Microsoft+Acess+Tips+(Useful+New+Features)

What's good (useful new features)
If you are familiar with older versions, the new Access may leave you shocked and bewildered - unable to find a thing without the familiar menus, toolbars, and Database window. It takes some time to adapt. Once you recover, you unearth some seriously useful new functionality beneath that pretty face: Create a [|template database] to be used any time you create a new database. Any **new database** is initialized with whatever you placed in the template - settings, properties, forms, reports, macros, modules, references, error logging, splash form, ... Seriously useful for individuals and developer teams who want consistency. Solves many [|problem properties] (Name AutoCorrect, default references, etc.) || Formatted data in **exports** and emails. Prior to Service Pack 2, required a [|download]. The PDF add-in can be chained into the runtime installation. || For the first time, you can **format** text a text box: bold, italics, bulleted lists, fonts, colors, etc. Use for comments, merge letter reports, ... Applies to text boxes that are unbound, bound to an expression, or bound to a Memo field that has the //Text Format// property set to Rich Text (in table design.) Note: stores HTML (not RTF.) || Keeps a //ColumnHistory// of the text in the memo field each time it is changed. Use for legally sensitive notes (e.g. staff/client case notes.) || Choose between tabbed documents and overlapping windows (the old MDI view): Office Button | Access Options | Current Database. || A synchronized Datasheet (for locating the record) and Form view (for editing.) || Design forms and reports while viewing your data. || A Search box in the horizontal scrollbar searches any field in real time, finding matches between keystrokes. No setup: automatically appears in datasheets and forms. || Filter or sort by clicking the column header in a datasheet. No setup. (Particularly good on date fields, e.g. "last week", "last month".) || In any datasheet, depress //Totals// on the //Records// group of //Home// tab. At the foot of each column, choose sum, count, average, etc. No setup. || Calendar automatically appears beside date fields/controls. No setup. (Can be suppressed with //Show Date Picker// property.) || Set the //List Items Edit Form// property of the combo box. Right-click to edit/add to the items to the combo's list. || Shade alternate rows by setting the //Alternate Back Color// property of the Section. No setup required for Datasheets. || Option to show numbers as #### if column is too narrow (as Excel does.) Configurable: Office Button | Access Options | Current Database | Check for truncated number fields. || In Macro Design, a new column displays the arguments for each action, making it much easier to follow what the macro is doing. || Collection of variables that can be used application-wide and survive code resets. Example: In AutoExec macro, SetTempVar named LicensedTo to "Acme Corporation", and add this text box to each report header: //=[TempVars]![LicensedTo]// || For [|business], [|education], [|personal], and the Northwind [|sample]. ||
 * Feature || Applies to || Usage examples ||
 * Template || ACCDB, MDB ||
 * PDF || Reports, datasheets ||
 * Field and Table templates || Table design ||
 * Predefined fields** (XSD-based settings for name, type, length) and **tables** provide consistency and speed in table design. ||
 * Rich text || Memo fields, text boxes ||
 * Compressed storage || OLE field, Attachments, pictures on forms/reports || Images are in compressed format (e.g. JPG), with transparency (e.g. PNG.) Previous versions used used bitmap storage - impractical for more than a handful of images. ||
 * Append Only || Memo fields ||
 * Tabbed documents || Open queries, forms, etc. ||
 * Split forms || Forms ||
 * Layout view || Forms, reports ||
 * Control layouts || Form and report design || Arrange controls as a group (including labels in a different section), and manipulate them together. Add gridlines that expand to the tallest control, even where controls Can Grow. ||
 * Search || Datasheets, forms ||
 * Filters || Datasheets, forms ||
 * Totals || Datasheets ||
 * Bound images || Image control || Images now have a Control Source. Save the file name in a text field, and the image displays it without code. Show a graphic for each record, even in Continuous Form view. ||
 * Date picker || Date fields, text boxes ||
 * Edit list items || Combos, list boxes ||
 * Alternating row colors || Reports, forms, datasheets ||
 * Truncated numbers || Number fields ||
 * Macro design arguments || Macros ||
 * TempVars || Macros, queries, code, controls ||
 * Save Import/Export || External data || After an import or export (//External Data// tab of the ribbon), you can save the operation and repeat it later. ||
 * Data Collection || Data || Send HTML forms in email, and automatically process the data when replies are received. (See the //Collect Data// group on the //External Data// tab of the ribbon.) ||
 * Template databases || Anyone wanting a sample database to use or extend || [|Sample databases] to get you started.
 * Free runtime || Everyone || Microsoft is providing free [|developer extensions] and [|runtime Access] so you can create an Access 2007 application and give it to users who do not have Access 2007. (In previous versions, this was an additional commercial product.) ||