtyOnHand field from the Inventory table. Execute the query by
> > pressing the exclamation point icon. Note the quantity on hand for the items
> > of one of the invoices you've entered into your test tables, and note the
> > invoice number.
> >
> > Change to Update view by Query/Update. In the Criteria row of the
> > InvoiceNumber enter the number you will use. In the Update To: row of the
> > QtyOnHand field, type an expression that reduces the quantity on hand by the
> > amount in the InvoiceItems Qty field:
> >
> > [Inventory].[QtyOnHand]-[InvoiceItems].[Qty]
> >
> > Execute the query, switch back to select view, and execute again. The
> > QtyOnHand of each item on that invoice will have been reduced by the quantity
> > entered on the invoice.
> >
> > To execute the query from a command button on the form, instead of manually
> > entering the InvoiceNumber criteria as you just did, use a reference to a
> > form control that has this information:
> >
> > Forms![YourForm]![YourInvoiceNumberControl]
> >
> > Use the wizard to create a command button that executes the query. To
> > toggle the wizard on, choose View, Toolbox, and depress the wand and stars
> > icon.
> >
> > To avoid deducting the same amount twice, add a Yes/No field to the Invoice
> > table called something like InventoryAdjusted. Then change your command
> > button's OnClick event procedure:
> >
> > ' Declarations here
> >
> > If Not Me![InventoryAdjusted] Then
> > ' Wizard created code to execute the query
> > Me![InventoryAdjusted] = True ' Set to false so it won't be run again
> > End If
> >
> > ' Error-handling here
> > "DistrautMan" wrote:
> >
> > Hope that helps.
> > Sprinks
> >
> > > when i say saving i mean that aside from the printed hard copy for storage in
> > > a cabinet or something i need another hard copy of each and every invoice i
> > > make that i can save into a file called "customer's invoices". i want copies
> > > of each one i make so that if ever needed we can go back on the computer and
> > > pull one up to check that person's phone number and what they've ordered. and
> > > btw i cant figure out the update query, i dont know how to make one because
> > > ive been using access for like a week or two.
> > >
> > > "Sprinks" wrote:
> > >
> > > > Hi, DistrautMan.
> > > >
> > > > I'm not sure what you mean by "saving" it. If your form is bound to
> > > > table(s), it already is saved. You can pull that record up at any time to
> > > > look at the information or edit it if necessary. A hard copy can be printed
> > > > at any time by printing a report that is based on a query that filters your
> > > > recordset by the currently displayed record.
> > > >
> > > > As far as deducting quantity purchased from available inventory, I'm not an
> > > > inventory expert, but there have been plenty of threads on this topic here
> > > > that you can search. Basically, I believe you would run an update query on
> > > > your inventory table.
> > > >
> > > > Hope that helps.
> > > > Sprinks
> > > >
> > > > "DistrautMan" wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > ok well first how can i put my form fields like drop boxes on to a report if
> > > > > i cant edit things on a report and second, each invoice contains, customer
> > > > > name and number, and what they buy, i need to be able to save that so that
> > > > > at anytime i can pull that information up and see what they bought. right
> > > > > now i have a perfectly fine template in word but i need to make one in access
> > > > > so that one, it tallies up totals automatically and i did that, and two it
> > > > > automatically subtracts from the in stock value from my table when i put
> > > > > something in the quantity text box for the product, and i havent figured that
> > > > > out. but now ive run into the problem about being able to save it so it
> > > > > looks like it does when i print it with all the information about the sale.
> > > > >
> > > > > "Sprinks" wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > DistrautMan,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I forgot to mention that since you can recreate the report, or look at the
> > > > > > record on a form at any time, why would you need to store a copy of it?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Sprinks
> > > > > >
> > > > > > "Sprinks" wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > Hi, DistrautMan.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > I suggest you recreate the form's look in a report, and use a command button
> > > > > > > on your form to output it in rich text format to a document. You can set the
> > > > > > > filename in your command button procedure, or ask for a filename to be input
> > > > > > > using the InputBox function.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Base your report on a query that contains all necessary fields, and has
> > > > > > > selection criteria referencing the currently displayed record:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > =Forms!YourFormName!YourPrimaryKey
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Dim stDocName As String
> > > > > > > Dim stFilename As String
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > stDocName = "YourReportName"
> > > > > > > stFilename = "YourFileName" ' or use InputBox to get a filename
> > > > > > > DoCmd.OutputTo acReport, stDocName, acFormatRTF, stFilename
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > See VBA Help on the OutputTo method for further details.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Hope that helps.
> > > > > > > Sprinks
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > "DistrautMan" wrote:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > ok i have a form that i use as an invoice at work. i need to be able to
> > > > > > > > export it out of access in a seperate folder called customer invoices. two
> > > > > > > > problems: one it doesnt keep the layout format i have, it trys to convert it
> > > > > > > > and it looks completely different, so i need to know how to keep it still
> > > > > > > > looking like its a print preview, and two: how do you save it so it keeps the
> > > > > > > > values i entered in the fields, such as text boxes and drop down menus. thanx
.